Crete Travel Guide: Made by DK

CRETE TRAVEL
GUIDE
Made by dk.
27. November 2009
personal guides powered by traveldk.com

1
Top 10
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Ancient Knosos
Knosos is steeped in mystery and enchantment. In legend, it was the seat of King Minos, beneath whose palace
the bull-headed Minotaur hunted its victims in the labyrinth built by Daedalus. In reality, it was the hub of a Bronze
Age empire that held sway over the Aegean more than 4,000 years ago. This part of the Knosos story only began
to be unearthed at the beginning of the 20th century, when British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans began excavations
of the site.
Many of the exhibits at Knosos are copies – the originals are preserved at the Irakleio Archaeological Museum
The hallway leading to the King’s chamber is named after

the double-bladed axe symbols carved into its walls and
Top 10 Sights columns. The double axe was a characteristic symbol of
Central Court Knosos and its empire.
1 All Minoan palaces
were built around a central
North Entrance Passage
courtyard. This would have
been the hub of the complex
8 A fresco of a charging bull, one of the enduring
symbols of Knosos, adorns the entrance to this passage.
and would probably have
Either side of the entrance are ruined chambers and deep
been used for ceremonial
stone storage pits. Images of sacred bulls outlasted the
purposes and for royal
enigmatic Minoan civilization and helped foster the
audiences. The courtyard of Knosos has a commanding
legend of the Minotaur.
view of the valley.
Throne Room
2 Piano Nobile
Evans dubbed this expansive room on the upper
9 Here, a stone throne – supposedly that of King
Minos – stands next to a basin. The basin is believed to
floor of the palace building the “noble hall”, believing
have been used for ritual purification, perhaps before
that it might have been the audience hall of the ancient
sacrifices were made to honour the gods.
Minoan kings. Its walls are decorated with copies of the
fabulous frescoes of agile, leaping bull dancers – the
most famous images of Knosos.
10 Bust of Sir Arthur Evans
A bust of Evans stands at the site entrance,
honouring the man who first traced the legendary palace
Dolphin Frescoes
3 The queen’s rooms were lavishly decorated with
of King Minos to this hillside above Irakleio. His broad
reconstructions of the ancient palace owe much to his
frescoes of leaping dolphins and well equipped with a
imagination.
bath and even a flush lavatory.
Storehouses
4 The storehouses or “magazines” contain giant Archaeologists in Crete
earthenware jars called pithoi , which the Minoans used
Arthur Evans
to store olive oil, olives, grain and other supplies. Such
jars, with a capacity of up to 200 litres, were used by
1 Arthur Evans was born into a wealthy British family
later Greeks over the next four millennia, and are still and educated at Oxford, where he later became keeper
made today. of the prestigious Ashmolean Museum. Crete’s liberation
from Turkish rule in 1897, three years after his first visit
to the site, made it possible for him to begin work in
South Portico 1900, and he devoted the next three decades to Knosos.
5 The imposing south gateway to the palace complex
has been partially restored, and is decorated with copies
Harriet Boyd-Hawes
of the flowing Procession fresco, the original of which
(like the other dazzling finds from Knosos) may be seen
2
Harriet Boyd
in the Irakleio Archaeological Museum. The roof of this (Boyd-Hawes following her
porch was originally supported by four tapering wooden marriage) arrived on Crete in
columns. 1901 and, after hunting for
promising sites, surprised
the archaeological world by
Great Staircase unearthing at Gournia a
6 Three smaller stairways and a maze of corridors complete Minoan town (see Gournia).
would once have led off the five broad, shallow stone
steps of the grand staircase. Four of these wide steps
Nikolaos Platon
survive, and a copy of the original Shield fresco which
was found here decorates this part of the palace
3 The instincts of Greek archaeologist Nikolaos Platon
complex. led to the rediscovery in 1961–2 of the unplundered,
overlooked palace site at Zakros (see Zakros). The
important clue was the natural harbour – Platon
Hall of Double Axes suspected the site had once been an important trading
7 city.
traveldk.com 3
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
John Pendlebury
4 Pendlebury, who continued Evans’s work at Knosos,
is one of the most colourful figures in Cretan archaeology. Ancient Knosos
He explored much of the island on foot and by donkey,
pinpointing dozens of important sites. He also became
a hero to Cretans after dying in action against the
invading Germans in 1941. Practical information
• Map K4
Federico Halbherr • Route 97, 5 km (8 miles) south of Irakleio
5 An Italian, Halbherr • 2810 231940
came to Crete in 1884 and
befriended the Cretan • Summer: 8am–7pm daily; winter: 8am–6pm daily
archaeologist Joseph Closed national holidays
Hadzidakis, with whom he • Adm €5.50
discovered the Bronze Age
relics at the Diktian Cave. He • Disabled access difficult
later unearthed the palace sites at Phaestos and Agia
Triada.
Top tips
Richard Seager
6 Among the first American scholars to work in Crete,
• If possible, visit Knosos in spring or autumn,
when cooler weather makes exploring more
where at the beginning of the 20th century he excavated pleasant than in high summer. But if you are
the Minoan site at Vasiliki, before starting work at holidaying in peak season, get to the site as soon
Mochlos (see Mochlos), where American archaeologists as it opens, before most coach tour groups have
are still at work together with Greek researchers. arrived.
• There are several tavernas and snack bars within
Joseph Hadzidakis a few steps of the site entrance, along the main
7 Crete’s own Joseph Hadzidakis pioneered the road to Irakleio.
search for relics of the island’s distant past, winning
permission from the Ottoman sultan to set up the Cretan
Archaeological Society in the 1880s. The Society played
a key role in locating and preserving Crete’s important
sites, and in setting up the Irakleio Archaeological
Museum (see Irakleio Archaeological Museum).
Alan Wace
8 The prominent director of the British School at
Athens, Wace clashed with the opinionated Arthur Evans
when his discoveries at Mycenae on the mainland led
him to claim (correctly) that the Mycenaean culture had
not been an offshoot of the Minoan but had existed
independently and eventually had come to control
Knosos.
Minos Kalokairinos
9 Cretan businessman and amateur archaeologist
Kalokairinos began the first dig at Knosos in 1878, finding
fragments of Mycenaean pottery and large pottery
storage jars. His discoveries brought Knosos to the
attention of Heinrich Schliemann.
10 Heinrich Schliemann
A rich and famous archaeologist fascinated with the
world of Homer’s epics, he discovered first the site of
ancient Troy (in Turkey), then Mycenae (in mainland
Greece). In 1887 he turned his attention to Crete, but
died before his researches could bear fruit, leaving the
field open for Arthur Evans.
traveldk.com 4
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Chania
Chania is Crete’s prettiest (and second largest) town, with
colourful old Venetian buildings ringing a sheltered
harbour that is guarded by sturdy fortifications. To the
south are the treeless peaks of the Lefka Ori (White
Mountains), sometimes snow-covered to June. Good
beaches lie to the west and on the Akrotiri peninsula to
the east. As well as Venetian ramparts and churches, a
scattering of old Turkish buildings are reminders of the
250 years of Turkish rule.
Municipal Market
Top 10 Sights 3 The market, housed in
Firkas a 19th-century building, is
1 Built to guard the best visited first thing in the
harbour, this massive bastion morning. Local farm produce
now houses an eclectic is piled high, including
Naval Museum, including a weird-looking fish on beds of
display about the Battle of ice. There is every
Crete. imaginable variety of olive,
herb and spice.
Cretan House Folklore Museum

4 With its excellent collection of tools, looms, spinning
Chania Archaeological wheels, rugs, wall hangings and embroidery, this
2 Museum museum reveals and preserves traditional Cretan village
The excellent collection skills (see Folklore Museums).
includes Minoan pottery and
clay tablets, Classical and Mosque of the Janissaries
Hellenistic sculpture and 5 The Turks built this multi-domed building to set their
glassware, and some fine stamp on Crete after the conquest of 1645. It is the
mosaics. oldest Ottoman building on the island.
traveldk.com 5
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Byzantine Collection
6 Next to the Firkas, the Byzantine Collection covers
the 1,000-year history of the Byzantine Empire, with Chania
displays of coins, jewellery and statuary, mosaics and
some fine icons.
Practical information
Etz Hayyim Synagogue
7 Recently restored, the 15th-century synagogue was • Map D2
used by Chania’s Jewish population until the German Chania Tourist Office
occupation of 1941–45, when they were deported to • Megaro Pantheo, Kriari
death camps by the Germans. A plaque bears the names
of 376 Jews who died when a deportees’ ship was • 40 28210 92943
inadvertently sunk by a British submarine. • 8am–2:30pm Mon–Fri
• Firkas 10am–4pm daily
Schiavo Bastion and Venetian Walls
8 The massive Schiavo Bastion and the high walls
• Museums Tue–Sun
either side of it are the best preserved of the landward • Market 7am–noon Mon–Sat
section of the Venetian fortifications, built in the mid-15th
century as the threat of Turkish invasion loomed. (No
public access.) Top tips
• Chania is the best shopping spot on Crete.
Lighthouse
9 Walk out to the little
Designer beachwear and silver jewellery are in
shops on Chalidon and the harbour. Cretan-style
lighthouse at the tip of the leather boots are found in cobbler’s shops on
Venetian harbour wall for a Skridlof. The Cretan House Folklore Museum sells
fine view of the waterfront, beautiful handicrafts.
harbour entrance and city.
• The priciest and noisiest restaurants line Akti
Koundouriotou, the harbour esplanade. For cheap
eats, try the streets east of Plateia Sindrivani.
Chania’s Story
Chania’s earliest settlers were Minoans. Later, in
520 BC, colonists from Samos arrived. From 1252
until 1645 it was mainly ruled by the Venetians,
10 “Oasis Beach”/Kalamaki
The beach, between the Chrissi Akti headland and who fortified the town and harbour. However,
Chania fell in 1645 after a 55-day siege and
Kalamaki, about 3 km (2 miles) from the city centre, is
the best near Chania, with its long curve of sand and remained in Turkish hands until 1898. In World War
shingle, cafés and restaurants, parascending and water II, Cretan civilians fought alongside Greek and
sports. British Commonwealth troops. The German
garrison in Chania held out until May 1945.
traveldk.com 6
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Gortys
The ruins of Gortys, in the middle of the fertile Messara
plain, date from a much later era than Crete’s Minoan
palaces. The large site, surrounded by trees, is less
crowded than Crete’s other top archaeological attractions,
though it is just as impressive. It was probably first settled
by the Minoans, but flourished later during the period of
the Dorian city-states in the 6th century BC. In the 2nd
century BC, Gortys defeated its rival Phaestos to become
the leading Cretan city.
Archaeological Museum. The onsite collection includes

images of gods, emperors and Roman notables.
Top 10 Sights
Basilica of Agios Titos
1 The impressive remains of the tree-aisled basilica 8 Roman Amphitheatre
The Roman
indicate that Christianity was already well established on
amphitheatre is surprisingly
the island by the 5th century, when the basilica was built.
small for a settlement as
It is named after St Titus (Agios Titos), who accompanied
important as Roman Gortys,
St Paul the Apostle to Crete in AD 59 and became the
but its tiers of stone seats
first bishop of Crete.
are well preserved and it is
easy to imagine it in use as
Roman Odeion and Code of Laws a venue for drama, oratory or gladiatorial combat.
2 Built into the walls of a Roman odeion are stone
slabs inscribed with a code of laws, dating from about
Roman Agora
500 BC. This is regarded as Gortys’ most significant
archaeological feature.
9 An impressive statue of the god of healing,
Asklepios (now in Irakleio Archaeological Museum), was
discovered at the Roman Agora. The agora, or
Praetorium marketplace, was the heart of any ancient Greco-Roman
3 A courtyard and stumps of marble columns are all city.
that remain of the palace of the Roman governor of Crete
and Libya.
10 Acropolis (Kastro)
Outside the main site,
Temple of Pythian formidable Roman ramparts
4 Apollo and a small tower, known as
Built in the 7th century BC, the Kastro (“castle”) stand
the temple had a guard on a low hilltop. Come
monumental altar added in here for a bird’s-eye view of
the Hellenistic period and Gortys and the countryside.
was converted into a
Christian church in the 2nd
century AD.
Roman Baths
5 Remnants of the baths, which would have been a
social hub of the Roman city, can be seen among olive
groves south of the Praetorium.
Temple of Isis and Serapis

6 Ancient Crete had links with ancient Egypt, as
shown by the remains of this temple dedicated to the
Egyptian deities.
Museum
7 A collection of marble statuary unearthed at Gortys
is on display in a small pavilion on the site, though many
of the more impressive finds are held at the Irakleio
traveldk.com 7
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Gortys
• Map J5
• 1 km (half a mile) from Agioi Deka
• 28920 31144
• 8am–7pm daily
• Adm €2.00
Top tips
• To combine your visit to Gortys with an afternoon
swim or an overnight stop, drive to Matala, 30 km
(20 miles) east of Gortys, which has a fine sandy
beach.
• Instead of using the rather spartan onsite
cafeteria at Gortys, head for the nearby village of
Agioi Deka, where there are several pleasant
tavernas and a historic church.
Byzantine Gortys
After the Roman conquest of 65 BC, Gortys
became capital of the Roman province of Crete
and Cyrene (modern Libya). It continued to flourish
as an important Byzantine provincial hub until, with
the weakening of the Byzantine empire, it was
sacked by Saracen invaders in the late 7th century
AD. It was finally abandoned by its inhabitants in
824.
traveldk.com 8
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Gournia
Unearthed by the American archaeologist Harriet Boyd
Hawes between 1901 and 1904, Gournia is the best
preserved Minoan town in Crete, though it receives few
visitors. Its layout, with narrow stepped streets and tiny
houses, is surprisingly similar to that of Cretan villages
to this day. It is also one of the oldest sites, inhabited from
around 3000 BC, though the surviving buildings date
from the later Second Palace Period. Like other Minoan
settlements, it was destroyed by earthquake and fire
around 1450 BC. The honeycomb of ruins stands only
waist high.
Central Palace Court

3 Access to the central
court of the palace from the
courtyard below is by the
ceremonial staircase. The
Minoan ruler of Gournia may
well have used this
antechamber to the small
palace building as his audience hall.
Palace
4 The palace, which may have been the dwelling place
of a governor who ruled Gournia on behalf of the Minoan
ruler of Knosos, is a miniature version of the more
important Minoan royal palaces. In the centre of the
Remains of workshops palace is a sacrificial altar.
Top 10 Sights 5 Storerooms

Adjoining the palace are
Courtyard storerooms, or magazines,
1 At the southern end of where grain, oil and other
the site an expansive essentials would have been
courtyard would have been kept in earthenware jars.
the hub of the settlement
and may have been the
town’s market. It was
probably also used for Shrine
ceremonial purposes. 6 A cobbled, mosaicdecorated path leads steeply up
to a small shrine, which was found to contain cult
objects. The terracotta goddess figurines and snake are
Stairway
2 The L-shaped stair that
now displayed in the Irakleio Archaeological Museum
rises from the courtyard to
the central court of the Carpenter’s Workshop
palace is characteristic of 7 Gournia was clearly a thriving, self-contained
Minoan palaces. The design community, and tools and other materials found in this
of it echoes similar small building indicate that it was used by a woodworker
ceremonial stairs found in who may also have lived on the premises with his family.
virtually every Minoan palace
site in Crete.
Potter’s Workshop
8 Clay fragments indicate
this was a potter’s workshop
. The finds unearthed in this
and other buildings indicate
Gournia was suddenly
abandoned rather than
slowly run down.
traveldk.com 9
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Bronzesmith’s Workshop
9 Bronze nails and scraps, and a simple stone anvil
suggest a smithy used in smelting bronze. Tools,
weapons, utensils and votive objects from Gournia are
at Irakleio Archaeological Museum.
10 Wash Basins
The crude stone washing basins found outside
almost every building in Gournia are known as gournes
in modern Greek. They gave their name to the long lost
site when it was rediscovered.
Gournia
• Map N5
• South of coast road, 18 km (11 miles) east of
Agios Nikolaos
• 28420 93028
• 8:30am–7pm Tue–Sun
• Adm €1.50
Top tips
• Unfortunately, the beaches near Gournia (like
most along this stretch of coast) are dirty and
unappealing.
• There is nowhere to eat at Gournia. Pachia
Ammos, 3 km (2 miles) east, has a string of
restaurants on its waterfront.
Lost Names
Although some Minoan scripts have been
deciphered, archaeologists still have no way of
knowing what the Minoans called most of their
cities. The names by which they are known today
stem from words used by the much later Greek
settlers who occupied the island long after the
collapse of Minoan civilization.
traveldk.com 10
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Irakleio
A massive medieval fortress still guards the harbour
where the galleys of the Serene Republic of Venice once
moored. Centuries-old churches and drinking fountains
are other reminders of Irakleio’s Venetian era. Busy
open-air markets and the island’s most fascinating
museum are also attractions. Find a café table on one of
the recently restored central squares and watch the busy
everyday life of a small Greek town, or browse the
markets for Cretan antiques and delicacies to take home.
For a morning’s walk in Irakleio (see A Morning in
Irakleio)
Market
Top 10 Sights 6 The old market has
Archaeological Museum striped awnings and
1 Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum is one of the counters piled high with
finest in Greece, with finds from ancient Minoan, Greek everything from live snails to
and Roman cities (see Irakleio, Irakleio Archaeological a myriad varieties of olive .
Museum).
Venetian Fortress (Koules)

2 The massive walls of the square fortress – the most
imposing historic building in Irakleio – were strengthened
by the Venetians as the Turkish threat grew during the
16th century.
Venetian Arsenal
3 The great wooden
Museum of Religious
war-galleys that gave Venice
its maritime supremacy were
7 Art
built and repaired in vaulted The world’s finest collection
arcades on the harbourfront of Cretan icons is displayed
opposite the fortress. in a pretty 15thcentury
Wooden fishing boats are church. Colourful, glowing
still hauled up here for maintenance. depictions of saints and
martyrs,some of them in
elaborate silver frames, adorn the walls. There are three
Historical Museum of Crete works by Michailis Damaskinos: the Adoration of the
4 The museum’s proudest possession is the only Magi, Last Supper , and Christ Appearing to the Holy
painting by El Greco to have been retained in the artist’s Women .
native Crete. There are also some lovely stone pieces
(see Historical Museum).
Natural History Museum
8 Offers an impression of the Cretan landscape in
Morosini Fountain Minoan times, before the importation of palm trees,
5 Carved stone lions, the eucalyptus and bougainvillea. There are also stuffed
symbol of St Mark, decorate animals, fossils and crystals.
a small fountain in the hub of
Irakleio’s old quarter. It is
Museum of the Battle of Crete
named after a great
17th-century Doge of Venice.
9 This small collection highlights the German invasion
Sadly, it is often dry. of 1941 and the Cretan resistance to German occupation
from 1941–45. There are photographs, documents,
weapons and uniforms.
traveldk.com 11
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
10 Venetian Bastions
Irakleio’s Venetian walls
are surprisingly intact,
though among a concrete
tide of modern buildings. The
best place to appreciate the
fortifications is from outside
the Chania Gate, with its
elaborate carving. Next to it is the massive Pantokratoros
Bastion.
Irakleio
• Map K3
• Greek National Tourism Organisation, 1
Xanthoudidou
• 28102 28203
• 9am–9pm Mon–Fri, 9am–3pm weekends
Top tips
• To see the market at its best, arrive early, when
the stalls are still piled high.The market remains
open all day, Monday to Saturday, but most
produce traders have packed up by midday.
• Plateia Venizelou is lined with pavement cafés
and a good place for a cold drink and a rest after a
morning exploring the market and city.
Irakleio’s Story
The Saracens who occupied Crete in the 9th and
10th centuries built a stronghold on the site of an
earlier Roman-Greek settlement named Irakleio
after the Greek hero Herakles (Hercules). Under
Venetian rule, the name was corrupted into Candia.
It reverted to its original name after independence
from Turkey. The city was heavily damaged by
bombing during World War II, but rose again to
become Crete’s official capital in 1971.
traveldk.com 12
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Irakleio Archaeological Museum
Founded in 1937 to house the growing treasury of finds
from Crete’s newly rediscovered archaeological sites,
Irakleio’s Archaeological Museum gives a dazzling insight
into the marvels of the first sophisticated European
civilization, which flourished here more than 3,000 years
ago. Among the most famous and striking exhibits are
the frescoes from Knosos, jewellery, symbol seals and
Minoan double axes, as well as the enigmatic Phaestos
Disc, with its symbols written by people of the ancient
world.
Town Mosaic
Top 10 Exhibits 8 Glazed tiles, each depicting multi-storey buildings
Hall of Frescoes of the Minoan era, were originally part of a mural
1 The most exciting and impressive of the museum’s decoration which may have graced the wall of a palace.
displays are the lively, colourful frescoes from Knosos,
Agia Triada and other palaces. They seem to offer a real Gaming Board
link between the past and present. 9 A decorative gaming board, elaborately inlaid and
decorated with rock crystal, gold and silver leaf, turquoise
Ayia Triada Sarcophagus paste and ivory, shows that ancient Crete had a wealthy,
2 The elaborately painted stone coffin is adorned with leisured class as well as trade links with other ancient
depictions of animal sacrifices, a funeral procession, civilizations.
women and goddesses riding chariots pulled by slaves
and mythical beasts. It was perhaps made for a Minoan
ruler. 10 Miniature Figures
Doll-like figurines of people and animals look like
toys but are believed to have had a religious purpose as
Phaestos Disc votive offerings. Most were found in mountain
3 The secret of this clay disc, embossed with symbols sanctuaries and caves, such as the Diktian (Psychro)
believed to be the earliest example of a form of printing, Cave (see Diktian Cave).
has yet to be revealed. The hieroglyphics on the disc,
which was found at Phaestos in 1903, are the earliest
known Minoan script.
Bull’s Head Rhyton

Irakleio Archaeological
4 This 16th-century BC wine vessel is carved from
Museum
black steatite stone and has gilded horns, rock crystal
eyes and a mother-of-pearl snout. It was discovered at
Knosos and probably used in ritual.
Faience Figurines of the Snake Goddess
5 Found at Knosos, the figures carry a snake in either
• Plateia Eleftherias/1 Xanthoudidou 711, Irakleio
hand, as do some later depictions of the goddess Astarte, • 2810 226092
suggesting some continuity between ancient Crete and • 8:30am–7pm Tue–Sun
later Hellenic cultures.
• Adm €1.60
Jug of Reeds
6 With its dark pattern of reeds painted on a lighter
Top tips
background, the graceful pottery jug is the finest example
of work from the New Palace era (1700–1450 BC). • In 2001 work began on an extensive
reorganization of the museum. The creation of a
Minoan Jewellery and Helmets new lower floor has revealed remnants of ancient
7 Gold necklaces, rings, earrings, seals, sword hilts buildings. Some exhibits, including the Giamalakis
Collection, may not be on display while the
and helmets are among the treasure trove of finds from
Knosos, Phaestos and Gortys. excavations are still being undertaken.
• Plateia Eleftherias, near the museum, is now
pedestrianized and has a row of café terraces.
traveldk.com 13
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Museum Guide
The ground-floor galleries (Rooms 1–13) are
arranged chronologically, anti-clockwise, beginning
with Neolithic finds through to the Roman era.
Rooms 14–18, including the Giamalakis Collection,
are on the first floor. However, during the current
modernization programme, the collections are
subject to temporary reorganization and closure.
traveldk.com 14
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Phaestos
While Arthur Evans was reconstructing Knosos, the more
meticulously scientific Italian scholar Federico Halbherr
was unearthing the sites of two Minoan palaces at
Phaestos, on a hilltop above the fertile farmlands of the
Messara Plane. Most of the ruins visible today are
remnants of the later palace (known as the Second
Palace), built around 1600 BC and destroyed, possibly
by a tidal wave, in around 1450 BC.
To the southeast of the site,the smaller ruins of the First

Palace are fenced off for their protection. The palace was
Top 10 Sights built c.1900 BC and destroyed about 200 years later.
West Courtyard and Theatre Area
1 Tiers of stone seats occupy the north side of the
Palace Workshops
West Courtyard, a paved space that was used for rituals
and theatrical ceremonies, including, perhaps, the
8 The remains of a sophisticated kiln or bronze-smith’s
furnace stand in a large courtyard. Off the courtyard are
bull-vaulting depicted in some Minoan frescoes. South
small chambers which may have been workshops for
of the courtyard are two well-like stonelined pits used
the palace artisans.
for storing grain, and in the northeast corner are the
remains of a shrine which was part of the earlier palace.
Classical Temple
Grand Stairway
9 The remnants of a small temple built during the
2 This broad, monumental
Classical era provide evidence that Phaestos was still
lived in some 1000 years after the mysterious collapse
stairway leads from the
of the Minoan civilization.
West Courtyard up to the
remains of a propylon, or
portico, and into a
colonnaded lightwell. This 10 Royal Apartments
Now fenced off, these rooms were the grandest in
was the main entrance to the the complex, consisting of the Queen’s Chamber, the
palace. King’s Chamber, a lustral basin (covered pool), and even
a bathroom and lavatory with running water .
Central Court
3 This vast courtyard, formerly flanked on two sides
by covered walkways, may have been a parade ground.
Niches, perhaps for sentries, are recessed into walls by
the main entrance.
Peristyle Hall
4 The stumps of columns lining this square space
indicate that it was once a colonnaded courtyard. Beneath
it are traces of an even more archaic building, dating from
what is known as the Prepalatial period (3500–1900 BC).
Archive
5 This row of mud-brick coffers may have been the
filing department. The Phaestos Disc, with its
undeciphered hieroglyphics, was discovered here. It can
be seen in the Irakleio Archaeological Museum.
Storerooms and Pithoi

6 The storerooms were where essentials such as
grain, oil, wine and olives were kept in huge ceramic jars
called pithoi . Several pithoi remain in the storerooms.
First Palace Remains

7
traveldk.com 15
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Phaestos
• Map H5
• 8km (5 miles) west of Moires village
• 28920 42315
• 8am–7pm Tue–Sun
• Adm €4.00
Top tips
• The on-site Tourist Pavilion at Phaestos serves
cold drinks and indifferent food, but there are
several better (and cheaper) refreshments stops
at Agios Ioannis village, including the Taverna Agios
Ioannis, on the main street.
• For an overnight stop, head for the little resort
of Matala, with sandy beaches and small hotels,
less than 30 minutes drive from Phaestos.
Minoan Demise
What caused the sudden collapse of the Minoan
civilisation? Many believe that it was the eruption
of the volcano on the island of Thira (Santorini),
which would have triggered great tidal waves and
suffocating clouds of volcanic ash. Other
explanations include invasion by the warlike
Mycenaeans of the mainland. But all such theories
remain speculative for now.
traveldk.com 16
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Rethymno
Rethymno, Crete’s third largest town, has been occupied since Minoan times and flourished under Venetian rule.
Built on a wide, shallow bay, it has a good beach at the heart of town, and an old quarter crammed with the tall
windows and wrought-iron balconies of oldfashioned Venetian and Turkish houses. Several well-preserved
mosques are relics of the Turkish era, and, along with the palm trees planted along its seafront esplanade, give
the town a pleasantly exotic atmosphere.
For a morning’s itinerary in Rethymno (see A Morning in Rethymno)
Venetian Loggia
Top 10 Sights 6 (Lotzia)
Venetian Fortress (Fortetza) The most important
1 Built in 1573, this imposing stronghold – one of the architectural reminder of
largest Venetian castles ever built – broods on a headland Venice’s long reign is now a
above the town. It has four sturdy bastions and three shop selling museum-grade
gates. Within the walls, the most interesting building is reproductions of Classical
the Ibrahim Han Mosque, originally the Venetian works of art.
Cathedral (see Venetian and Turkish Castles).
Historical and Folk Art Museum

2 Vivid woven rugs and hangings, fine lace, traditional
pottery and magnificent silver and amber jewellery are
among the relics of a vanished way of life that are
preserved in this interesting little place. The collection
is housed in an old Venetian town house.
Franzeskaki Collection
Nerandzes Mosque 7 Rethymno was one of the most important centres
3 Rising above the old town’s rooftops, the pointed of dyeing, weaving and embroidery in Crete, and the
minaret of the 17th-century Nerandzes Mosque is a Franzeskaki Collection at Epimenidou displays marvellous
prominent landmark of Rethymno and has a great view examples of these decorative textiles.
from its turret. Unfortunately, it is currently closed for
renovation: contact the Rethymno Tourist Office for
Inner Harbour
further information. 8 The small inner harbour,
below the fortress, is one of
Rethymno the most picturesque in
4 Archaeological Greece, with ramshackle old
Museum houses, small boats at
Opposite the main gate of anchor and a busy quayside.
the fortress, in a converted
bastion (part of the
Venetian Gate (Porta
fortifications added by the
Turks), the archaeological
9 Guora)
museum’s displays include The only remnant of the
finds from Neolithic, Minoan city’s Venetian fortifications
and Roman sites( (see is an arched stone gate,
Rethymno Archaeological leading from the picturesque
Museum)). old quarter into the modern
part of the city. Other gates
were dismantled to provide
better vehicle access.
Rimondi Fountain
5 Water flows from an ornate fountain, built in 1626
by one of Rethymno’s patrician families on the site of
an earlier, simpler water source. Both Venetians and
Turks endowed various cities with numerous public
fountains.
traveldk.com 17
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
10 Beach
Rethymno’s town
beach starts just east of the
main harbour breakwater and
stretches eastward. Behind
it is an esplanade lined with
palm trees planted in the
1990s, and an almost
continuous chain of openair cafés and restaurants.
Rethymno
• Map F3
• Rethymno Tourist Information Office, Eleftheriou
Venizelou
• 28310 29148
• Apr–Oct: 8am–6pm Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat
• Fortress 8am–8pm Tue–Sun
• Museums Tue–Sun
Top tips
• Visit Rethymno in July to enjoy the annual wine
festival in the public gardens.
• Rethymno’s bustling harbour front caters almost
exclusively for tourists. Head for the quiet alleys
of the old quarter for cheaper, less crowded and
often more authentically Cretan restaurants.
Muslims and Hajis

Rethymno’s many Turkish features hint at a
multi-ethnic past. Until Crete’s independence in
1908, the town had a large Turkish Muslim
population. Many later moved to Rhodes, which
was then still under Turkish rule. The common
Cretan name prefix “Hadzi” is a reminder of that
era, originally indicating a Cretan who had made
the pilgrimage (“Haj” in Turkish/Arabic) to the Holy
Land.
traveldk.com 18
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Samaria Gorge
The Samaria Gorge, which cuts its way through the Lefka Ori (White Mountains) from the Omalos Plateau to the
Libyan Sea, is one of the most striking areas of natural beauty in Greece. Peaks soar on both sides of the gorge,
flanked by pine woods and wildflower meadows. Beginning 1,250 m (4,100 ft) above sea level, it emerges on
the coast close to the little village of Agia Roumeli after passing through the narrow Sideresportes or “Iron Gates”.
the old village of Agia Roumeli. Below these ruins lies

the site of the small Hellenistic city state of Tarra.
Top 10 Sights
Xyloskalo
1 The zig-zag path down 9 New Agia Roumeli
The inhabitants of Agia Roumeli abandoned their
through the gorge is called
village in the 1960s, intent on a new location by the sea.
the Xyloskalo. The toughest
The new village has since grown into a cheerful string
part plummets a breathtaking
of tavernas and guesthouses spread out along a single
1,000 m (3,300 ft) in little
street.
more than 2 km (1 mile),
passing through pine and
cypress woods along the
way. 10 Agios Pavlos Beach
Just east of Agia Roumeli, Agios Pavlos beach is a
long, uncrowded stretch of pebbles. It is named after
the tiny chapel here dedicated to St Paul.
Samaria Gorge
Gigilos and Volakia Peaks
2 Above the Xyloskalo to the west, the skyline is
dominated by the massive peaks of Gingilos and Volakia.
These mountaintops may remain snow covered well into Practical information
early summer when the temperatures at sea level are • Map C4
scorching.
• Gorge open May–mid-Oct, 7am–7pm daily
• Forest Guardhouse, Xiloskalo
Neroutsiko and Riza Sikias
3 The springs of Neroutsiko and Riza Sikias meet at • (28210) 67179
the foot of the Xyloskalo. In winter they form a fierce • Forest Guardhouse, Agia Roumeli
torrent that makes the gorge impassable, but in summer
they dry to a trickle. • (28250) 91254
• Admission charge €3.50
Church of Agios Nikolaos • Keep your datestamped ticket, which you must
4 Not far from the foot of the Xyloskalo and the hand in at the Agia Roumeli gate as you leave
springs, the tiny, roughly built chapel of Agios Nikolaos
stands in the shade of pine and cypress trees, next to
an official rest area.
Top tips
• Though fit walkers can complete the 11-mile
Samaria
5 The last dwellers in the gorge abandoned this village
(17-km) trek in about five hours, it is best to allow
eight, including a break of at least an hour. Rest in
in 1962 when the area was designated a national park.
the hottest part of the day in summer.
The ghostly cottages have become ever more derelict.
• Take plenty of water – at least one litre per
person.There are designated rest areas where you
Osia Maria
6 Dwarfed by steep cliffs, the small church of Osia
can picnic in the shade, and at Agia Roumeli there
are small tavernas for your recuperation.
Maria contains 14th-century frescoes and lends its name
to the village of Samaria and to the gorge itself.
Sideresportes
7 Near the shrine of Afendis Christos, the gorge
narrows to just 3 m (9 ft) of space separating rocky walls
that rise 700 m (over 2,000 ft).
Tarra (Old Agia Roumeli)

8 A crumbling Turkish fort, a ruined Venetian church
and a few tumbledown cottages are all that remain of
traveldk.com 19
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
Getting Around
Several tour companies run daily escorted walks,
which include transport to and from the gorge.
There are also regular buses from Chania to
Omalos, 1 km (half a mile) from Xiloskalo.
Independent walkers must report to the Forest
Guardhouse at Xiloskalo before setting out. There
are many guesthouses in Agia Roumeli, and while
no roads service this stretch of coast, ferries run
daily to Chora Sfakion and Sougia.
traveldk.com 20
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
The Amari Valley and Mt Idi
The remote Amari Valley, overlooked by the summit of
Mt Idi, is one of the most scenic regions in Crete, dotted
with tiny village churches – some of them more than 700
years old – and olive groves and vineyards. This upland
region is surprisingly fertile, thanks to topsoil washed
from the surrounding slopes, and in the Byzantine era
was among the wealthiest regions in Crete. A heartland
of the Cretan resistance struggle in World War II, many
of its villages were destroyed by the Germans in
retaliation for attacks by Cretan guerrillas.
Idaian Cave
2 According to Greek myth, Zeus, chief of the
Olympian gods, was raised in this enormous cavern, 20
minutes’ walk from the Nida Plateau. In ancient times
this was a place of pilgrimage. Artifacts such as bronze
shields, which were left as offerings to Zeus in the 8th
century BC, are in the Irakleio Archaeological Museum.
The cavern is open daily.
Amari Village
3 A Venetian clocktower
on the main square is one of
the older buildings in the
valley. Just outside the
village, some of Crete’s
Panagia at Thronas oldest Christian frescoes,
dated 1225, are in Agia Anna
church.
Top 10 Sights
Mt Idi (Psiloritis)
1 Summit
Towering above the remote
valley, the 2,456-m (8,060-ft)
peak of Mt Idi, also called Ida
and Psiloritis, is the highest
mountain in Crete. Marked
Kamares Cave
walking trails (see Climbing
Mt Idi) lead to the summit from the Nida Plateau, 23 km
4 This cave, where remarkable Minoan pottery known
(14 miles) by road from Anogeia village. as Kamares ware was discovered, is a four-hour trek
traveldk.com 21
Crete Travel Guide
Top 10
from Kamares village. This sacred site was dedicated to
the goddess Eileithyia.
The Amari Valley and Mt Idi
Hromonastiri
5 The church of Agios Eftihios, at the village of
Hromonastiri, contains faded frescoes, dating from the Practical information
11th century, which may be the oldest of their kind in
Crete. • Map G–H4
• Greek National Tourism Organization, Eleftheriou
Venizelou, Rethymno
The Memorial to
6 Peace • 28310 29148
German artist Karen Raeck’s
work, to the north of the
Nida Plateau, is a winged
figure outlined in huge
Top tips
natural stone boulders . • Amari is the best base for exploring the valley
and surrounding mountains on foot. There are
several tavernas, rooms to rent and a post office
where you can change money.
• Guided fossil-hunting and herb-gathering walks
around the Amari Valley are organized by Lamvros
Papoutsakis in Thronos village (28330 22760).
Thronos Getting Around the Valley

7 The 14th-century church of the Panagia at Thronos
contains striking frescoes and traces of mosaics from Though the Amari Valley feels remote, there are
an earlier basilica. Nearby are the ruins of a Hellenistic three buses daily from Rethymno to the two
city. largest villages, Thronos and Amari. With a hired
car, it is possible to drive up one side of the Amari
Valley and down the other. Of the two roads, the
Moni Asomaton
8 The monastery of
eastern route is the most spectacular.
Asomaton, built in the
Venetian era, is now
deserted and spooky. It
stands in a fertile oasis of
plane trees, palms and
eucalyptus.
Agios Ioannis Theologos

9 The church of St John the Divine, built in the 13th
century, stands by the road just north of Kardaki village.
The fine frescoes were painted in 1347.
10 Fourfouras
A pretty village set in stunning mountain scenery,
Fourfouras is one of the jumping-off spots for the ascent
of Mt Idi and some of the less challenging hikes on the
Psiloritis massif.
traveldk.com 22
2
Practical Info
Crete Travel Guide
Practical Info
boats putter along at least once a day, calling at Agia
Getting To and Around Crete Roumeli and Loutro.
1 Scheduled Flights
The only year-round way of getting to Crete is to fly Riding
to Athens and take a connecting flight to Irakleio, Chania 8 Mule or pony trekking is a great way to explore the
or Rethymno. There are flights to Athens from all EU awesome mountain scenery of the Lefka Ori (White
capitals and from major cities in North America, South Mountains), where there are still no motor roads.
Africa and Australia. Domestic airlines compete on
routes, and flights are frequent.
Bicycle
9 Away from the north coast and its busy highway,
Charter Flights there are hundreds of miles of farm tracks and jeep roads
2 Charter airlines owned by large package holiday which are ideal mountain-biking territory. Cycling is best
companies fly to Chania and Irakleio from most airports enjoyed in spring (April–May) and autumn (late
in the UK and large mainland EU cities in summer. The September–October).
first departures are in late April or early May, with the
last return flight in early October. Most flights are sold
as a package with accommodation and car rental.
10 Motorbikes and Scooters
Two-wheeled transport is popular with summer
visitors. However, great caution should be used, both
Ferries on busy roads and off-track. Helmets are compulsory
3 Fast ferries sail only for riders of larger motorcycles outside town limits,
overnight, every night, but should be worn at all times (see Renting a
between Piraeus, the port of Motorbike).
Athens, and Chania, Irakleio
and Rethymno on Crete.
Another popular option is to
island-hop, staying for a few
nights on one or more of the General Information
Cyclades.
1 When To Go
December, January and February are cold, wet and
windy with heavy snow on the mountains. Spring flowers
begin to appear in March, but sunbathing is not a real
option until April, and rain is possible until May.
Temperatures start to climb seriously in June, peaking
at 35°C or higher in July. October can be beautiful, with
sunny days and cool nights, and even November can be
Car Hire a good month for sightseeing, though not for the beach.
4 There are local and
international car rental
Passports and Visas
companies at every airport,
resort and major town in
2 UK visitors require a passport; most other EU
nationals require only a valid identity card. Citizens of the
Crete. Renting on the spot is
USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not require
often more expensive than
visas for a stay of up to 90 days.
booking in advance with a
major firm. Drive defensively and cautiously at all times
– Greece has one of the worst accident rates in Europe. Customs
3 Visitors from other EU countries are not subject to
customs formalities. Unauthorized export of antiquities
Buses
5 Local buses operated
and works of art is a serious offence. If bringing
prescription drugs with you, also bring a copy of the
by the KTEL consortium are
prescription and, if possible, a letter from your doctor to
a cheap and cheerful way to
say why you need them.
see Crete and meet local
people. Tickets are cheap
and there are regular Tourist Offices Abroad
departures even to remote 4 The Greek National Tourism Organisation, also
villages. English language timetables are usually available known as the Hellenic Tourist Organisation and referred
from local tourist offices. to by its Greek acronym, EOT, has offices in all European
capitals, major US cities, and in Australia and South
Africa.
Taxis
6 Taxis are surprisingly affordable, and operate not
only in towns but on long journeys between towns and Tourist Offices in
villages. Short journeys are metered, but for longer trips 5 Crete
there is usually a fixed price – agree it before setting off. EOT has offices in Irakleio,
Most drivers speak some English, and vehicles are Chania and Rethymno. There
usually modern Mercedes saloons. are also local tourist offices
in the major resorts. All have
English-speaking staff who
Local Boats
7 The only way to travel between Sougia and Chora
can provide maps, bus
Sfakion on the south coast is by boat. In summer, small
traveldk.com 24
Crete Travel Guide
Practical Info
timetables, and lists of places to stay and things to see. Heatstroke
Most will also help you to find accommodation. 2 Heatstroke is another risk in high summer. Do not
attempt strenuous hiking or mountain riding in July or
August, drink plenty of water and wear a hat. Symptoms
Opening Hours
6 Opening hours on Crete
can be aggravated by alcohol – drink an exra half litre of
water for each unit of alcohol you consume.
are erratic. Use the times
given in this book as a rough
guide only. Most state-run Mosquitoes
museums and archaeological 3 A night-time pest in many parts of Crete,
sites are open around mosquitoes breed in ponds, streams and cisterns. Out
8:30am–3pm and close on of doors, they can be kept away by deterrents containing
Mondays. Some may reopen diethyltoluamide (“deet”) or the organic citronella oil.
or stay open to 7 or 8pm in Indoors, use an electrical deterrent pad, sold in shops all
summer. Monasteries, over Crete.
convents and churches are
generally open during
Sea Urchins
daylight hours but close for
two to three hours in the
4 Spiky black sea urchins infest most rocky beaches
afternoon. Some smaller and can inflict a painful wound if stepped on in bare feet.
churches may be locked: the key is usually held in the Watch where you walk in shallow water. The spines,
nearest village shop or kafeneion . which snap off in the wound, can be pulled out with
tweezers.
Etiquette
7 Speaking even a few 5 Jellyfish
Jellyfish, called tsouchtres in Greek, occasionally
words of the language often
works wonders in infest Cretan beaches. Most are harmless but some can
establishing a rapport with inflict a painful sting. Rinsing with vinegar or a mild
Cretans. Modest clothing ammonia solution is an effective remedy, and an
(long trousers for men, antihistamine tablet and cream will also reduce
over-the-knee skirts for inflammation.
women) is required when visiting monasteries and
churches. Topless sunbathing is generally tolerated, but Snakes
nude bathing is officially restricted to designated 6 Crete has numerous snakes, most of which are
beaches. completely harmless and none of which have a lethal
bite (though the adder, rarely seen sunbathing on sunny
Electricity rocks in the mountains, has a venomous bite). Most
8 Greece uses the standard European 220V/50Hz AC Greek villagers will kill any snake, venomous or not, on
sight, and all Cretan snakes will flee when humans
electrical supply. Plugs have two round pins, or three
round pins for earthed appliances. approach.
Renting a Motorbike
9 Clothing
A sun-hat and sunglasses are essential. In spring
7 Many visitors with no
and autumn, a light wool sweater or fleece and a light previous experience of riding
windproof and waterproof jacket are useful. Good walking a motorbike or scooter rent
boots are a must for serious hiking. a cheap and cheerful
two-wheeler, and each year
brings its crop of accidents.
10 Useful Accessories
A small torch is good in places with little street
Riding in Crete is risky, even
for experienced bikers. The inexperienced should stick
lighting. Take at least a litre of water if you plan even an to four wheels. If you must rent a bike, wear a helmet
easy walk. Mosquito repellents are supplied in most at all times. Wear long trousers and a jacket, which give
guesthouses. A snorkel and mask, and compact you a bit more protection than shorts and T-shirt if you
binoculars are handy if you want to observe wildlife. do take a tumble.
Kamakis
8 The native male kamaki (“harpooner”) is a summer
Things to Avoid phenomenon. These amateur gigolos are convinced that
female visitors are intent on an authentic Greek holiday
Sunburn
1 Never underestimate
romance, and are more than happy to supply it. Most
will take a firm “no” for an answer.
the burning power of the
Cretan sun, which can be
punishing as early as April. Hornets
Use a high-factor sunscreen 9 These large, red and black cousins of the wasp
or sunblock, especially on inflict a very painful sting and should not be handled or
boat trips, when the sea provoked. They are often seen hovering around pools of
breeze can make it seem deceptively cool, and take to water or drinking fountains, but will not attack if left
the shade from midday until late afternoon. alone.
traveldk.com 25
Crete Travel Guide
Practical Info
10 Photographing Military Installations
Greek authorities are extremely sensitive on issues 8Windsurfing
The strong summer
of national security, as a group of British plane-spotters breezes which spring up
discovered in 2002, when they were arrested and most afternoons make
convicted of espionage after taking photographs of Greek Cretan coasts ideal for
Air Force warplanes. Do not take photographs of military windsurfing. Most major tour
airfields (which often adjoin civil airports), army bases or operators offer packages
radar installations (which are dotted around Crete’s with windsurfing coaching at
coasts and mountains), or naval vessels (even in civil major resorts such as Georgioupoli and Chersonisos.
harbours), or you are likely to be charged with spying.
Prohibited sites are signposted with the symbol of a
Diving
camera barred by a red stripe. 9 Scuba diving is another burgeoning pastime in Crete.
Many wrecks lie in shallow waters not far offshore, and
visibility is excellent. Most ancient shipwrecks are
off-limits to divers, but there are plenty of wartime
Special Interest Holidays wrecks to explore.
1 Archaeology
The ancient palace sites and ruined cities of Minoan
and Hellenistic Crete can be confusing without a guide. 10 Cruising and
Island-Hopping
Escorted tours featuring in-depth exploration of Knosos Cruise vessels from a
and other sites, with guest experts and slide shows, are number of major cruise lines
offered by several companies. call at Cretan ports including
Chania and Rethymno as part
of itineraries which also
Wildlife and Ornithology
2 The best times to seek out Crete’s people-shy
include ports of call on the
mainland and other islands. Multi-centre island hopping
animals are spring and autumn, when specialist
holidays including a stay in Crete are also offered by
eco-tourism operators offer wildlife and walking holidays
some specialist companies.
in Sfakia and the Mt Idi range.
Walking and Hiking

3 Crete’s highest mountains offer some of Europe’s Budget Ideas
most inspiring wilderness walking, but can be lethal to
inexperienced or lone walkers. Small group treks led by
experienced guides can be safer. 1 Off-Season Travel
The cost of living rockets from mid-June to early
September. Accommodation, air fares to Crete, and car
and scooter rental are lower in spring and autumn. The
Riding
4 Pony or mule-riding expeditions through the Cretan
best time of all for a budget visit is early October, when
the sea is warm and there is still plenty of sun but few
countryside and into the Lefka Ori are a new visitors.
development.
Cheap Flights and

5 Cycling
A number of specialist
2 Ferries
Flying to Athens, then
companies offer travelling on to Crete by ferry
accompanied cycling can be cheaper than flying
holidays in Crete, usually in direct to Crete. At least four
spring and autumn, when it’s scheduled airlines fly daily to
not too hot for comfort, with Athens from London alone,
most of your luggage and there are also charter flights in summer, so fares are
travelling ahead of you by minibus each day and back-up competitive. If coming from outside Europe, look for a
transport available if the going gets too tough. cheap fare to London and a connecting flight to Athens
or Crete.
Painting
6 Spring is the most popular time for painting holidays Discounts
in Crete, when the clear light and multicoloured blaze of
wild flowers provide inspirational subject matter. Some
3 The longer you intend to stay in one place, the
cheaper your room will be. Pensions and hotels usually
painting holidays can be combined with tours of offer a 10 per cent discount for three nights or more,
archaeological sites and wildlife areas. and you may get an even better rate if staying for several
weeks. Most museums and archaeological sites offer
Music and Dance cheap admission for students and school pupils.
7 Cretans are justifiably proud of their rich, living
heritage of traditional music and dance, and eager to Youth Hostels
share it with visitors. A growing number of holidays,
usually with accommodation in village homes, enable
4 There are youth hostels in Irakleio, Chersonisos,
Rethymno, Siteia and Plakias, with dormitory beds (for
you to learn some of the complicated dances. around one-third the cost of a cheap room) and basic
kitchen facilities.
traveldk.com 26
Crete Travel Guide
Practical Info
Camping The EKPIZO organization helps tourists who encounter
5 Camping can save you problems with hotels, campsites, car rental and tour
some money, with most companies while in Crete.
campsites charging around
half the cost of a budget
Travel Insurance
room for a tent and two
people. On the downside,
2 You should take out comprehensive travel insurance
few campsites are easy to covering you for private medical treatment and for
get to using public transport, evacuation if necessary, as well as for loss or theft of
and camping means carrying belongings and expenses incurred due to delayed or
a tent. cancelled flights. Make sure your policy will pay for
medical and hospital fees direct and that it covers you
for holiday activities such as trekking, scuba diving, riding,
and motorcycling, as well as for personal liability in the
event of damage to rented cars or motorcycles.
Minor Ailments
Working Holidays 3 Sunburn and heat
6 Finding casual work picking fruit or olives is less exhaustion and mosquito
easy than it was, as migrants from Albania and other bites are easily prevented
eastern European countries provide a supply of cheap (see Things to Avoid). A
labour. Bar and restaurant work in resorts is very poorly basic medical kit should
paid (most earnings are from tips), with very long hours. include painkillers,
If you have a degree in English you may find work anti-histamine tablets and
teaching in a private language school. In theory, EU cream for bites and stings, a
citizens do not need work permits. diarrhoea remedy, and
motion sickness tablets for
boat or bus journeys.
Hitch-hiking
7 Hitching can be a good way of getting around the
island (especially to out-of-theway spots), and Cretans
themselves frequently hitch-hike. Off the beaten track,
where there is little traffic, you may have to wait for
hours in hot sun.
Insects and Pests
4 Hornets, scorpions, tarantulas and vipers all exist
Cheap Eats
8 Giros stands (see Giros
in Crete but are not dangerous unless handled. Their
bites and stings are painful but not normally lethal to
(Kebab) Stands) offer the adults, though medical attention should be sought if small
cheapest tasty hot meals in children are bitten.
Crete. Markets are piled with
inexpensive fruit in summer,
Breakdowns and Accidents
and if you stick to picnicking
on fruit, olives, cheese and 5 Set up a warning triangle if possible – your hire car
freshbaked bread (the healthy diet of the Cretan villager), should be equipped with one. If anyone is injured,
you can live on surprisingly little. In restaurants, Greek passers-by are required to stop and help, and you must
salad (onions, cucumber, tomatoes, olives and a slab of contact the police. If involved in a collision, never admit
feta cheese, drowned in oil) is a cheap meal in its own liability, sign any statement of responsibility, or lose your
right. Fish is always the most expensive dish on any temper. Contact your travel insurance company as soon
menu, and chicken and squid are usually the cheapest. as possible.
Doctors
9 Drinking and Entertainment
A half-litre bottle of beer or a half-litre of wine in an 6 There are private medical clinics in all the main
old-fashioned local café is usually half the price of a towns. Many doctors speak good English. Consultations
smaller beer or a fancy cocktail in a smart café-bar. must be paid for in cash.
Admission to most discos and clubs in resorts is free,
but drinks are expensive. Make the most of half-price Dentists
happy hour in lively resorts like Chersonisos and Malia. 7 Dentists are proficient and can be found in major
towns including Irakleio, Chania, Rethymno, Agios
Nikolaos, Siteia and Ierapetra. You must pay for your
10 Resorts to Avoid
Budget travellers should avoid the purpose-built treatment in cash.
north coast resorts – including Elounda, Malia,
Chersonisos, Bali and Georgioupoli – which cater to a Hospitals
captive market of high-spending holidaymakers. 8 Greek public hospitals leave much to be desired,
but private hospitals and clinics are as good as any in the
world. Make sure your insurance covers private
treatment.
Health and Security Tips
1 EKPIZO
traveldk.com 27
Crete Travel Guide
Practical Info
Pharmacies
9 Greek pharmacists are
highly qualified, provide
comprehensive advice on
minor ailments and injuries,
and can dispense a wide
range of remedies including
antibiotics,
anti-inflammatories and
painkillers. Most speak good
English. Pharmacies
(farmakia) are marked by a
green cross sign.
10 Crime
Crete has a very low
crime rate and is one of the
safest holiday destinations in
the world. However, thefts
from tourists do occur (often
perpetrated by other
foreigners). Take sensible
precautions, including locking
rental cars and hotel rooms,
keeping passports, tickets
and spare cash in hotel
safes, and watching your
belongings in public places.
traveldk.com 28
3
Shopping
Crete Travel Guide
Shopping
Pottery
Shopping Tips 8 Pottery-making is a
living skill on Crete: look out
1 Shop Opening Times
Cretan markets are busiest and best early in the for prettily coloured, modern
bowls, plates and cups,
morning, opening at about 7:30am Monday to Saturday,
and busiest of all on Saturday mornings. Markets, and simple oldfashioned peasant
all other shops, close around midday, reopening around earthenware, or copies of
5pm and staying open until at least 8pm. In resort areas, elaborately decorated
many shops are open until around 11pm in summer. Minoan, Classical or Hellenistic ceramics.
Carved Wood
2 Tax and Allowances
Non-EU residents can reclaim Value Added Tax
9 Unique to Crete is the curly wooden stick carved
(VAT) on most goods by presenting the relevant receipt from prinos wood, which is the mountain shepherd’s
at Customs on departure. Non-EU travellers can also buy versatile tool, used to carry burdens, discipline dogs and
wines, spirits, tobacco, perfumes and other goods in encourage stubborn mules. They make handsome wall
duty-free shops at Chania and Irakleio airports. decorations. You may also find attractive bowls and
platters turned from hard, close-grained olive wood.
Prices and Bargaining

3 Bargaining over prices is not common practice in 10 Icons, Antiques and Handicrafts
Original icons of saints, archangels and apostles
Crete, and most ticket prices are fairly firmly fixed. That
said, it never hurts to ask for the best possible price, command colossal prices, but good copies can be bought
especially in art and craft shops. Prices are often notably from specialist dealers, and from museum shops in
cheaper at the very end of the holiday season, when Irakleio and Chania. Look out too for antique daggers,
custom is on the wane. silver pen and tobacco cases, meerschaum pipes and
flintlock pistols – but beware of fakes. The colourfully
striped blankets and rugs woven from sheep’s or goat’s
Cash or Credit? wool are easy to carry home, as are the beautifully
4 Most traders and shop owners (as well as restaurant embroidered textiles for which Cretan village women
and small hotel owners) prefer cash to credit cards, and are famous.
usually pass on to you the percentage charged by the
credit card company, which can be as much as 5 per
cent.
Top 10 Traditional Shops
Wine
5 Aided by modern wine-making techniques, Greek 1 Xilouris Popular Art, Anogeia
The ancient art of handloom weaving.
wines are coming into their own, and the vineyards of
Crete are no exception. The Boutari wines are among ➤ Milopotamou
the best, and you can buy quality wines to take home in
most towns and at airports.
Cretan Handicraft, Mirthios
2 Vividly coloured weavings, shepherds’ sticks,
Herbs embroidery, lace, herbs, wines, raki and olive oil.
6 Crete is famous for the
➤ 74060 Mirthios
healing and cleansing
properties of its wild
mountain herbs, which are To Maxairadiko, Chania
gathered, dried and exported 3 The best of a clutch of traditional knifemakers on
in bulk all over Greece. Take the street.
home a big bag of sage,
oregano, thyme or basil, sold ➤ 18 Sifakas
loose or in packages in the
markets of Chania, Voskakis Workshop, Amari Valley
Rethymno and Irakleio. 4 Nikos Voskakis hand-carves olive wood platters,
bowls, dishes, candle sticks and cutlery.
➤ BIzari
Nikos Siragas, Rethymno

7 Olives and Olive Oil 5 Artistic wood-turner acquiring an international
Olives and olive oil have reputation for his beautiful handmade bowls, vases and
been staples of the Greek works of art.
diet since ancient times, and
the olive groves of Crete ➤ Petalioti 2, Rethymno
produce some of the best.
Cold pressed virgin olive oil Landen Apan, Chania
is the key ingredient of many 6 Traditional foodstuffs of Crete.
dishes, and quality oil (you really can taste the difference)
is much cheaper in Crete than at home. ➤ Daskalogianni 70
traveldk.com 30
Crete Travel Guide
Shopping
Ypsanta Selinou, Paleochora Odos Daedalou,
7 Tiny shop on a nameless lane, with tapestries, rugs 5 Irakleio
and lace. Named after the legendary
inventor of the Labyrinth (see
➤ Off main street The Minotaur and the
Labyrinth), this road is rather
Top Hanas, Chania more upmarket than Odos
8 Wonderful stock of old Cretan rugs, blankets and 1866, and is lined with shops
kilims. selling jewellery and linen
and cotton clothes to
➤ 3 Angelou summer visitors.
➤ Map K3
Roka Carpets, Chania
9 Cretan textile weaving.
➤ Zambeliou 61
Museum Shops
10 Komboloi 52, Chania
Old-fashioned rosaries made from olive wood, 6 For quality replicas of finds from the archaeological
amber, jet, turquoise etc. sites of Crete, visit the Museum Shops, in the former
Venetian Loggia on Odos Paleologou in Rethymno and
➤ Dimotiki Agora 52 in the Byzantine Museum in Chania.
➤ Map Q2 & A5
Markets and Shopping Streets Local Products Exhibition, Farmers’ Union of

7 Siteia
1 Chania Market, Plateia Venizelou, Chania
The market building is a Chania landmark and
Promoting the produce of local farmers, this co-operative
venture is well worth visiting just to see how the vines
bustles with vendors and shoppers. A visual feast and and olives of Crete are grown and processed. It is also
also the place to buy herbs, olive oil, dried fruit, honey a good place to pick up quality olive oil, very drinkable
and typical Cretan souvenirs, such as the tiny metal pots wines and raki, Crete’s favourite spirit.
used to brew Greek coffee.
➤ Map Q4 • 28430 25200
➤ Map D2/B6
Odos Souliou,
2 Odos Skridlof, Chania 8 Rethymno
Running through the Rethymno’s up-market
centre of the old quarter, this shopping street, lined with
has been a street of stores selling copies of
saddlemakers and cobblers Minoan pottery, traditional
for centuries, perhaps even Cretan pottery and modern
millennia. These days, ceramics, as well as colourful
satchels, sandals and cotton and linen, lace and
handbags abound. embroidery.
➤ Map D2/B6 ➤ Map F3/Q2
Odos Ethnikis
3 Boutari Winery, Archanes 9 Andistasi, Rethymno
The best wines in Crete (and from other parts of The most photogenic market
Greece) can be tasted and bought in this new visitor in Crete spills out – as indeed
centre at Crete’s top winery on the Fantaxommetocho it has for centuries – from
vineyard (see Boutari Winery and Audio-Visual Show). openfronted shops and stalls
➤ 70100 Archanes • 2810 752004 • Map K4 along Odos Ethnikis
Andistasi and around the
Venetian Porta Guora. Go
Odos 1866, Irakleio early in the morning, when it
4 Irakleio’s main market street and a great place to is in full cry and waiters
shop for Cretan herbs and tisanes. It also offers an insight bustle from stall to stall with
into the Cretan diet – along with the olives, you will see coffee and raki.
buckets of live snails for sale.
➤ Map F3/Q2
➤ Map K3
traveldk.com 31
Crete Travel Guide
Shopping
10 Odos Dimitrakaki,
Rethymno
An open-air street market
takes place every Thursday
along Odos Dimitrakaki,
beside Rethymno’s public
gardens. It starts early in the
morning and winds down by
midday. It is a rather patchy
affair, but can sometimes be
fascinating.
➤ Map F3
traveldk.com 32
4
Places to Eat and Drink
Crete Travel Guide

Raki and Wine
Eating and Drinking Tips 8 Tsikoudia , or raki , is
Crete’s fiery traditional tipple,
1 Traditional Cafés
The old-fashioned and is served neat in tiny
glasses, sometimes first
kafeneion is a hub of village
and town life, where local thing in the morning with
men gather to play coffee. Cretans rarely drink
backgammon and talk more than one at a sitting;
politics. They usually serve nor should you. Wines
only Greek coffee, frappé include pine resinflavoured
(iced coffee), ouzo and raki , Greek brandy, bottled beer retsina (sold straight from
and a limited range of soft drinks. the barrel or in 500 ml
bottles) and drinkable red
and white wines from Crete
Ouzeris and Mezedopoleion and elsewhere in Greece
2 These are the Greek equivalent of the Spanish tapas (see Top 10 Cretan Wines).
bar, serving ouzo , wine, beer and a range of snacks
(meze) to accompany your drink. In a mezedopoleion you
Beer
can order a complete meal of a dozen tiny dishes. 9 Lager beers including Amstel and Heineken are
brewed under licence in Greece and sold in 500 ml
Pastry Shops bottles. Local brands including Mythos and Fix (the first
3 The zacharoplasteion (patisserie) is evidence of the beer brewed in Greece, introduced by a Bavarian brewer
Greek love of all things sweet. You will find honeysoaked in the 1840s), also in 500 ml bottles. Café1-bars also
baclava and an array of pastries stuffed with raisins and serve imported brands including Budweiser and Beck’s.
nuts and powdered with sugar and cinnamon, Bottled Newcastle Brown Ale, Guinness and British keg
cream-filled pies and chocolate gateaux. The lagers on draft are served in some holiday resorts.
zacharoplasteion also serves coffee and sometimes a
range of liqueurs and spirits.
10 Water and Soft Drinks
Greek tap water is perfectly safe to drink, but many
Fish Restaurants visitors and Greeks themselves prefer the taste of bottled
4 The psarotaverna (fish tavern) serves every mineral water. Virtually every resort shop has a fridge
imaginable kind of seafood, from tiny whitebait to whole stuffed with mineral water, cola, lemonade and other
sea bass, shrimp, octopus, squid, langouste and less soft drinks.
familiar delicacies, including sea urchins. Fish is officially
classed category “A” (the most expensive) through “E”
and is priced by weight.
Cafés and Ouzeries
Grill Restaurants
5 The psitesteatoreon or grill restaurant is a 1 Pagopoleion, Irakleio
A remarkable café-bar set in the city’s old icehouse,
carnivore’s delight and a vegetarian’s nightmare. The serving Italian, Greek and iced coffee all day long. The
typical menu comprises chicken, lamb and pork, decoration includes mementos of the building’s past,
spit-grilled and served with chips and salad. Less familiar including the old ice lift.
dishes include kokoretsi (liver and other offal wrapped
in intestines and grilled) and sheep’s head. ➤ Platia Ayios Titos • Map K3
Giros (Kebab) Stands Aroma, Chania

6 The ubiquitous giros (pronounced “hero”) is 2 With tables on the east
Greece’s own greasy and delicious fast food – slivers of side of the harbour, Aroma
veal, pressed into a vertical cylinder and cooked on a is a popular rendezvous for
revolving grill, shaved off and served in flat pitta bread young locals. Fine views of
with onions, tomatoes, yoghurt and a dash of cayenne the harbour and a pleasant
pepper. Giros stands are strategically located in most place for breakfast, morning
towns and larger villages. coffee, an aperitif or
after-dinner drinks.
Café-Bars ➤ Akti Tombazi 4 • Map D2/B5
7 Neon-lit, gleaming new
café-bars cater to holiday
Fortetza, Chania
crowds in main resorts and
to younger Greeks in towns
3 Delightful café-bar
midway along the mole that
such as Irakleio, Chania and
encloses the Venetian
Rethymno. They serve
harbour. The best place in
expensive imported lagers,
town for a sunset drink, with
iced coffee, soft drinks and disturbingly powerful
views across the water to
cocktails, usually based on locally made vodka, tequila,
the old town.
rum or gin.
➤ Palaio Limani • Map D2/B4
traveldk.com 34
Crete Travel Guide

Pallas Café, Chania
4 This elegant rendezvous 10 Kali Kardia, Siteia
Frequented more by locals than visitors, Kali Kardia
in an old Venetian mansion (“Good Heart”) makes few concessions to tourist tastes.
on the harbour opens early Authentic meze, from local cheeses to grilled snails, are
and stays open late. It has washed down with strong Cretan retsina straight from
tables on the quay, up on a the barrel.
roof terrace and inside,
within rooms prettily ➤ Foundalidou 28 • Map Q4
decorated with frescoes.
➤ Afendoulief • Map D2
Restaurants
Anemos, Paleochora
5 A colourful ouzeri-bar, 1 Ela, Chania
Within the courtyard of
just a few steps from
an old Venetian mansion, Ela
Paleochora’s eastern
serves a wide menu,
waterfront and ferry dock,
including standard Greek
serving delicious snacks and
dishes and a few
light meals, well-priced
authentically Cretan
beers, wines and cocktails.
offerings.
All drinks are accompanied
by generous portions of ➤ 42 Kondylaki • 28210
traditional meze. Friendly 74128 • Closed Nov–Mar •
service, good music and a €€€
lively Greek atmosphere.
➤ Paleochora 73001 • Map
B4
Café Antico,
6 Rethymno 2 Dino’s, Chania
The best restaurant around Chania’s delightful inner
A prettily decorated and harbour, serving an extensive choice of seafood, from
newly opened café, opposite octopus and whitebait to langouste and sea bass.
Rethymno’s Rimondi
Fountain and close to some ➤ 3 Akti Enoseos • 28210 41865 • €€€€
of the best shopping in town.
➤ Plateia Petihaki • Map Tamam, Chania
F3/Q2 3 A wide range of Greek, Levantine and Cretan dishes,
with a better choice of non-meat dishes than most of its
rivals.
➤ 49 Zambeliou • 28210 96080 • €€€€
Karnagio, Chania
4 Karnagio serves substantial taverna meals, the
traditional favourites including grilled meats and huge
To Ellinikon, Rethymno
7 A clutch of cafés and bars are crammed cheek by
peasant salads with feta cheese.
jowl into Petihaki, among them this ouzeri which serves ➤ 8 Katehaki • 28210 53366 • Closed Nov–Mar • €€€
tasty snacks, and raki and ouzo for those who have
acquired a taste for Cretan-style spirits. Veneto, Rethymno
➤ Petihaki • Map F3/Q2 5 Set in 13th-century
vaults beneath the Veneto
Hotel, the restaurant serves
To Araxovoli, Rethymno
8 This ouzeri-restaurant next to Rethymno’s Town
Cretan specialities within a
beautiful setting, with
Hall is more authentically Cretan than most, serving good stone-flagged floors, mosaics
mezes and fish dishes, as well as a plethora of drinks, and antique furniture.
including, of course, a choice of rakis and ouzos. Often
live traditional music at night. ➤ 4 Epimenidou • 28310
56634 • €€€€€
➤ 34 Iroon Polytehniou • Map F3
Anna Bei 1900, Ierapetra

9 As well as a proper restaurant, this all-purpose
nightspot also has a traditional café and ouzo bar, serving
meze in the courtyard of an attractively restored old
building (see Anna Bei 1900, Ierapetra).
Avli, Rethymno
6
traveldk.com 35
Crete Travel Guide

With its pretty garden setting, this is one of the town’s Karpousi
finest. Mainly grilled and roasted meats, and Cretan 6 Sweet and refreshing pink cubes of chilled
favourites such as apatzia sausages and roasted goat. watermelon are among the most popular summertime
meze.
➤ 22 Xanthoudidou • 28310 26213 • €€€€
Olives
7 Kyria Maria,
Rethymno
7 You will see more than 40 different kinds of olive
for sale in Greek markets. Their strong flavours
This little taverna in the old complement a glass of retsina wonderfully.
quarter serves plain,
village-style dishes. It fairly
bustles in the evenings but Gigantes
is quieter at lunch time. 8 A more substantial dish: large white beans
Great value. simmered in oil, herbs and tomatoes. Served cold in
summer.
➤ 20 Moschovitou • 28310
29078 • Closed Nov–Mar •
€€€ Spanakopites
9 Tiny spinach pies made with flaky filo pastry.
10 Melitzanosalata
A delicious savoury dip made by pureeing grilled
aubergines with herbs, usually served with crusty bread.
Taverna tou Zissi, Rethymno
8 On the old Irakleio highway, 4km (2 miles) east of
Rethymno, Zissi’s charcoal-grilled lamb and chicken are
worth the short trip from town. Top 10 Cretan Wines
➤ Missiria • 28310 28814 • €€€
1 Domaine Fantaxometocho
Excellent red wine made from Mantilaria and
Oriental Bay, Paleochora Kotsifali grapes. Good with lamb or chicken.
9 This quiet restaurant serves Cretan and other Greek
dishes and is very popular with locals. Pleasant courtyard. Chardonnay Boutari
➤ East Beach • 28230 41322 • Closed Nov–Mar • € 2 Dry, white varietal wine – great with seafood and
cheese.
10 Sterna tou Bloumofisi, Vamos

Part of a restored 19th-century stone village, Sterna
3 Sauvignon Blanc Boutari
tou Bloumofisi serves Cretan specialities baked in Dry white, ideal with vegetable dishes, cheeses and
woodburning ovens. cold cuts.
➤ 28250 22932 • €€€
Sant’Antonio
4 Produced from Kotsifali and Mantilaria grapes in the
Peza region of central Crete by Miliarakis Brothers, this
Meze Dishes deep red wine is barrel-aged for five to six years.
1 Octopus (Oktapodi)
A favourite accompaniment to a glass of ouzo, raki 5 Kokolakis
Ioannis Kokolakis bottles wines made from liatiko
or retsina is a dish of octopus chunks, cooked in oil, herbs grapes grown in the Agrilos vineyards, not far from Siteia,
and vinegar, and served cold. which produce a light, dry red wine.
Marides
2 Tiny whitebait are coated in flour, flash-fried and 6 Kissamos
This potent red wine with a 13 per cent alcohol
served with a slice of lemon as a snack or a first course. content comes from Romeiko grapes grown in Crete’s
north west.
Loukanika
3 These smoked and spiced pork sausages are a Rodolino
typically Cretan snack, served more often in winter. 7 Made from liatiko red wine grapes blended with
white varieties, this rosé is best served chilled to the
Baked Potatoes bone.
4 Another typical winter snack served in mountain
village ouzeries, often cooked in a wood-burning stove Clos de Creta
in the middle of the café. 8 Unassuming white wine made from Romeiko grapes
from the Kissamos area.
Saganitika
5 A strongly flavoured cheese that is frequently served Domenico
fried or grilled as a meze dish. 9
traveldk.com 36
Crete Travel Guide

Made from Vilana and Rozaki grapes, this is one of the Kafeneio, Matala
better pine-flavoured retsinas. 6 Bright and cheerful café-bar, offering fresh fruit juice
and yoghurt for breakfast and cold drinks throughout the
day. An internet café is upstairs.
10 Malvasia
One of Europe’s oldest wines, Malvasia was ➤ Village square • Map G6
exported as far as England by the Venetians. Made from
a blend of sugar-rich, aromatic grapes, it is best drunk
Ouzeri Elisabeth, Malia
with dessert. 7 A quieter, more traditional island in Malia’s sea of
neon-lit cocktail bars. Choose from ouzos and meze and
Cretan wine from the barrel.
Bars and Cafés ➤ Church square, Old Malia • Map M4
1 Ciao, Irakleio
The big, breezy self-service café beside the Morosini 8 Kipouli, Malia
Virtually 24-hour drinking is the main selling point
Fountain offers cold drinks, snacks, pizza, pasta and
cooked breakfasts. of this bar, attracting those who like to party all night and
sleep on the beach all day.
➤ Plateia Venizelou • Map K3
➤ Centre of Old Malia • 5:50am–2am the next day
The Four Lions, Irakleio

2 A rooftop café open from early morning until late at 9New York,
Chersonisos
night. It offers a panoramic view of the older part of
Irakleio as well as cold drinks, snacks, wines, spirits and On the beach close to the
cocktails. entrance of the harbour,
New York starts the day as
➤ Plateia Venizelou a beach bar serving
breakfasts, snacks and cold
drinks, and after sunset
Ta Leontaria, Irakleio
3 Beneath the city walls, this old-fashioned patisserie
metamorphoses into a noisy, lively music bar.
serves Greek coffee, frappé, espresso and cappuccino, ➤ Map L3
ices and creamfilled pastries.
➤ Plateia Venizelou
10 Hard Rock Cafe, Chersonisos
The international Hard Rock brand offers a familiar
blend of cold beer, burgers and cocktails, attracting locals
MoCafe, Irakleio
4 Handily located opposite the Irakleio Archeological
and visitors.
Museum, MoCafe has a cool, arched interior with marble ➤ East end of Eleftheros Venizelou
floor and an eclectic collection of modern art on the walls.
It serves filled baguettes, juices, shakes, beers and
coffee.
➤ Odos Sapoutiel Top 10 Fish Served in Cretan
Paradiso, Agia Galini
Restaurants
5 Large music bar close
to the harbour, which only 1 Fagri
Red sea bream, prized for its delicate white flesh,
gets going after dinner, then is grilled and served whole and is one of the most
rocks into the small hours, expensive fish dishes on the menu.
with loud music and a young
clientele.
Melanourgia
2 A large, silver-scaled fish with tasty white flesh; it’s
usually grilled.
Barbounia
3 Small red mullet appear on almost every tourist
menu, pan-fried or grilled. Each fish provides only a few
delicious mouthfuls – beware of bones!
Marides
4 Tiny whitebait are dipped in flour and shallow-fried,
then served with shredded lettuce and a slice of lemon.
Lavraki
5 Sea bass is baked in olive oil, red wine vinegar and
Paradiso, Agia Galini rosemary, served whole.
➤ Taverna Street • Map G5
traveldk.com 37
Crete Travel Guide

Sardelles Zorbas, Siteia
6 Sardines are often wrapped in vine leaves to seal 5 This big, old-fashioned
in flavour and moisture, then grilled. Salted and pickled taverna beside the harbour
sardines are often served as meze. has not changed its
traditional menu in decades.
It serves meze as well as
Xifias
7 Swordfish keeps its flavour well when frozen, so is
heartier meals, including
mousakas and a range of
a favourite with restaurateurs. grilled fish dishes (see
Zorbas, Siteia).
Skorpios
8 The evil-looking scorpion fish is surprisingly tasty
and essential in fish soup.
Tonnos
9 Tuna steaks are best savoured in spring and autumn,
when tuna migrate through Cretan waters.
Taverna tou Zissi, Rethymno
6 Zissi looks rather unprepossessing at first, housed
Gopes in a drab concrete building. But inside, it serves some of
10 Nondescript-looking, bony little fish that’s the the best food around. The charcoal-grilled lamb alone is
cheapest on the menu, but delicious once the bones are worth a trip from Rethymno (see Taverna tou Zissi,
removed. Rethymno).
Marilena, Elounda
7 Marilena’s menu concentrates on seafood, simply
Tavernas grilled and very fresh, and prices are not exorbitant by
the standards of Elounda, which is generally the priciest
Sterna tou Bloumofisi,
1 Vamos
place on Crete. Other Greek dishes have been adapted
for foreign palates by using a little less oil (see Marilena,
Key part of a restored
Elounda).
19th-century stone village.
The taverna serves a wide
menu of Cretan specialities, Vareladika, Irakleio
baked in wood-burning 8 A pleasant, stylish and reasonably priced eating
ovens, and is open for place close to the Venetian harbour. Vareladika has a tiny
breakfast, lunch and dinner (see Sterna tou Bloumofisi, outdoor terrace where you can sample the wide menu
Vamos). of Cretan specialities, with wine served in copper jugs
from the barrel.
Ta Douliana, Douliana ➤ Moni Agarathou 13 • Map K3 • €€
2 A typical village taverna, set in the centre of tiny
Douliana. Its rickety wooden tables and chairs are on a
Taverna Auoas, Agios
terrace shaded by vines, and the menu focuses on hearty
local cooking, such as arni avgolemono (lamb with lemon
9 Nikolaos
sauce). Handily located close to the
Archaeological Museum, this
➤ Centre of Douliana, on road between Kalive and taverna serves a wide variety
Vamos • Map E3 • €€ of well-prepared traditional
Cretan dishes.
Kavouri, Limin Chersonisos Kavouri is one of ➤ Paleologou 44 • Map N4 • Closed Nov–Apr • €€€
3 the best places
to eat in the Chersonisos resort area. The house
speciality is tender lamb kleftiko , roasted slowly in a
paper wrapping with garlic, lemon and herbs.
10 Itanos, Agios Nikolaos
In a lane just off the main square, Itanos claims to
be the resort’s only authentic taverna – a claim that looks
➤ Archaiou Theatrou • Map L3 • Closed Nov–Apr • €€€ increasingly shaky as tourism continues to grow.
Neverthless, the taverna serves good, affordable Cretan
meals and wine, and is always busy.
To Farangi, Agia Roumeli
4 This family-run taverna is the best place to eat in ➤ Plateia Venizelou • Map N4 • €€€
Agia Roumeli (see Samaria Gorge) and serves sfakanies
pites (pies topped with honey, a regional speciality),
stuffed vegetables and vine leaves, grilled meat dishes
and fish. Places to Eat
➤ Centre of Agia Roumeli • Map C4 • Closed Oct–May
• €€€ 1 The Old Mill, Elounda
The most luxurious restaurant in eastern Crete,
situated in the Elounda Mare Hotel (see Elounda Mare
Hotel, Elounda). The menu combines the best of Greece
with international cuisine. Booking essential; dress code
formal.
traveldk.com 38
Crete Travel Guide

➤ Elounda Mare Hotel • 28410 41102 • Closed Nov–Mar ➤ Makrygialos • 28430 52189 • Closed Oct–May • €€€
• €€€€€
Kalidon, Elounda 10 Marilena, Elounda

Simply grilled fresh
2 Dining aboard a floating pontoon moored in seafood is what Marilena
Elounda’s small fishing harbour, with a mix of Greek and does best, though it also
international dishes. serves other Greek dishes,
created with an appealing
➤ Elounda Harbour • 28410 41451 • Closed Nov–Mar lightness of touch.
•€
➤ On the harbour • 2841 41322 • Closed Nov–Apr • €€€
Zorbas, Siteia
3 A long-established
taverna serving freshly grilled
fish and lobster, traditional Nightlife
Cretan dishes,
Chersonisos
charcoal-grilled meats and
meze.
1 If you’re a summer
party animal, Chersonisos is
➤ Harbourfront • 28430 22689 • €€ the place for you. Not far
from the airport, this former
fishing village has become a
Nikos Platanakis, Kato
4 Zakros
continuous strip of bars,
clubs, restaurants and
On a terrace overlooking the guesthouses stretching along one of Crete’s best
sea, this restaurant serves beaches. A multinational (but mainly British) clientele
fish, game and vegetarian (see Chersonisos).
meals.
➤ Map L3
➤ Beachfront • 28430 26887
• Closed Nov–Apr • €€
Malia
2 Malia rivals its neighbour Chersonisos as a nightlife
hot spot. It has been a party town for some 30 years,
and its main street is lined with cocktail bars, restaurants,
video bars and dance clubs. Along this stretch, happy
hour can last most of the evening (see Malia).
➤ Map M4
Kalliontzis, Koutsouras
5 This friendly taverna offers home-cooked meals, 3 Platanias
Platanias is where most of Chania’s younger
set at outside tables overhung by tamarisk trees. residents go to party on summer weekends. There are
➤ Seafront • 28430 51207 • Closed Nov–Apr • €€ at least a dozen great clubs, most with open-air dance
floors, and things do not really start to get lively until well
after midnight (see Platanias).
Taverna Pelagos, Agios Nikolaos
6 A fine old taverna close to the fishing harbour, noted ➤ Map C2
locally for its seafood. Its courtyard suits summer dining.
➤ Korakaiand Katehaki • 28410 25737 • Closed Nov–Mar Chania
• €€
4 Music blasts out from most of the cafés and bars
along the harbour front at Chania on summer evenings,
and if you prefer an evening of bar-hopping and
Poulis, Elounda Village café-crawling to a night in the dance clubs there are few
7 Catering mainly for visitors, the menu encompasses better places in the whole of Crete. Most younger
Greek and international dishes, a long list of grilled Chaniots, however, desert the cafés for the clubs of
seafood and a reasonable wine list. Platanias after the toll of midnight (see Chania).
➤ Harbourfront • 28410 41451 • Closed Nov–Apr • €€ ➤ Map D2
Paragadi, Siteia Agios Nikolaos

8 One of the best places for fish in Siteia, with tables 5 Agios Nikolaos has a
overlooking the waterfront esplanade. surprisingly lively after-dark
➤ Karamanlis 8 • €€€ scene, compared with its
day-time placidity. The
town’s nightlife hot spot is
Porfira, Makrygialos Odos 25 Martiou (running
9 In the unlikely setting of cheap and cheerful uphill from the southeast
Makrygialos, Porfira serves a gourmet menu of uniquely corner of the harbour), where there are half a dozen or
Cretan dishes, which staff are happy to guide you more music bars, with as many again around the harbour.
through. The town’s dance club scene is more limited, with only
one or two full-on clubs (see Agios Nikolaos).
traveldk.com 39
Crete Travel Guide

➤ Map N4
Rethymno
6 Most of the liveliest music-bars are in the streets
inland from the harbour. Later on, the nightlife scene
shifts to the openair discos and clubs in the resort area,
along the seafront east of the centre (see Rethymno).
➤ Map F3
Irakleio
7 Not many holidaymakers stay in Crete’s capital (see
Irakleio), so its nightlife scene is more staid than in the
resorts. Young locals congregate in the cafés and music
bars around Plateia Venizelou and Odos Chandakou, but
the discos near the harbour are rather seedy.
➤ Map K3
Paleochora
8 A hippy hideout well into the 1980s (see
Paleochora), Paleochora’s nightlife is still laid-back to a
fault. A handful of relaxed – and none too noisy – music
bars are scattered along the Pebble Beach waterfront,
where, just out of town, there are a couple of open-air
discos.
➤ Map B4
Agia Galini
9 A small resort (see Agia
Galini) that has made
catering to the party crowd
its specialism. Things get
lively by 11pm in a cluster of
bars and dance clubs around
the harbour, where you can
club-hop until the early hours.
➤ Map G5
10 Siteia
The nightlife is a good
deal less frenzied here than
at other resorts along the
north coast, but many a
pleasant evening can be
spent wandering from bar to
bar along the waterfront.
There are half a dozen good dance clubs (see Siteia).
➤ Map Q4
traveldk.com 40
5
Where to Stay
Crete Travel Guide
Where to Stay
Rethymniotiko Spiti, Rethymno
Boutique Hotels 7 Five-centuries-old Venetian town house, which
Mythos Suites, became a hotel in the mid-1980s. It has 12 twin and
1 Rethymno double rooms (all with en suite shower and WC).
Situated in the old part of ➤ V. Kornarou 1, 74100 • Map F3 • 28310 26250 • No
Rethymno, this smart hotel air conditioning • €€
is housed in two
16th-century Venetian
Porto del Colombo, Chania
buildings that have been
knocked into one. They
8 This attractive old stone building stands close to
surround a courtyard with a the old harbour at Chania and, unlike some of its rivals,
pretty pool; ground-floor is open year round. There are 10 twin and double rooms,
rooms have verandahs some of which have cosy gallery beds, with furnishings
adjoining the courtyard, while that harmonize with the building’s traditional lines.
upper-floor rooms have ➤ Theofanous and Moschon, 73131 • Map D2 • 28210
wooden balconies. 98466 • €€€
➤ C12 Plateia Karaoli, 74100
• Map F3 • 28310 53917 • Villa Andromeda, Chania
[email protected] • €€€ 9 Lovingly restored Neo-Classical mansion, with a
lush palm garden and a large pool, elaborately painted
Nostos, Chania ceilings, white marble floors, staircases and balconies.
2 With a name meaning “homecoming”, this little, Open year round.
brightly painted pension offers a friendly welcome. On ➤ 150 Eleftherios Venizelou 73133 • Map D2 • 28210
a traffic-free lane in the heart of the old town, it has 28300 • [email protected] • No air conditioning • €€€€€
studio rooms with gallery beds and balconies, and fine
views of the harbour from the shaded roof-top terrace.
➤ 42–6 Zambeliou, 73113 • Map D2 • 28210 94743 • 10 Suites Pandora, Chania
A stylish collection of two- and four-bed suites,
€€€ some facing an inner courtyard, others looking out to
sea. All have high ceilings, balconies and tall shuttered
Palazzo Rimondi, windows.
3 Rethymno ➤ Lithinon 29, 73100 • Map D2 • 28210 43589 •
Tucked away in an arcaded www.pandorahotel.gr • No air conditioning • €€€
courtyard behind iron gates,
Palazzo Rimondi is a
well-restored complex of
15th-century buildings, with
walls painted in shades of Luxury Resorts
rose and ochre, vaulted roofs, carved stone and wooden
panelled ceilings. 1 Elounda Mare Hotel, Elounda
Undeniably the best resort hotel in Crete, the
➤ 21 Xanthoudidou and 16 Har. Trikoupi, 74100 • Map Elounda Mare is a complex of 215 suites and villas set
F3 • 28310 51289 • [email protected] • No air within lush grounds. The wide variety of sports and
conditioning • €€€€ activities include tennis and a full array of water sports,
and other facilities are close by on the peninsula.
Casa Delfino, Chania ➤ Elounda Beach, 72053 • Map N4 • 28410 41412 •
4 This 17th-century Venetian mansion, Chania’s most [email protected] • €€€€€
exclusive address, has been luxuriously restored. In a
quiet alley, it has fine rooftop views and the suites have Hotel St Nicholas Bay, Ag. Nikolaos
been individually designed. 2 Within walking distance of the restaurants and
➤ Theofanous 9, 73100 • Map D2 • 28210 93098 • shops of Agios Nikolaos, this is one of Crete’s finest
€€€€€ hotels. It has three swimming pools and its own
semi-private beach, with a wide choice of water sports.
Casa Leone, Chania ➤ 72100 Agios Nikolaos • Map N4 • 28410 25041 •
5 The “House of the Lion” has been meticulously €€€€€
restored, with period details such as Venetian mirrors
and antique (and reproduction) furniture. The Casa Leone Minos Palace, Ag. Nikolaos
also has a smart cocktail bar. 3 A highly esteemed resort of 150 rooms and
➤ Parodos Theotokopolou 18 • Map D2 • 28210 76762 bungalows close to Agios Nikolaos town. Facilities
• No air conditioning • €€€€ include tennis courts, a swimming pool, water sport, and
several restaurants.
Vecchio Hotel Apartments, Rethymno ➤ 72100 Agios Nikolaos • Map N4 • 28410 23801 •
6 An attractive complex, created by merging two €€€€€
Venetian mansions and adding a swimming pool. The
hotel offers modern, well-equipped rooms and studios. Silva Maris, Limin Chersonisos
➤ Daliani 4, 74100 • Map F3 • 28310 54985 • 4 The Silva Maris has one of the finest marine spa
[email protected] • No air conditioning • €€€ centres in Greece, with a range of health and beauty
traveldk.com 42
Crete Travel Guide
Where to Stay
treatments. It also has a fine private beach and verdant of Agios Nikolaos, the hotel has its own small sandy
gardens. beaches and several rocky inlets.
➤ 70014 Limin Chersonisos • Map L3 • 28970 22850 ➤ 72100 Ag • Map N4 • 28410 22345 •
• €€€€€ [email protected] • €€€€€
Candia Maris, Amudara

5 This stunning modern hotel combines traditional
style and materials (a preponderance of stone and Self-Catering Apartments
marble, for example) with up-to-date facilities and a
beautiful pool. It also has a thalassotherapy spa and a
sports centre.
1 Elounda Residence, Elounda
Set in lush gardens about 20 minutes’ walk from
the village, this is an excellent complex, with 24-hour
➤ 71414 Gazi, Heraklion • Map K3 • 28103 77000 • reception, bars, restaurant and minimarket to
€€€€€ complement its two- to four-bed apartments. Facilities
include a large saltwater pool, children’s pool, tennis
court and mini-golf.
Porto di Candia, Elounda
6 This complex of 186 selfcontained apartments and ➤ 72053 Elounda • Map N4 • 28410 41823 • Closed
studios (all with TV and kitchen) is set within vast grounds Nov–Mar • €€€
on the Elounda Peninsula, which provides some fine sea
views. A restaurant, four pools and a supermarket
Casa Veneta, Chania
complete the package. 2 This Venetian mansion near the harbour has been
➤ 72100 Katsikia • Map N4 • 28410 26811 • €€€€ divided into double and twin-bedded studios, and
open-plan apartments sleeping up to four people on three
floors, with twin-bed galleries and balconies, some with
Creta Paradise, Chania
7 An award-winning
sea views.
186-room resort on one of ➤ Theotokopoulou 55–7, 73131 Chania • Map D2 •
Crete’s Blue Flag beaches, 28210 90007 • Closed Nov–Mar • €€€
the Creta Paradise is only ten
minutes away from the
Marina Studios, Malia
centre of Chania. Modern
facilities include two pools,
3 A modern complex of 11 apartments and studios,
just 300 m from the beach and 6 km (4 miles) from the
and its bungalows have been built in an attractive
bright lights of Chersonisos.
Neo-Classical style.
➤ 73100 Gerani • Map D2 • 28210 61315 • €€€€ ➤ Malia 70007 • Map M4 • 28970 33370 • €€
Nostalgia Studios,
8 Capsis Beach Hotel, Irakleio
On a private headland, this five-star resort has its
4 Georgioupoli
An attractive small complex
own private beaches, a huge pool, a choice of bars and
close to the village centre. It
restaurants and even its own zoo with monkeys,
has a small pool and choice
peacocks, ostriches and ponies. Ideal for families, with
of studios and apartments
some exclusive villas.
for two to four people. All
➤ Agia Pelagia 71000, Irakleio • Map K3 • 2810 811112 have shower, kitchenette
• €€€€ and balcony or patio.
➤ 73007 Georgioupoli • Map E3 • 28250 61400 • No
Grecotel Creta Palace, credit cards • No air conditioning • Closed Nov–Apr •
9 Rethymno €€€
Smaller than its sister hotel
the Rithymna Beach, the
Gerani Studios and Apartments, Malia
Creta Palace is only 4 km (2
miles) from central
5 Slap in the centre of Malia, this cheap and cheerful
complex has twin-bed studios with kitchenette and
Rethymno, with 162 rooms
balcony, and larger apartments sleeping up to four.
in its main block and 200
bungalows and villas. It has ➤ 70007 Malia • Map M4 • 28970 31518 • No credit
several pools and a wide cards • No air conditioning • Closed Nov–Mar • €€
range of activities for
children, as well as tennis
and water sports.
➤ 74100 Missiria • Map F3
• 28310 55181 • €€€€€
10 Minos Beach Art ’Otel, Ag. Nikolaos

This medium-sized complex of bungalows with
splendid views of the Gulf of Mirabello is set in tranquil,
flowerfilled gardens, graced by a collection of specially
commissioned sculptures. Only a stroll from the centre
traveldk.com 43
Crete Travel Guide
Where to Stay
Creta Helena, Chania ➤ 73012 Milia, Vlatos • Map B3 • 28220 51569 • No air
6 Modern apartment conditioning • €€
complex in a quiet area, 20
minutes’ walk from the
Parthenagogio, Chania
harbour. It offers openplan
apartments, each with a twin
2 A chance to live like Cretan villagers, helping with
or double bedroom and a wine-making, olive picking, herding goats, basket
living room with sofa-bed weaving and baking. A co-operative venture,
and kitchenette. There’s also Parthenagogio was restored by villagers in the mid-1990s
a small pool. and now has its own taverna, serving Cretan dishes and
wines from its own vineyards.
➤ I. Sfakianaki 42, 73134
Chania • Map D2 • 28210 ➤ Apokoronas • Map D2 • 28250 22932 • No credit
46722 • €€€ cards • No air conditioning • €€€
Aspros Potamos, Makrygialos

3 A settlement of 10 adobe-style cottages for lovers
of the simple life, with water from the well and paraffin
Bay View Apartments, Siteia
7 On the fringe of Siteia and just a few paces from
lamps for lighting (though bathroom lights and fridges in
each house use solar energy). The lack of 21st-century
the beach, the Bay View has 10 apartments, most with
gadgets is truly relaxing.
twin beds and sofa-bed, and all with full kitchen facilities.
Each room has a balcony or verandah. ➤ Aspro Potamos, Makrygialos, 72055 Ierapetra • Map
P5 • 28430 51694 • No credit cards • No air conditioning
➤ Petras, 72400 • Map Q4 • 28430 022713 • No credit
•€
cards • No air conditioning • Closed Nov–Mar • €€€
White River Cottages, Makrygialos

8 Dionyssos Village, Siteia
This large, colourful complex offers two pools and
4 This group of shepherds’ cottages with stone floors,
low wooden ceilings and corner fireplace nooks stands
a playground right next to the beach. Each apartment
in groves of pine, olive and carob trees. The sandy beach
has a kitchen and TV, and sleeps three to four people.
at Makrygialos is less than 2 km (1 mile) away, and there
The complex also has restaurants, bars and a café.
is a tiny swimming pool on site.
➤ Analouka, 72400 • Map Q4 • 28430 62000 • Closed
Dec–Feb • €€€
➤ Aspros Potamos, Makrygialos 72055, Ierapetra • Map
P5 • 28430 51120 • No air conditioning • €€€
Kastri Village, Palaiocastro

9 Between Palaiocastro and Kouremenos beach, the 5 Aphrodite, Sougia
Pretty pension in a
Kastri Village has 32 self-catering apartments with
quiet, leafy lane just off
kitchenettes, verandahs and a pool. The beach is close
Sougia’s somnolent main
by.
street. Clean, affordable
➤ 72300 Palaiokastro • Map R4 • 28430 61100 • Closed rooms with blue-painted
Nov–Mar • €€€ balconies, marble-topped
tables and lots of flowers.
➤ Sougia • Map C4 • 28230
10 Anna Apartments,
Paleochora 51414 • No credit cards • No
Smothered with flowers and air conditioning • €€
greenery, this attractive little
complex is on a quiet side
street close to the beach. All
apartments have one or two
bedrooms, living room,
kitchen and verandah. There’s also a children’s play area.
Arolithos, Tylissos
➤ Paleochora • Map B4 • 28100 346428 • No air 6 A complex of stone houses with an array of
conditioning • No credit cards • €€€ traditional crafts, from pottery and icon painting to basket
weaving and embroidery. Traditional music and dance
performed nightly.
➤ Arolithos, 71500 Servili, Tylissos • Map J4 • 28100
Village Guesthouses 821050 • €€€
1 Milia Village
Set in the forested The Blue House,
slopes of Crete’s “wild 7
Loutro
west”, Milia offers 13 rooms Amiable guest house, with
in village houses rebuilt balconies overlooking the
between 1982 and 1993 in bay and the slopes of the
local stone and wood. The White Mountains. Particularly
rooms are heated by handy as an overnight stop
wood-burning stoves, while water comes from mountain on the way to or from Agia
springs. Roumeli and the Samaria Gorge.
traveldk.com 44
Crete Travel Guide
Where to Stay
➤ Loutro • Map D4 • 28250 91127 • No credit cards • ➤ Plaka, Almirida • Map D2 • Reservations Greek Islands
No air conditioning • €€ Club(00 44) 20 8232 9780 • www.greekislandsclub.com
• No air conditioning • Closed Nov–Mar • €€€€
Spinalonga Village, Elounda
8 Coastal Spinalonga Village is a group of Villa Ambelia, Akrotiri
traditionalstyle stone houses beside the Gulf of Mirabello, 5 Three-bedroomed villa set among olive groves and
with views across to Spinalonga, and shops and places vineyards. It has its own pool, and facilities include a
to eat nearby at Plaka village (a fiveminute walk). laundry service and maid.
➤ 72053 Elounda • Map N4 • 28410 41494/6 • No air ➤ Kunupidiana, Akrotiri • Map D2 • UK reservations(00
conditioning • €€€€€ 44) 2920 711 334 • www.akrotirivillas.com • No air
conditioning • €€€€
Koutsounari Cottages, Ierapetra
9 Hillside holiday village above the Libyan Sea, with Hamam House,
a choice of restored stone cottages, with modern 6 Vamos
kitchens and bathrooms, or fully up-todate studios. All This dinky villa, once part of
have verandahs or tiny gardens, and there is a pool, snack a Turkish pasha’s villa, has a
bar and taverna next door. small pool and garden. It is
in a delightful old village, but
➤ 72200 Ierapetra • Map N6 • 28420 61291 • Some air the bright lights of Chania are
conditioning • €€€ only half an hour away. Ideal
for a couple.
10 Diktaeon Andron, Psychro

A tiny guesthouse in Psychro village that makes a
➤ Vamos • Map E3 •
Reservationswww.greekislandsclub.com • (00 44) 20
good base for a visit to the Diktian Cave or for exploring 8232 9780 • No air conditioning • Not available Nov–Mar
the Lasithi Plateau, high in the mountains of eastern • €€€€€
Crete.
➤ 72052 Psychro, Lasithi • Map M4 • 28440 315 04 • Vamos House, Vamos
No credit cards • No air conditioning • € 7 Luxury in this village of restored traditional buildings,
with a private courtyard and balcony.
➤ Vamos • Map E3 • 28250 22932 • €€€
Villas
Villa Stratos, Kalonyktis
1 Elounda Gulf Villas
Crete’s most luxurious villa complex has 12 houses,
8 A country villa that is surrounded by flower and
fruit-filled gardens. It has three bedrooms, a large living
each with private pool. All have washing machines and
room with open fireplace and its own pool. The pretty
dishwashers, and marble bathrooms with whirlpool tubs.
village of Kalonyktis, with its minimarket and taverna, is
Fine views are to be had, also, across the Gulf of
a five-minute walk away.
Mirabello.
➤ Kalonyktis • Booking through Odeon Travel28310
➤ 72053 Elounda • Map N4 • 28410 90300 • 57610 • Closed Nov–Mar • No credit cards • €€€
www.eloundavillas.com • Closed Nov–Mar • €€€€€
Metohi Kindelis,
2 Villa Dafnes, Dafnes
This stunning threebedroom, 19th-century house
9 Chania
Two villa apartments, each
in the heart of Crete’s top wine region has a flower-filled
with its own garden and
courtyard, open-plan kitchen and dining room, and an
pool, within a huge family
eight-metre swimming pool. Price includes flights and
farmhouse dating from
car hire.
Venetian times. It is
➤ Dafnes • Map J4 • Reservations Simply Travel(00 44) surrounded by apricot and
20 8541 2201 • www.simply-travel.co.uk • €€€€€ orange groves, and a huge lawn. Inside, are cool marble
floors and modern facilities.
Villa Iason, Maleme ➤ Pervolia, Chania • Map D2 • 28210 41321 • No air
3 Three villas, each with its own pool, share a larger conditioning • No credit cards • €€€€€
pool with two apartments in a Mediterranean-style
mansion. Other shared facilities include a gym, sauna,
plunge pool and wine cellar. Fully serviced, with a cook
on request.
10 Avdou, Lasithi
Set in the grounds of a small organic farm where
fruit trees grow on the Lasithi slopes. Twin-bed plus
➤ 73100 Maleme • Map C2 • Reservations Crete double room, shower, kitchen, dining room, and living
Travel28250 32690 • www.crete travel.com • €€€€€ room with fireplace and terrace.
➤ 70005 Avdu Pediados • Map M4 • 28103 00540 •
Villa Christina, Almirida www.avdou.com • €€€€
4 On a hilltop above Almirida beach, with a superb
pool and views over Souda Bay. A double room, two
twins, fully equipped kitchen and maid service. Also with
a wonderful sea-facing terrace. Beach Hotels
traveldk.com 45
Crete Travel Guide
Where to Stay
Paradise Creta Panorama, Rethymno including tennis, football, archery, mini-golf and
1 Four outdoor pools, a heated indoor pool, six tennis basketball.
courts, sauna and water sports that include scuba diving
make this huge beach resort one of the best hotels in ➤ 73100 Maleme • Map C2 • 28210 62702 • Closed
Crete for an active holiday. Accommodation is in suites Nov–Mar • €€€€
or bungalows.
Neos Alianthos Garden Hotel, Plakias
➤ Panormo • Map F3 • 28340 51512 • Closed Dec–Feb
• €€€€€
8 Across the road from one of Crete’s best beaches,
this family-run hotel is the best in Plakias. It has a
children’s pool, freshwater pool and pool-bar, a
Kalives Beach Hotel, supermarket and restaurant.
2 Kalives
➤ 74060 Plakias • Map F4 • 28320 031280 • Closed
Situated between two sandy
beaches on Souda Bay, this Dec–Feb • €€€
hotel overlooks the river and
has 150 rooms in two wings, Iberostar Athina Palace, Irakleio
each with a pool. There is an 9 A large beach hotel with three outdoor pools and
attractive riverside terrace its own beach. Accommodation comes in a choice of
restaurant, and a bridge leads the way to the beach. two- or threeperson bungalows, family bungalows
➤ 7303 Kalives • Map E2 • 28250 31285 • Closed sleeping two adults and two children, and four-person
Nov–Mar • €€€€ maisonettes with sea view.
➤ 71001 Agia Pelagia • Map K3 • 28410 25944 • Closed
Aegean Palace Hotel, Platanias Nov–Mar • €€€€€
3 Fields separate this lowrise hotel from the nearby
beach. Its rooms surround a large pool (with poolside
bar) and some suites have their own small pools. Other 10 Rethymno Mare Royal
Opened in 2001 at Scaleta, 11 km (7 miles) east of
facilities include a gym, sauna, tennis court and Rethymno, the Rethymno Mare Royal has landscaped
playground. gardens and a pool, a restaurant, three bars and its own
➤ 73014 Kontomari, Platanias • Map C2 • 28210 62668 nightclub. It also offers a wide range of water sports,
• €€€€ including a diving school.
➤ 74100 Rethymno • Map F3 • 28310 71703 • Closed
Porto Loutro Hotel, Nov–Mar • €€€€€
4 Loutro
This very attractive hotel just
above the beach at Loutro
has 36 rooms (plus four
self-catering studios). They
are in two buildings in
separate parts of this village,
set among palm trees, bougainvillea and tamarisk. It is
accessible only by boat.
➤ 73011 Loutro, Anopoli • Map D4 • 28250 091433 •
No credit cards • No air conditioning • Closed Nov–Feb
• €€
Georgioupolis Beach Hotel

5 Only a minute’s walk from the village centre, the
hotel has three pools. Designed in Neo-classical style,
the low-rise buildings are prettily painted in cream, blue
and pink.
➤ 73007 Georgioupoli • Map E3 • 28250 61056 • Closed
Oct–Mar • €€€
Astir Beach Hotel, Gouves

6 This hotel overlooks a fine, sandy beach and has
two pools, a tennis court and a range of other land and
water sports, including a scuba diving centre. It also has
a mini-market and a children’s playground.
➤ 70014 Gouves • Map L3 • 28970 041141 • Closed
Nov–Mar • €€€€
Louis Creta Princess Club, Maleme

7 Built around a complex of lagoon-like swimming
pools on the beach at Maleme Bay, the Louis Creta is a
tropical-style resort with an excellent range of sports,
traveldk.com 46
6
Things to See
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
➤ Map D2 • 82 Theotokopoulou • 28210 96046 •
Art and Archaeological Noon–7pm Mon, 8:30am–7pm Tue–Fri, 8:30am–3pm
Sat & Sun • Adm
Museums
1 Irakleio
Archaeological 6 Agios Nikolaos
Archaeological
Museum Museum
The largest museum in A jug in the stylized shape of
Crete, and well worth a female figure, found at the
visiting. Its collection is Bronze Age site at Korifi and
currently being reorganized, known as the Goddess of
modernized and expanded Mirtos, is this museum’s
(see Irakleio Archaeological Museum). proudest exhibit. Elsewhere are clay Minoan coffins
decorated with paintings, good examples of Vasiliki
Chania Archaeological pottery and some finely worked gold jewellery.
2 Museum ➤ Map N4 • K. Palaeologou 74 • 28410 24943 •
Housed in a historic building 8:30am–7pm Tue–Sun • Adm
which was first a Venetian
church then a Turkish
Museum of Religious Art, Irakleio
mosque, the museum is
packed with Minoan finds, 7 This 15th-century Venetian church – where both El
Hellenistic and Roman Greco and the great icon painter Michailis Damaskinos
marble sculpture, pottery and jewellery found at are said to have learned their skills – contains the world’s
archaeological sites in western Crete. best array of Cretan icons. The collection includes three
superb works by Damaskinos.
➤ Map D2 • 28210 90334 • 10am–6pm Mon–Sat;
11am–6pm Sun • Adm ➤ Map K3 • Church of Agia Ekaterini, Plateia Ag.
Ekaterini • 2810 288825 • 8:30am–1:30pm Mon–Sat,
5–7pm Tue, Thu, Fri • Adm
Siteia Archaeological
3 Museum
Ierapetra Archaeological Museum
The most important exhibits
are from the palace site at 8 Exhibits include huge clay storage jars (pithoi ),
Zakros, on Crete’s east Minoan sarcophagi made of clay (larnakes ) statues, and
coast, which was uncovered bronze weapons and tools dating from the time of the
in 1961. They include clay Dorian city-states, when Ierapetra became one of the
tablets inscribed with the most powerful cities in eastern Crete.
symbols of the Minoan Linear A script, as well as bronze ➤ Map N6 • 1 Kostoula Adrianou Ierapetra • 28420
tools and kitchen utensils. 28721 • 8:30am–3pm Tue–Sun • Adm
➤ Map Q4 • Fiskokefalou 3 • 28430 23917 •
8:30am–3pm Tue–Sun • Adm Archanes Collection
9 Finds from the Minoan
Rethymno cemetery discovered at
4 Archaeological Fourni, just north of
Museum Archanes village, are
In a converted bastion built displayed in the village’s
by the Turks, the collection small but rather good
extends from the Stone Age archaeological museum
to the Minoan and Hellenistic along with relics from other nearby sites.
eras, with finds from ➤ Map K4 • Kalochristianaki, Archanes • 2810 752712
archaeological sites, caves • 8:30am–3pm Mon and Wed–Sun • Free
and cemeteries in the
Rethymno region. Among
the highlights are late
Minoan burial caskets, or 10 ElCopies
Greco Museum
of paintings and biographical material relating
larnakes , and burial goods to the life of the Cretan-born artist Domenikos
found in Minoan cemetery Theotokopoulos, better known as El Greco, are displayed
sites. in an extensively restored Venetian building in Fodele
village, which is claimed to be his birthplace.
➤ Map F3 • Cheimarras, Fortetza • 28310 54668 •
8:30am–3pm Tue–Sun • Adm ➤ Map J3 • Fodele village, just south of main coast road
• 2810 521500 • Adm
Byzantine Collection of Chania
5 The fine collection of beautiful Cretan icons is the
best reason to visit this small museum next to Chania’s
harbour fortress. The collection spans 1,000 years of Folklore Museums
Byzantine history and sheds light on an often ignored
chapter in Crete’s complex history. 1 Lychnostatis Open Air Museum of Folk Culture
Traditional Cretan ways of life that lasted for
centuries only began to die out in recent decades. This
lively open-air museum gives some insight into life on
traveldk.com 48
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
the island before tourism, television and the mobile Azogyre Historical and Folklore Museum
phone. Fascinating exhibits include a windmill and an old 9 Deep in the mountains of the Selinos region of
stone cottage. Crete’s far west, this tiny one-room museum in an old
village house is crammed with mementoes of Crete
➤ Map L4 • Chersonisos • 28970 22021 • 9:30am–3pm under Turkish rule, from hookah-style tobacco pipes to
Mon–Sat • Adm daggers and costumes. Be warned: opening hours can
be eccentric.
Historical and Folk Art Museum, Rethymno
2 A small museum housed in a Venetian mansion
➤ Map B4 • Azogyre • 28230 42209 • 9am–2pm
weekends • Adm
displays relics of a vanished way of life, including
colourful woven artifacts, lace, silver jewellery and
ceramics.
➤ Map F3 • Vernardou 30 • 28310 23398 • 9am–1pm,
10 Historical
Museum of
and Folklore
Gavalochori
6–8pm Mon–Sat • Adm This excellent small museum
is housed in an old
Siteia Folklore Museum Venetian-Turkish mansion
3 This fascinating small museum opens a window and depicts the history and
onto eastern Crete’s past with its collection of culture of the village.
picturesque local costumes, beautifully woven and Highlights include local skills such as silk spinning,
embroidered textiles, silver jewellery and antique cottage masonry and carpentry.
furniture, all of which was worn or used within living ➤ Map E3 • Gavalochori village • 28250 23222 •
memory. 9am–7pm Mon–Sat, 10am–1:30pm, 5–8pm Sun • Adm
➤ Map Q4 • 26 Kapetan Sifi, Siteia • 28430 23917 •
9:30am–2:30pm Tue–Sun, 6–8pm Tue and Thu evenings
• Adm
Churches and Monasteries
Museum of Cretan Ethnology, Vori
4 Excellent collection which gives real insight into the 1 Moni Arkadiou
Though founded in the 5th century, most of the
hard life of Cretan villagers in years gone by. For example, monastic buildings here date from the 16th century. Moni
there are displays on how wild foods – from dandelions Arkadiou has a special significance for Cretans. During
to snails – featured in their diet! the great revolt of 1866, the monastery – crowded with
➤ Map H5 • Vori • 28290 91392 • 10am–6pm daily • refugees as well as Cretan freedom fighters – was
Adm besieged by the Turks. Rather than surrender, the rebel
defenders blew up their gunpowder stores, killing
themselves and many of their enemies.
Museum of Rural Life, Piskopiana
5 Wooden farming tools, an old olive press and a ➤ Map G4 • 28310 83076 • 8am–8pm daily • Adm
copper raki still are among the exhibits.
➤ Map L3 • Outskirts of Limin Chersonisos • 28970 Panagia Kera
23303 • 10am–7pm daily • Adm 2 The most important
Byzantine-era church in
Crete, Panagia Kera, was
Agios Nikolaos Folklore Museum
6 Overlooking Agios Nikolaos’s lagoon-like inner
built in the 13th and 14th
centuries. The church is
harbour, the museum houses colourful textiles and dedicated to the Virgin and
costumes, farming and fishing equipment, and household to saints Anthony and Anna,
goods. and is adorned with expressive murals depicting the two
➤ Map N4 • Kondilaki 2 • 28410 25093 • 10am–4pm saints, as well as 14 scenes portraying the secret life of
daily • Adm the Virgin Mary after Christ’s Crucifixion and
Resurrection.
Arolithos Museum of Agricultural History and ➤ Map N5 • 28410 51525 • 8:30am–3pm daily • Adm
7 Popular Art
This museum is linked with a holiday village which tries Moni Toplou
to give its guests a taste of traditional Cretan life, with 3 The Toplou monastery’s
craft workers who use traditional methods, a restaurant forbidding exterior is
and bakery with wood-burning ovens, and live music and deceptive, for like many
dancing in the evening. Greek monasteries it was
➤ Arolithos village, 8 km west of Irakleio on old highway fortified against bandits
• Map J4 • 9am–noon, 2–5pm • Adm during the Middle Ages.
Inside, however, is a
different world of serene,
Cretan House Folklore Museum flower-filled courtyards and
8 Traditional looms and spinning wheels, richly cloisters, and a church that
coloured rugs, wall hangings and embroidery can be houses one of the greatest
found at this delightful place. Cretan works of religious art,
the icon Lord, Thou Art Great
➤ Map D2 • 46B Chalidon • 28210 90816 • 9am–3pm by Ioannis Kornaros.
6–9pm Mon–Sat • Adm
traveldk.com 49
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
➤ Map Q4 • 28430 61226 • 9am–1pm and 2pm–6pm In a rugged valley riddled with caves once used by
daily • Adm hermits, the abandoned monastery of Gouverneto is a
ghostly place, with crumbling buildings that seem to have
grown out of the rockface.
Moni Agia Triada
4 The Monastery of the ➤ Map D2 • Open access
Holy Trinity stands among its
own olive groves, and
although its monastic
community has dwindled to
10 Agios Nikolaos
This church has a history that reflects Chania’s past.
It was built by the Venetians, converted into a mosque
just a few members, its after the Turkish conquest, and in the early 20th century
lovely old buildings are converted again into a Greek Orthodox church dedicated
gradually being restored. to St Nicholas. Its minaret is a relic from the centuries
Visitors are welcome, and of Muslim worship here.
the monks will happily sell
you some of their ➤ Map D2 • 8am–7pm daily • Free
home-grown olive oil, which
is of high quality.
➤ Map D2 • 28210 63310 •
8am–2pm and 5pm–7pm Traditional Crafts
daily • Adm
1 Weaving
Traditional hand looms are still in use, made by
Moni Gouverneto skilled craftsmen from cypress, walnut or mulberry wood.
5 At the last count only three elderly monks remained
in this isolated monastery, deep in the wilds of the bleak
Embroidery
and barren Akrotiri Peninsula. The building encloses a
tranquil courtyard, in which stands a small chapel with
2 Rethymno was a major centre for embroidery, a
skill introduced to Crete in the Byzantine era.
some of the oldest frescoes in Crete.
➤ Map D2 • 28210 63319 • 9am–12:30pm and
Spinning
4:30–7pm daily 3 Older village women still spin wool into yarn using
a spindle and distaff – a skill that hasn’t changed since
Moni Preveli the time of the Minoans.
6Built during the 17th
century to replace a more
Dyeing
remote monastery building,
Moni Preveli’s peaceful
4 Dyes are still made from shellfish (purple), madder
dormitories and cloisters look root (red), walnut shells (dark brown), olive or
inward, onto an 18th-century pomegranate leaves (green), and crocus, marigold or
courtyard with a 19th-century narcissus (yellow).
church and a small museum. Exhibits include lavishly
ornamented vestments, church silver, censers and icons. Church Embroidery
➤ Map F5 • 28320 31246 • 9am–2pm and 4pm–7:30pm
5 Crete’s Orthodox monks and nuns embellish
• Adm sumptuous church vestments with gold, silver and silk
stitching.
Agioi Deka Church

7 This 13th-century Byzantine Church of the Ten 6 Wood Carving
Saints stands on the spot where ten Cretan Christians Olive, cypress and mulberry yield a hard wood loved
were martyred by the troops of the Roman Emperor by skilled Cretan carpenters.
Decius in AD 250. A striking icon depicting the ten saints
with golden haloes is displayed in the nave. Leatherwork
➤ Map J5 • 8am–5pm • Adm 7 Everything from shepherds’ boots and mule
harnesses to satchels, handbags and sheepskin
garments.
Moni Chrissopygis
8 The Convent of the
Silversmithing
Source of Life, like so many
Cretan monasteries, looks
8 Silver jewellery and religious objects such as icon
more like a castle than a frames and crucifixes.
religious dwelling. It is
relatively new, built in 1863, Lace
and has a studio in which 9 Silk kopaneli lace is made by bobbin weaving, a skill
icons are painted using age-old techniques. revived in Gavalochori.
➤ Map C2 • 28210 91125 • 8am–noon and 3:30pm–7pm
daily • Adm
10 Antique Weapons
The Cretan pallikar (warriorhero) loved highly
Moni Katholikou decorated weapons. Authentic antique weapons are
9 highly valued.
traveldk.com 50
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
Elos
Villages 6 Elos is one of the
settlements known as the
1 Kritsa
Sweeping mountain views and a reputation as one Enea Choria (“Nine
Villages”), which are set
of the craft centres of eastern Crete ensures that Kritsa
sees its fair share of tourism. Its main street, lined with among the chestnut forests
old stone buildings, is packed with shops selling leather of the Selloni region. At
satchels and sandals, embroidery and brightly patterned 1,200 m (3,700 ft) above sea
rugs. Some 30 minutes’ walk from Kritsa is the minor level, it can be pleasantly cooler than the south coast
archaeological site of Lato, where you can see the beaches in summer. Surrounded by woodland, Elos has
remains of a Classical Greek city. a 14th-century Byzantine chapel and a ruined Turkish
aqueduct.
➤ Map M5 • Lato 8:30am–2pm Tue–Sun
➤ Map B3
Argyroupoli
2 Western Crete’s 7 Alikianos
A ruined Venetian castle of the aristocratic Molini
prettiest mountain village is
tucked in the foothills of the family (see Da Molini Castle Ruins, Alikianos) and a noted
Lefka Ori, on the site of the 14th-century church of Agios Ioannis (or “Ai-Kir Yanni”
Hellenistic town of Lappa. in local Cretan dialect) are the prime sights of Alikianos.
The slopes of its valley The village is picturesque in itself, however, and
setting flourish with lush surrounded by citrus groves.
greenery, watered by natural ➤ Map C2
springs. Argyroupoli makes
a good base for relatively
Hamezi
easy walking in the
surrounding hills.
8 Set above the Bay of
Siteia, Hamezi has been
➤ Map E4 inhabited since the Minoan
era. Indeed, remnants of
Minoan buildings can be
seen on a hilltop from the
Axos
3 About 10 km (6 miles) inland from the main north
present village, which is a
peaceful clutter of whitewashed stone cottages, offset
coast highway on the way to the scenic Amari Valley, by colourful displays of flowers.
Axos has striking views and an attractive Byzantine
church dedicated to Agia Anna. The village is a popular ➤ Map P5
stop for excursion groups, and its tavernas and souvenir
shops get crowded around lunch time. On the hillside Voila
above Axos are a few scattered remnants of an ancient
settlement.
9 Voila is Crete’s most
dramatic ghost village, with
➤ Map H4 lizards scuttling across its
ruined walls and crumbling
doorways. Voila is
Kournas
4 Kournas nestles at the
overlooked by the
tumbledown walls of a
foot of Mt Dafnomadara, in Venetian hilltop castle and a Turkish tower, and the only
a fertile plain close to Crete’s building still intact is the church of Agios Giorgios.
only freshwater lake. Its old Surprisingly, two Turkish drinking fountains still provide
stone houses cluster around visitors with fresh water.
a steep main street, and the
village has two historic ➤ Map Q5
Byzantine-Venetian
churches, dedicated to Agios
Georgios and Agia Irene. 10 Ethia
It is hard to believe that this desolate hamlet was
➤ Map E3 an important place during Venetian occupation, when it
was the fief of the De Mezzo family. Their ruined family
tower is now recognized as an important Venetian
building, worthy of restoration.
➤ Map Q5
Topolia
5 This village, en route from Kastelli to Paleochora,
stands amid farm terraces, fields and olive groves, in a
well watered valley which leads into Kartsomatados Sights in Western Crete
Gorge. Its small church of Agia Paraskevi dates from the
late Byzantine era.
➤ Map B3
traveldk.com 51
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
Rethymno Firkas Fort, Chania
1 Rethymno is Crete’s
third largest town (after
Irakleio and Chania) and its Samaria Gorge
most attractive, with an inner 3 Taking its name from the tiny Venetian church of
harbour overlooked by a Santa Maria (close to the now abandoned Samaria
huge, brooding Venetian village), this is probably the most dramatic stretch of
fortress (the Fortetsa), scenery in Crete. The gorge is one of the deepest and
streets of old-fashioned Venetian mansions, and a longest in Europe, cutting its way through the Lefka Ori
palm-fringed esplanade along a sandy beach. Thanks to from the Omalos Plateau to the Libyan Sea, and
its nearby beaches, Rethymno has become a fully fledged narrowing to a width of only a few arm widths at its
resort town, with holiday hotels east of the city centre, narrowest point. The gorge is within the Samaria National
lots of shops, and plenty of good restaurants, lively bars Park, a refuge for many rare birds, plants and mammals
and cafés. It also has a colourful early morning street (see Samaria Gorge).
market (see Rethymno & A Morning in Rethymno).
Paleochora
4 Paleochora stands on a
peninsula between two
beaches: a long sandy bay to
the northwest and an even
longer, but pebblier and
more exposed beach, to the
Market stall, Rethymno southeast. Close to the
centre of the village are the ruined walls of a Venetian
fort, Castel Selino, which was built to guard the harbour
and coast but left to crumble after the Turkish conquest.
“Discovered” by backpackers in the 1970s, Paleochora
is now one of Crete’s quieter resorts, with a low-key
nightlife and a family atmosphere.
➤ Map B4
Frangokastello
5 A small, deserted “Castle of the Franks” – actually
built in 1371 by the Venetians to defend this stretch of
the south coast against pirate attacks (see Frangokastello)
– gives this small fishing village and resort its name. The
Lion of St Mark, symbol of the Venetian Republic, still
adorns the town’s southern gateway. Frangokastello has
Nerandzes Mosque, Rethymno a long sweep of grey sandy beach, and offers, by way
of accommodation, small pensions and apartments. A
handful of restaurants and cafés open up in summer, but
the choice of places to eat, drink and stay is very limited
Chania
2 Chania, Crete’s second
in the low season.
largest city, is built around a ➤ Map E4
fine natural harbour which
attracted a host of settlers
Sougia
over the millennia, from early
Minoans to Romans,
6 Sougia is perfect for
Byzantines, Saracens, anyone in search of peace,
Venetians and Turks. The heart of the city is the old town, quiet and isolation. Tourism
a huddle of narrow streets sheltered by a ring of is very low-key, with just a
battlements built by the Venetians; under their rule scattering of small pensions
Chania was one of Crete’s most important ports. Today and guest houses, tavernas
the old town is dominated by restaurants, cafés and bars, and cafés. The town’s beach
while outside the Venetian walls is the newer part of is long and pebbly, and the water is sparklingly clear,
town. Chania has some of Crete’smost spectacular while an hour’s walk away are the ruins of the ancient
scenery as backdrop, with the slopes of the Lefka Ori city-state of Lissos, including a temple to Asklepios, the
range (White Mountains) rising steeply a short way inland god of healing, which dates from the 3rd century BC.
and seeming to dominate the entire southern horizon ➤ Map C4
(see Chania).
Loutro
7 Sheltered by a stretch
of headland and dwarfed by
the near-vertical slopes of
the Lefka Ori (White
Mountains) above it, Loutro
is one of the most charming
spots on Crete. Less than 30
years ago Loutro had only a few elderly inhabitants and
traveldk.com 52
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
one taverna. Tourism has changed all that, and now Agios Nikolaos
dazzling white pensions and apartments sit above the 1 Agios Nikolaos has the
tiny crescent-shaped beach. Accessible only on foot (by most attractive location of
a precarious cliff path) or by boat from Chora Sfakion, any town in eastern Crete.
Loutro seems unlikely to be over-run by tourism, and is By the Gulf of Mirabello, it is
ideal for a laidback holiday. built around an inner lagoon,
Voulismeni, which is
➤ Map D4 surrounded by palm trees
and cafés. Modern hotels
Georgioupoli and apartments dwarf the
8 A modern community surviving older buildings, but
by Cretan standards, the it is still a place of
town was founded little over considerable charm. There is
a century ago when it was a small town beach, and
named in honour of Prince boats take holidaymakers to
George, the then governor larger beaches nearby. The
of Crete. More recently, it town takes its name from the tiny 11thcentury church
has become a resort, with of Agios Nikolaos (which now stands in the grounds of
hotels stretching along the the Minos Palace Hotel. The Archaeological Museum
sandy beach. It attracts a (see Agios Nikolaos Archaeological Museum) displays
less raucous clientele than numerous finds from nearby sites including Mochlos and
resorts such as Malia and Gournia.
Chersonisos, however, and
the heart of Georgioupoli is
a town square, shaded by
eucalyptus and plane trees.
➤ Map E3
Plakias
9 Plakias is one of Crete’s
Agios Nikolaos harbour
newer resorts. Its excellent ➤ Map N4
beaches were overlooked by
the holiday industry until the Siteia
1990s, at which point, the
tiny fishing and farming
2 Siteia looks surprisingly
modern but was founded in
community began to the 4th century, when a
transform into a strip of purposebuilt hotels (none of flourishing Byzantine city
them obtrusively large), apartments, shops and stood here. Its fortunes
restaurants. Not for those looking for authenticity, Plakias waned after the 14th
nevertheless has plenty going for it, including attractive century, when it was
surrounding countryside, its own long sweep of shingly damaged by earthquakes and sacked by corsairs. It was
sand, and lots more even prettier beaches and not until the late 19th century that Siteia became an
palm-fringed coves within walking distance. important farming centre, surrounded by olive groves
➤ Map F4 and vineyards. It has a picturesque harbour overlooked
by a Venetian fortress, a Folk Museum with a collection
of traditional costumes (see Siteia Folklore Museum),
10 Kastelli Kissamou
Usually known simply as Kastelli, Crete’s
and an Archaeological Museum (see Siteia Archaeological
Museum).
westernmost town is couched in a bay between the
Rodopou and Gramvoussa peninsulas. It has largely
missed out on the tourism boom, although it has a
handful of hotels and restaurants. There are several
rarely-visited ancient and medieval sites nearby, including
the ruins of Polyrinia (see Venetian Acropolis and
Polyrinia), and there are reasonable – if unexceptional by
Cretan standards – beaches on either side of town.
Market, Siteia
➤ Map B2
➤ Map Q4
Vai
Sights in Eastern Crete 3 The main claim to fame
of the beach at Vai is in
having the only wild palm
grove in Europe. The palm
forest apparently existed at
least 2,000 years ago, so
may have been planted by
early navigators from the Middle East who came to Crete.
The drawbacks are that the palm trees are fenced off
traveldk.com 53
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
and protected, and the beach becomes overrun with Ierapetra
visitors in high season. Nevertheless, it is beautiful, 8 Ierapetra is the largest
especially if visited outside the busiest summer months town on the southeast coast.
of June, July and August. Its buildings are rather dull,
but it has a good, long beach
➤ Map R4 of grey sand and the
distinction of receiving more
Zakros Gorge hours of sunshine per year
4 The Zakros Gorge is than anywhere else in Europe. Huge crops of tomatoes
known locally as the Valley are raised all year round in the surrounding farmlands.
of the Dead because the Ierapetra became an important Dorian Greek settlement
numerous caves in its as early as the 8th century BC, and by the 2nd century
limestone walls were used BC it was the largest city-state on the island after
as tombs in Roman times. defeating its Eteocretan neighbours, Praisos and Itanos.
The gorge runs from the Under the Romans it was an important seaport; the
peaceful village of Ano (“upper”) Zakros to Kato (“lower”) Venetians built a fortress to defend the harbour.
Zakros on the sea, near an ancient Minoan palace site ➤ Map N6
rediscovered in 1961. It is a beautiful and not too
challenging 8-km (5-mile) hike (see Zakros Gorge).
Lato
9 Modern-day Agios Nikolaos was once no more than
the seaport annex of this Dorian Greek city which
flourished between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC. Built
around two neighbouring hills, 8 km (5 miles) west of
Agios Nikolaos, Lato is the best preserved Dorian site in
Crete, with walls built of massive stone blocks. There
are fine views over the Gulf of Mirabello from its agora
Taverna, Kato Zakros (marketplace) in a saddle between the twin summits.
➤ Map Q5 ➤ Map M4 • 8:30am–3pm Tue–Sun • Adm
Elounda
5 Elounda, on the Gulf of 10 Mochlos
Mochlos, 32 km (20 miles) east of Agios Nikolaos
Mirabello, is Crete’s most on the coast road, is a tiny fishing hamlet with a handful
expensive resort area, with of tavernas. Just offshore is the island of Mochlos, which
several exclusive villa and in ancient times was connected to the mainland by an
hotel complexes in isthmus. This has been eroded by earthquakes and
landscaped grounds. Several waves. On the island are the remains of Minoan houses
of these even have private and a Minoan harbour, much of which is now under
beaches. The village itself is less upmarket, with a clutter water. Seal stones, superb gold jewellery and vases
of shops and restaurants surrounding a small fishing carved from quartz, alabaster and black steatite have
harbour from which boats depart daily in summer on been discovered in rock tombs on the island and are
trips to Spinalonga, the Venetian fortress-island and displayed in the Agios Nikolaos and Siteia archaeological
former leper colony not far offshore. museums.
➤ Map N4 ➤ Map P4
Makrygialos
6 Makrygialos is the most popular holiday resort on
the southeast coast, with a long, straggling array of small Sights in Central Crete
pensions, hotels and tavernas stretching along a crescent
of rather windswept, gently shelving sand and pebble
beach, which is the best in this part of the island. 1 Ancient Knosos
Knosos was pinpointed as an important
archaeological site by the great Heinrich Schliemann and
➤ Map P5 unearthed by British archaeologist Arthur Evans less than
100 years ago. The columns, courtyards and coloured
Spinalonga frescoes of this ancient Minoan palace still have the
7 The fortifications power to amaze. Knosos was lost to history after the
covering this small, rocky cataclysmic volcanic eruption that destroyed the Minoan
island in the Gulf of Mirabello civilization, but the site is now one of the most
were built by the Venetians impressive relics of the vanished world of the Minoans
in 1579 to control the (see Ancient Knosos).
approaches to this superb
natural harbour. Superior sea Phaestos
power allowed Venice to hang onto Spinalonga for half 2 This labyrinth of ruins
a century after the fall of the rest of Crete to the Turks, dating from around 1600 BC
and it was surrendered only in 1715. Used as a leper includes a Minoan courtyard
colony in the first half of the 20th century, its buildings and theatre with tiers of
are now very dilapidated, but the grim walls may still stone seats, a monumental
give the visitor an eerie thrill. stairway, peristyle hall and a
➤ Map N4 vast central courtyard. The
traveldk.com 54
Crete Travel Guide
Things to See
still undeciphered Phaestos Disc, which was discovered a visit for the spectacular drive through the mountains
here, is on display in the Irakleio Archaeological Museum and the glimpses it offers of a traditional way of life.
(see Irakleio Archaeological Museum). Phaestos was
destroyed around 1450 BC by the cataclysm that also ➤ Map M4
laid low the rest of Crete’s Minoan palaces. Not usually
as crowded as the more famous Knosos, the site at Mt Idi
Phaestos has an impressive location on a hillside above 7 At 2,456 m (8,055 ft),
fertile farmland (see Phaestos). Mt Idi, which is also known
as Mt Ida and Mt Psiloritis,
Gortys is Crete’s highest mountain.
3 Toppled Roman Only fit, experienced and
well-equipped mountain
columns, a ruined Byzantine
basilica, post-Minoan walkers should try the
fortifications, and an agora, eighthour hike to its summit and back. However, it is
acropolis and remains of possible to drive as far as the Nida Plateau, 1,400 m
temples to Athena and (4,600 ft) above sea level, from which there are
Apollo all hint at the past spectacular views.
glories of this large and little-visited archaeological site ➤ Map G–H4
close to Crete’s south coast. First settled in Minoan
times, it became one of the most important cities of
Kazantzakis Museum
Doric Crete. It later allied itself with the Romans to
become an important provincial capital, and was one of
8 Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis (1883–1957) is best
Crete’s most prosperous cities until it was sacked by known outside Greece for the novel Alexis Zorbas , which
Arab invaders during the anarchic years of the 8th century is set in Crete during the early 20th century. The book
AD (see Gortys). was filmed in 1964 as Zorba the Greek , starring Anthony
Quinn in the title role. Kazantzakis’ outspoken humanism
led the Orthodox church to regard him as a heretic. The
Irakleio author was born in Mirtia, and a small museum in the
4 The modern capital of village (in the Kazantzakis family home) is crammed with
Crete was badly damaged in his manuscripts and diaries, film posters, photos and
World War II, and few of its other memorabilia.
old Venetian buildings
survived the reconstruction ➤ Map K4 • Mirtia village square, signposted •
of the city. However, its 9am–1pm, 4–8pm; Closed Thu • Adm
Venetian fortress, harbour,
arsenal and city walls are still impressive. For a morning’s Agia Triada
itinerary see pages 82–3. The city’s main attraction is 9 Excavated by Italian archaeologists at the beginning
the Irakleio Archaeological Museum (see Irakleio). of the 20th century, Agia Triada is smaller than other
Minoan sites such as Knosos and Phaestos and was
probably an aristocratic villa or a royal summer palace.
Some of the finest Minoan pottery, including three carved
stone vases, was discovered here and is displayed in the
Irakleio Archaeological Museum. Agia Triada is only 3
km (2 miles) west of Phaestos, so can easily be visited
on the same day. Because Agia Triada receives fewer
Café, Irakleio market vistors than the larger sites, you can explore its
honeycomb of stone corridors, stairs and courtyards at
your own pace.
Diktian Cave ➤ Map G5 • 8:30am–3pm • Adm
5 According to ancient Greek myths, this mossy
cavern, filled with strange limestone formations, was
the birthplace of the greatest Olympian god, Zeus. Rhea,
Zeus’s mother, supposedly hid the young godling from
10 Boutari Winery and Audio-Visual Show
At the Fantaxometochi Winery, south of Knosos
his father, Kronos, here. Bronze figurines and Minoan near Archanes village, one of Greece’s leading
double axes found in the cave are on show in the Irakleio winemakers has opened Crete’s newest purpose-built
Archaeological Museum. The site is also often referred visitor attraction. A state-of-the-art audio-visual show
to as the Idaian Cave. celebrates the island – its landscapes, history and
traditional way of life. The show also highlights the
➤ Map L5 vineyards and grape varieties that produce some of the
Boutari family’s award-winning wines. You can sample
and buy Boutari red and white wines at the winery shop.
Lasithi
6 The so-called “Plain of ➤ Map K4 • 9am–6pm Mon–Sat; Closed Nov–Mar •
Windmills” is a high plain of Adm
fertile farmland surrounded
by bare grey limestone hills.
Its nickname is misleading,
though. Only a few rusting
metal derricks remain of the
famed white-sailed windmills that once dotted the
plateau in their hundreds. However, Lasithi is still worth
traveldk.com 55
7
History and Culture
Crete Travel Guide
History and Culture

a surrender at Frangokastello he was seized, tortured
Famous Cretans and skinned alive – a not uncommon penalty for rebels
against the sultan.
1 Zeus
Paramount among the Greek gods, Zeus was said
to have been born and raised in caves (see The Birth of
Zeus). His mother sheltered him from his childdevouring 10 Chatzimichalis Dalianis
Dalianis garrisoned the fort at Frangokastello with
father, the Titan Kronos, whom Zeus eventually slew, only 385 men during the nationwide uprising in 1821.
giving rise to a new dynasty of gods. On the mainland, the rebellion succeeded, giving birth
to the modern Greek state, but in Crete it failed. Dalianis
King Minos and his men, overwhelmingly outnumbered by the Turks,
2 Minos, King of Crete and both patron and tormentor were massacred in a valiant final stand.
of the ingenious Daedalos, appears in the Greek myths
as a tyrant. In fact, the legendary Minos is probably a
composite of many Minoan kings, whose power and
wealth were remembered long after their civilization fell. Myths and Legends
Nicephoros Phokas 1 The Birth of Zeus
Zeus was the sixth child of the Titan Kronos, who
3 The Byzantine general Nicephoros Phokas had devoured his other children to prevent them from
reconquered Crete from the Saracens in 961. Laying overthrowing him as he had overthrown his own father,
siege to their capital at Khandak (Irakleio), he demoralized Uranus, ruler of the old gods. Born in the Diktian Cave
the garrison by firing the heads of their captured in Crete, Zeus was hidden by his mother Rhea and raised
comrades over the walls of the city. in the Idaian Cave on Mount Idi. Zeus eventually poisoned
Kronos, making him regurgitate his siblings, who
overthrew the Titans to become the new gods and
Michael Damaskinos
4 Michailis Damaskinos (circa 1530–91) is the best
goddesses.
known of the Cretan School icon painters. Some of his
most important works are exhibited in the Museum of Zeus and Europa
Religious Art in Irakleio (see Museum of Religious Art). 2 Though married to the goddess Hera, Zeus took
many mortal lovers, one of whom was the princess
Europa, daughter of the King of Phoenicia. Taking the
El Greco
5 Born in the twilight years of Venetian rule in Crete,
form of a white bull, Zeus carried Europa off to Crete,
where he took her as his wife.
Domenikos Theotokopoulos (1541–1614) studied the
icon painters of the Cretan School; their influence can
be seen in the elongated features of his subjects and his The Minotaur and the Labyrinth
vivid use of colour. He trained under Titian in Italy, then 3 In the myth of King Minos (one of the sons of Zeus
moved to Toledo, where he acquired his Spanish and Europa), his queen Pasiphae bore a child, half bull
nickname of El Greco: “the Greek”. and half man, after coupling with the sacred bull of Zeus.
Minos imprisoned this monster, the Minotaur, in a
tortuous maze, the subterranean labyrinth.
Vinzentzos Kornaros
6 This 16th-century poet (died 1677) was a
contemporary of El Greco and Damaskinos and is Theseus and Ariadne
remembered for his life’s work, the Erotokritos, 4 Minos demanded tribute of youths and maidens
post-Byzantine Greece’s greatest work of epic literature. from the Athenians after defeating them in war. The
victims were given to the Minotaur, but Theseus, prince
of Athens, slew the Minotaur and escaped the labyrinth
Nikos Kazantzakis
7 Born in Irakleio, Kazantzakis (1883–1957) is best
with the help of Minos’s daughter Ariadne, who gave
him a ball of thread to retrace his steps.
known for his novel Alexis Zorbas , translated into English
and filmed as Zorba the Greek . He was excommunicated
by the Orthodox Church for his humanist views, and his Talos the Bronze Giant
selfpenned epitaph reads: “I hope for nothing. I fear 5 According to myth, Zeus created the bronze giant
nothing. I am free.” to defend Crete. It patrolled the coasts, hurling huge
boulders to sink vessels that came too close. Talos was
finally slain by Jason, with the aid of the sorceress
Eleftherios Venizelos
8 Born at Mournies near Chania, Venizelos
Medea, who pointed out the giant’s only weak spot, a
vein near its ankle.
(1864–1936) made his reputation in the 1889 and 1896
uprisings. He led the campaign for union with Greece,
and went on to become the Greek premier, dominating Daedalus and Ikarus
the nation’s politics until the 1930s. He then became 6 Daedalus and his son, Ikarus, made wings of
involved in a failed republican coup d’etat and was forced feathers held together with beeswax in order to escape
to flee the country, dying in exile in Paris. imprisonment at the hands of King Minos – punishment
for helping Theseus slay the Minotaur. Ikarus flew too
high and the sun’s heat melted the wax, causing him to
Ioannis Daskalogiannis
9 Ioannis Daskalogiannis (died 1770) raised the clans
plummet into the sea, but Daedalus reached safety in
Sicily.
of the mountainous and inaccessible Sfakia region in the
first major rebellion against Turkey in 1770. The uprising
failed, and when Daskalogiannis attempted to negotiate Hercules and the Bull of Crete
7
traveldk.com 57
Crete Travel Guide
History and Culture

The demigod Hercules, son of Zeus and the mortal Frangokastello, where they are besieged and slaughtered.
woman Alkmene, was set 12 tasks by King Eurystheus Crete remains under the Turkish yoke.
of Argos, one of which was to capture and tame the
untameable bull of Crete.
1866: Another Rebellion Against Turks
7 Undaunted by these heroic failures, Crete rises
Nymphs of Dragolaki again in 1866, with a self-appointed Cretan Assembly
8 The cave known as the Dragolaki or “Dragon’s Lair”, declaring independence and union with Greece. The
just outside the Sfakia mountain village of Agios Ioannis, Turks bring in Egyptian troops to quell the rebels, but in
is said to be haunted by Nereids, waternymphs who Europe there is growing sympathy for the Cretan cause.
were daughters of the god Nereus.
Great Powers Intervene
The Immortal Plane Tree at Gortys 8 Several risings in the last decades of the 19th
9 Zeus ravished Europa beneath this huge plane tree century culminate in the landing of Greek troops in 1897
near the Roman ruins of Gortys. As a result, the tree is and international intervention.
said never to shed its leaves, even in winter.
Union with Greece
9
10 The Drossoulites of Frangokastello
Phantoms are said to emerge on 17 May every year
In 1905 Eleftherios Venizelos – a minister in Prince
George’s governorship of Crete – calls for a nationalist
from the sea mists and ride into the deserted little revolution and in 1908 the Cretan Assembly declares
fortress at Frangokastello (see Frangokastello). They are union (enosis ) with Greece.
the ghosts of Chatzimichalis Dalianis (see Chatzimichalis
Dalianis) and his men, massacred by the Turks here in
1821. 10 Occupation and Liberation in World War II
German forces drive the Allies out of Crete in May
1941, but Cretan guerrillas continue to resist. Most
German troops flee Greece in autumn 1944 as Allied
troops land, but the garrison at Chania holds out until the
Moments in History end of the war in May 1945.
1 1750 BC: Golden Age of Minoan Culture

Crete is the centre of the Minoan civilization, which
is marked by the building of Knosos and other palaces.
Mycenaeans take over Knosos in 1450 BC. Ancient Sites
Roman Conquest 1 Knosos
Just outside Irakleio, Knosos is by far the most
2 The first Roman invasion of Crete in 71 BC is striking of the ancient Minoan palace ruins on Crete.
repulsed by the Dorian Greeks, but a second attack in Dating back more than 3,500 years, it was destroyed,
69 BC succeeds. Some Cretan cities side with the probably by a volcanic eruption, around 1450 BC and not
invaders, and by 67 BC Crete is firmly in Roman hands. rediscovered until the late 19th century (see Ancient
Knosos).
Byzantine Reconquest
3 The Byzantine Empire loses Crete to Arab invaders Phaestos
in AD 824. The Emperor Nikiforas Fokas reconquers the 2 The ruins of the Minoan
island in 961. palace at Phaestos, on a
hilltop by the south coast of
Crete, are second only to
Venetian Rule
4 Crete falls into Venetian hands after 1204, when
those at Knosos. A maze of
walls and courtyards marks
the Fourth Crusade goes awry and the Byzantine the site of the Second Palace
Emperor is deposed by an army of Frankish crusaders at Phaestos, built around 1600 BC. Hieroglyphics on the
in alliance with Venice. Cretans rebel against the clay Phaestos Disc still puzzle scientists (see Phaestos).
Venetians, but without success.
Gortys
5 The Turks
Chania and Rethymno quickly fall to an attack by
3 The ruined city of
Gortys, with basilica and
Turks in 1645. Venetian seapower enables the Venetian remnants of a Roman
capital of Candia (modern Irakleio) to resist a 21-year provincial governor’s palace,
siege, but Venice finally surrenders in 1669. The Cretans dates from the early
rise too against the Turks. The first major rebellion begins Christian era. The site
in 1770 in mountainous Sfakia and is led by Ioannis extends over a wide area,
Daskalogiannis. It ends badly, however, with Sfakia and is usually uncrowded, so it can be explored at leisure
conquered. (see Gortys).
War of Independence
6 In 1821 a nationwide rising in mainland Greece 4 Gournia
The well-preserved Minoan town of Gournia, a maze
flares into a full-scale and eventually successful War of of roofless stone walls, makes an interesting contrast
Independence. In Crete, Chatzimichalis Dalianis and with the better-known Minoan palaces. This was a
fewer than 400 rebels raise the Greek banner at working community, and archaeologists discovered
traveldk.com 58
Crete Travel Guide
History and Culture

workshops used by potters, smiths and carpenters ruined walls and pillars around a stone arch. The site was
alongside tiny houses surrounding a small palace (see a sanctuary dedicated to Asklepios, the god of healing.
Gournia). From the 3rd century BC to the Christian era it was an
important place of pilgrimage.
Agia Triada ➤ North of Lendas • Map J6 • Unenclosed • Free
5 A treasury of Minoan relics, including tablets
inscribed with the still undeciphered Minoan Linear A
script, has been discovered on this site of an L-shaped
Minoan villa, built about 1700 BC. The site was later
occupied by Mycenaean settlers, who built a megaron
Top 10 Caves
(chief’s hall) and a village with a unique row of porticoed
shops. 1 Sfendoni
Crete’s most spectacular cave, crammed with
strange rock formations deep beneath the Idi range.
➤ 3 km (2 miles) west of Phaestos • Map H5 • 28920
91360 • 8:30am–7pm daily • Adm
Diktian Cave (Diktaion Antron)
Malia
2 Said to be the birthplace of Zeus, this cave above
6 East of the busy
the Lasithi Plateau contains an artificial lake.
summer holiday resort of
Malia is an archaeological Idaian Cave
site of the same name. The 3 This enormous cavern on the slopes of Mount Idi
Minoan double-axe symbol, was Zeus’s childhood hideout.
or labrys , is carved into two
pillars of a small shrine.
Kamares
Excavations are still going on
near the palace site.
4 This cave on Mount Idi’s southern face lends its
name to the sophisticated Minoan pottery discovered
➤ 3 km (2 miles) east of here.
Malia • Map M4 • 28970
31597 • 8:30am–7pm
Skotino
Tue–Sun • Adm
5 This is one of Crete’s largest caves. It was first
dedicated to virgin goddess Britomartis and later became
a sanctuary to Artemis.
Zakros
7 The fourth largest of Inatos
Crete’s Minoan palaces,
Zakros was rediscovered in
6 The goddess Ilithia, daughter of Zeus and Hera, was
worshipped in this grotto, which delves into the sea-cliff
1961 by Cretan archaeologist above Tsoutsouros.
Nikolaos Platon. The site had
not been plundered, and
finds included a stunning Ilithia
rock crystal jug, now in the Irakleio Archaeological 7 Archaic stone figures of pregnant women have been
Museum. Remains of the palace and a cistern can be found in this cave, birthplace of the goddess Ilithia.
seen.
➤ Kato Zakros • Map R5 • 28430 93338 • 8:30am–7pm Profitis Ilias
Tue–Sun • Adm 8 Like the Diktian Cave, this cave near Arkalochori is
also claimed as birthplace of Zeus.
Praisos
8 This scenic site – with only the remnants of a Melidoni
temple, house foundations and a city wall to be seen – 9 This cave was said to be the lair of Talos, the bronze
was the last enclave of the Eteocretan (“true Cretan”) giant created by Zeus.
descendants of the Minoans. It survived until the 2nd
century BC, when it was sacked by Dorians.
➤ By Nea Praisos village • Map Q5 • Unenclosed • Free 10 Cave of the Holy Fathers
This gloomy cave in the remote Sellino highlands
is now a Greek Orthodox shrine.
Itanos
9 The remains of a Hellenistic wall, foundations of
two early Christian basilicas, and toppled walls and
columns are the only indications that this was once an Venetian and Turkish Castles
important city. It flourished until early medieval times,
when it was destroyed by Saracen raiders.
➤ 2 km (1 mile) north of Vai • Map R4 • Unenclosed •
Free
10 Levin
Ancient Levin, on a hilltop just outside the modern
village of Lendas, is now no more than a scattering of
traveldk.com 59
Crete Travel Guide
History and Culture

Rethymno known as Kastelli (the castle). Further walls followed,
1 The massive fortress but though they may have deterred occasional pirate
that dominates Rethymno’s raids, they proved ineffective when the Turks assailed
harbour was built by the the city in 1645.
Venetians with sloping walls
to better deflect the ➤ Map D2
Ottoman Empire’s gigantic
cannon. But it proved no Paleochora
match for the military 5 Kastel Selinou, as Paleochora was first known, was
ingenuity of the Turks, and built in 1279 to guard the southwest against pirates. The
fell after a short siege. great Turkish corsair Barbarossa destroyed it in 1539.
Ironically, it became a far The Turks saw no need to rebuild it, and it has remained
more successful stronghold an elegant ruin ever since.
for the Turkish Ottomans
(see Rethymno). ➤ Map B4
Venetian Acropolis and Polyrinia

Frangokastello 6 On a hilltop above Paleokastro, a Venetian keep
2 The Venetians built this shares the peak with the ruins of the Hellenistic city of
romantic coastal fortress to Polyrinia, which thrived until the Saracen invasion of the
defend the south coast from 9th century. Stone from Hellenistic buildings, already
Saracen pirates. In 1821 it 1,000 years old when the Venetians arrived, seems to
was occupied by a small have been incorporated into the castle walls.
force of Cretan rebels, ➤ Map B2
holding out against a vastly
greater Turkish army. The
rebels were defeated of Aptera
course, but, according to 7 Climb the bastions of
legend, once a year their the Aptera Fort, on a hilltop
ghosts appear from the sea near the ruins of Byzantine
to reclaim the ruined castle Aptera for sweeping views.
(see The Drossoulites of Below, across the coastal
Frangokastello & highway, is the grim Itzedin
Frangokastello). Fort, now a prison and
closed to visitors.
➤ Map D2
Da Molini Castle Ruins, Alikianos

8 Though much overgrown, the dilapidated walls
standing among orange and lemon trees are still
impressive. The castle was the scene of a famous
massacre, when the Cretan rebel leader Georgios
Kandanoleon was betrayed by Francesco Molini during
his wedding to Molini’s daughter.
➤ Map C2
Venetian Fortress,
Frangokastello
9 Siteia
Siteia’s restored Venetian
➤ Map E4 fort is used as an open-air
theatre for concerts and
plays in summer. The
Spinalonga
3 A formidable island
fortress is all that remains of
the city’s once substantial
fortress built in 1579 to ring of battlements which
command the entrance to resisted a three-year siege
the Gulf of Mirabello. Venice by the Turks in 1648–51.
managed to hang on to it
even after the surrender of ➤ Map Q4
Candia (Irakleio) in 1669, and
gave it up only by treaty in 1715. After Turkish
withdrawal, it was used for a time as a leper colony (see
Spinalonga).
Chania 10 Venetian Tower, Finikas, Loutro

The lonely tower standing on a headland between
4 The Venetians lost Chania to their arch-rivals, the Loutro and the bay of Finix, is yet another Venetian relic.
Genoese, in 1263. They regained it 22 years later, and Nearby are a few scattered blocks, the remains of a
set about making the town impregnable, starting with
walls around the hill above the harbour in the district still
traveldk.com 60
Crete Travel Guide
History and Culture

Byzantine church and also a Hellenistic town, the latter town hall looks suspiciously modern, blame restoration
an important seaport when the Romans ruled Crete. after earthquake and bomb damage.
➤ Map D4
Agios Titos
7 Turn right immediately after the Loggia to find Agios
Titos (St Titus). Originally Byzantine, the church was
A Morning in Irakleio rebuilt by the Venetians, turned into a mosque by the
Turks and reclaimed by the Orthodox church in 1925.
Inside, a reliquary contains the skull of St Titus.
1 Porta Kenouria
The most appropriate place to start exploring
➤ 9am–5pm daily • Free
Irakleio’s Venetian heritage is this ornate archway through
the city’s mighty walls, built in the mid-16th century by
the Italian military engineer Michele Sanmichele. At this Historical Museum
point, the walls are some 40 m (130 ft) thick, so it is not 8 Returning to 25 Augoustou, turn left onto
surprising that they withstood 16th-century Ottoman Theotokopoulou, then left onto Gazi, which leads to the
artillery and everything else thrown at them. Historical Museum of Crete. The basement contains
some interesting Venetian stonework, Turkish and
Byzantine remnants and the only El Greco painting left
Pumphouse and Fountain
2 Walk through the portal and along Evans, named
in Crete.
after the excavator of ancient Knosos, to Plateia ➤ 9am–5pm Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri; 9am–2pm Tue & Sat
Kornarou, named after the writer of the Cretan epic poem • Adm
the Erotokritos . In the middle of this square stands a
pretty, six-sided stone building, a café set within a
Venetian Fortress
pumphouse built by the Turks. Stop here, if you like, for
a coffee in the shade of plane trees. Beside the café is
9
Built in 1523–40 to
the Venetian Bembo Fountain – note the broken, guard the harbour
decapitated marble torso of a Roman statue built into its approaches, the massive
stonework. Rocca al Mare, as it was
known to the Venetians,
served its purpose well. Piles
Market of cannonballs in the inner
3 Leave Plateia Kornarou chambers seem to await another assault.
north of the fountain, along
the market street Odos ➤ 8:30am–3pm Tue–Sat, 10am–3pm Sun • Adm
1866, among stalls selling
fresh fruit, olives, dried fruit
and nuts, and less familiar 10 Venetian
(Arsenali)
Arsenal
produce such as buckets of On your way back from the
live snails. Midway along 1866, turn left and walk along fortress, you will see a series
to Plateia Ekaterinis, where the main landmark is the of high stone vaults built into
pompous 19thcentury cathedral. the wall behind the harbour.
These were the Arsenali or
Agia Ekaterini shipyards where the great
4 At the foot of the galleys were built that gave Venice its control of the sea.
square, and more interesting
than the cathedral, is this
church which in the 16th
century was one of the great
schools of Cretan icon
painting. Today it houses the
world’s best collection of Cretan icons.
➤ 8:30am–1:30pm Mon–Sat, & 5–7pm Tue, Thu, Fri •
Adm
Plateia Venizelou
5 Leave Plateia Ekaterinis by its northwest corner,
and walk east to Plateia Nikoforou Foka, then left to
Plateia Venizelou. The Morosini fountain stands in the
middle of the square, with two stone lions standing
sentinel.
San Marco and the Loggia

6 On the southeast side of the square, the former
Venetian Cathedral of San Marco, dedicated to Venice’s
patron saint, became a mosque and is now an exhibition
centre and conference hall. Leave the square by 25
Augoustou and walk past the Loggia. If this Venetian
traveldk.com 61
8
Maps
Crete Travel Guide
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
KEY
a r
Thiy
Top 10 place of interest
Other place of interest
Airport
Ferry Port
Motorway
Major Road
Secondary Road
Other Road
Track
Regional boundary
Summit
Pir
ae Bus station
u s
Tourist information
City wall
Sea of Crete
Marmara
Dia
Akra Stavros
Dia
Agia Stavros
Sise Marina
Tripiti
E75 Akhlada Ormos
Fodele Iraklion
Rodia Paleokastron
Damasta
Nea Alikarnasos
Khonos Marathos Irakleio Airport Kato Gouves
Amudara Chersonis
Amnisos Gurne
Kamariotis Astorakion Irakleio Limin Ch
Ilithia E75
Karteros
Arolithos Nea Fortessa Piskopiana Kó

Gonyes Cave Anopolis
Elea
Tylissos Skotino Chersonisos Stalid
os
otam
Cave
Gofiros
Anogeia Kato Kalesia Knosos Sklanion

E
op
Korfe Kalon Khorion

Yer
Stavrakia Mt Giouchtas Potamye M

811m Kounavi Episkopi Zmarion
Agna
Kruson Agios Miron Mirtia
Asomatos Archanes
Apostoli Avdu
Dafnes Profitis
Kuduni Vathypetrou Sambas Kastelli
1860m
Ilias
Kato Asite Khudetsion
Veneraton
Trapsanon Lilianon
I R A KKarkadotisa
LEIO Alagnion Agia Paraskevi
Prinas Diktian
Ayos Tomas Patsideros Arkalokhorion Cave
Zaros Gergeri Gerakion
Varvari Damania Ó
Panasos
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10 r
Ano Moulia Kalon Khorion Panagia
Larani Partira
Kato Moulia
Moronion
Kastelion Tefelion Inion
Inia Karavados
Kastelion
Gortys Ligortinos
Atsipades Marta
traveldk.com Ambeluzas Stoli Kaliviya Skivyas 63Ano Via
Agioi Deka
Crete Travel Guide
LACK
a r
Thiy
es
od
Rh
Sea of Crete
Marmara
Dia
Stavros
Nea Alikarnasos
Irakleio Airport Kato Gouves Chersonisos Ag
Amnisos Gurne
eio Finokalia
Limin Chersonisos Agios Antonios
Ilithia E75 Agios Georgios
Karteros
a Piskopiana Kólpos Maliya Sissi Milatos

Cave Anopolis Vrouhas
Elea
Skotino Chersonisos Stalida
Cave Malia Karidi
nosos Sklanion
E75 Spinalon
Kalon Khorion
Latsida
uchtas Potamye Mokhos S Vrakhasion
Elounda
m Episkopi Zmarion el
Kounavi en Neapolis Furni
Agna a Limne
Mirtia Ór
s Archanes Krasion os Khumeriakos Elinika
Apostoli Avdu
Vathypetrou Sambas Kastelli Mesa Potami Amigdali
E75 Aggi Pandes
detsion Tzermiadou Ekso Lakonia
Trapsanon Lilianon
O Alagnion Agia Paraskevi
Lasithi
Lato Agios Nikolaos
Diktian Ayos Yeoros Panagia Kólpos Mi

Patsideros Arkalokhorion Cave Kera
Kaminakion Kritsa (Meramb
Gerakion
Ó Krustas
10 ro 5
Psari Madara
miles 0 Avdelyakos
km 5 10
Kalon Khorion Panagia s 2148m
Istro
Partira Dí
kti Kalon Khorion
Afendis Khristos Prine

Gournia
lion Inion Karavados 2141m Meseleri
Ligortinos Male
Marta Khristos
traveldk.com
Kaliviya Skivyas Ano Viannos
Kalamafka
L A S 64I T H
Episkopi
M
• Move this sc
Crete Travel Guide
0 metres
es
od
Rh
Rhodes
Aghios Ióannis
Finokalia
sos Agios Antonios
Agios Georgios
Maliya Sissi Milatos
Vrouhas
a Karidi
Spinalonga
Latsida
S Vrakhasion
Elounda
el
en Neapolis Furni
a Limne
Faneromeni
Ór
Krasion os Khumeriakos Elinika Va
Mesa Potami Amigdali
Aggi Pandes Siteia
E75
Tzermiadou Ekso Lakonia Psira A
sithi
Lato Agios Nikolaos Piskokefalo
Mochlos
Hamezi Skopi
Ayos Yeoros Panagia Kólpos Mirabelon Turloti
Kaminakion Kritsa Kera Sfaya Ekso Muliana
(Merambelos)
Krustas Mese Muliana
Avdelyakos 10 5 miles 0 Lastros
km 5 10
Psari Madara Kat
Istro Kavusion s Epano Episkopi
Dí 2148m ro
kti Kalon Khorion Ornó Ó Praisos
Pachia Ammos
Gournia Hrisopigi Sikea
2141m
Tripti
Male Meseleri Aorion Ethia
Khristos Stavrokhorion
traveldk.com
Kalamafka
L A S I T H I hr
i pt
is Pefki Gorge
Lithines
Ayoye Stefanos
Ch
65 Armen
Episkopi T Kaliva
M
• Move this scale down by EXACTLY 80mm.
Crete Travel Guide
0 metres 300
Rethymno
S
KO
IA
R
FE
PERI
Venetian
Fortress Archaeological
Museum
PLATIA
PLASTIRA
M E SO LO N G I O U
HIMA
R AS
Franzeskaki DA MB E R G I
Collection Inner
SALAMINOS Harbour
SSIN OU
I. MELI Rimondi Fountain
NIKIFO
ZOG
LOU P AL EOLOGOU
R IG A
AT Loggia
RAB
U
PETIHA
A
ROU
V E NA R D O U LIO
SOU
ELE
KI
Historical and
F E R EO U
FTH
Folk Art Museum Nerantzes
T ASIS
Mosque
ER
MAVIL
FOKA
AR
DI S
IO
Agios
PERIFERIAKOS
KA VE
Frangiskos
KIS AN
D NI
I
PLATONOS
H IO ZE
U LO
VARBARAS U
S I N T A G MAT O S
ETHNI
I
Porta
RG
Guora Minaret ALE
IL
V. K
PLATIA 4
VR
GA MARTIRON YERA
K A R I Kara Pasha
PLATIA
U M Public IROON
I GO KOU Mosque
Garden NDO
URI YERAK
OTO ARI K.
U
Rhodes
es
Paximadia
iad
nis
Dragonada
Dio
Yanisada Sideros
Mavronisi
Elasa
Itanos
Faneromeni Vai Ormos

Vamvakya Grandes
Moni
Ormos Toplou Kouremenos
Siteia Sitiya Prandes
Agia Fotia Chionia
Palaiokastro Plaka
Mochlos Piskokefalo
Rousa Eklisia
Hamezi Skopi
Turloti Krionerion
Sfaya Ekso Muliana
Dris Mitaton
Mese Muliana
Lastros
10 5
Karidion miles 0 km 5 10
Katsidonion Azokeramos
s Epano Episkopi
ro
Ornó Ó Praisos
mos Zakros
Hrisopigi Sikea
ti Kato Zakros
Aorion Ethia Voila
Stavrokhorion Zakros Zakros
is Pefki Gorge Chandras Gorge
Lithines Ziros
traveldk.com Armeni 66
liva Ayoye Stefanos
Pir
ae
s u
Crete Travel Guide
Sea of Crete
Marmara
Dia
Akra Stavros
Dia
Agia Stavros
Sise Marina
Tripiti
E75 Akhlada Ormos
Fodele Iraklion
Rodia Paleokastron
Damasta
Nea Alikarnasos
Khonos Marathos Irakleio Airport Kato Gouves
Amudara Chersonis
Amnisos Gurne
Kamariotis Astorakion Irakleio Limin Ch
Ilithia E75
Karteros
Arolithos Nea Fortessa Piskopiana Kó
Gonyes Cave Anopolis
Elea
Tylissos Skotino Chersonisos Stalid
os
tam
Cave
Gofiros
Anogeia Kato Kalesia Knosos Sklanion

E
opo
Korfe Kalon Khorion

Yer
Stavrakia Mt Giouchtas Potamye M

811m Kounavi Episkopi Zmarion
Agna
Kruson Agios Miron Mirtia
Asomatos Archanes
Apostoli Avdu
Dafnes Profitis
Kuduni Vathypetrou Sambas Kastelli
1860m
Ilias
Kato Asite Khudetsion
Veneraton
Trapsanon Lilianon
I R A KKarkadotisa
LEIO Alagnion Agia Paraskevi
Prinas Diktian
Ayos Tomas Patsideros Arkalokhorion Cave
Zaros Gergeri Gerakion
Varvari Damania Ó
Panasos r
Ano Moulia Kalon Khorion Panagia
Larani Partira
Kato Moulia
Moronion
Kastelion Tefelion Inion
Inia Karavados
Kastelion
Gortys Ligortinos
Atsipades Marta
Ambeluzas Stoli Kaliviya Skivyas Ano Via
Agioi Deka
Livaditis
Yeropo
ta mos Protoria Kato Kasteliana Kato Vyanos
Asimion Amiras
Platanos
An
Perion Vayonya Dionision Kharakas Mesokhorion

apodaris
Plora Stavie Pirgos Keratokambos

Etia Akhendrias
Vasiliki Lukia
Miamu o s Paranimfi Tsoutsouros
ina s Ór Murnia
Kof Mt Kofinas
Krotos Kapetaniana 1230m
Levin Ormos
Moni Alikapunta
Lendas Koudouma Alikevras
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
traveldk.com 0 km 5 6710
Crete Travel Guide es
od
Rh
Sea of Crete
Marmara
Dia
Stavros
Nea Alikarnasos
Irakleio Airport Kato Gouves Chersonisos Ag
Amnisos Gurne
eio Finokalia
Limin Chersonisos Agios Antonios
Ilithia E75 Agios Georgios
Karteros
a Piskopiana Kólpos Maliya Sissi Milatos

Cave Anopolis Vrouhas
Elea
Skotino Chersonisos Stalida
Cave Malia Karidi
nosos Sklanion
E75 Spinalon
Kalon Khorion
Latsida
uchtas Potamye Mokhos S Vrakhasion
Elounda
m Episkopi Zmarion el
Kounavi en Neapolis Furni
Agna a Limne
Mirtia Ór
s Archanes Krasion os Khumeriakos Elinika
Apostoli Avdu
Vathypetrou Sambas Kastelli Mesa Potami Amigdali
E75 Aggi Pandes
detsion Tzermiadou Ekso Lakonia
Trapsanon Lilianon
O Alagnion Agia Paraskevi
Lasithi
Lato Agios Nikolaos
Diktian Ayos Yeoros Panagia Kólpos Mi

Patsideros Arkalokhorion Cave Kera
Kaminakion Kritsa (Meramb
Gerakion
Ó Krustas
ro Psari Madara
Avdelyakos
Kalon Khorion Panagia s 2148m
Istro
Partira Dí
kti Kalon Khorion

Gournia
lion Inion Karavados 2141m Meseleri
Ligortinos Male
Marta Khristos
Kaliviya Skivyas Ano Viannos
Kalamafka
L A S I T H
Livaditis Episkopi
Mirtos
Pefkos Anatoli
Kato Kasteliana Kato Vyanos
Amiras Kato
Mournies
An
Mesokhorion Agios Gra Ligia

apodaris
Vassilios Sikologos Gdohia Veny

Pirgos Keratokambos Ierapetra
Stomion
Etia Akhendrias Nea Arvi Mirtos
Murnia Tsoutsouros Sidonia
rmos Alikapunta
kevras
10 5 miles 0 km 5Chrisi 10
Chrisi
traveldk.com 0 km 5 10 15 20 25 68
Crete Travel Guide es
od
Rh
Rhodes
Aghios Ióannis
Finokalia
sos Agios Antonios
Agios Georgios
Maliya Sissi Milatos
Vrouhas
a Karidi
Spinalonga
Latsida
S Vrakhasion
Elounda
el
en Neapolis Furni
a Limne
Faneromeni
Ór
Krasion os Khumeriakos Elinika Va
Mesa Potami Amigdali
Aggi Pandes Siteia
E75
Tzermiadou Ekso Lakonia Psira A
sithi
Lato Agios Nikolaos Piskokefalo
Mochlos
Hamezi Skopi
Ayos Yeoros Panagia Kólpos Mirabelon Turloti
Kaminakion Kritsa Kera Sfaya Ekso Muliana
(Merambelos)
Krustas Mese Muliana
Avdelyakos Lastros
Psari Madara Kat
Istro Kavusion s Epano Episkopi
Dí 2148m ro
kti Kalon Khorion Ornó Ó Praisos
Pachia Ammos
Gournia Hrisopigi Sikea
2141m
Tripti
Male Meseleri Aorion Ethia
Khristos Stavrokhorion
Kalamafka
L A S I T H I hr
i pt
is Pefki Gorge
Lithines
Ayoye Stefanos
Ch
Armen
Episkopi T Kaliva
ri
Mirtos
s Anatoli O Makrygialos Mesa Apidio

Kato Chorio
os Mournies Gra Ligia Mavros Koutsouras Moni Kapsa
lios Sikologos Gdohia Venya Kolimbos
Ierapetra Ferma Guduras
Stomion
a Arvi Mirtos Ormos
Makriyyalos
Sidonia
Makrulo
Koufo
Trakhil
Chrisi Chrisi 10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
15 traveldk.com
20 25 69
Crete Travel Guide
Rhodes
es
Paximadia
iad
nis
Dragonada
Dio
Yanisada Sideros
Mavronisi
Elasa
Itanos
Faneromeni Vai Ormos

Vamvakya Grandes
Moni
Ormos Toplou Kouremenos
Siteia Sitiya Prandes
Agia Fotia Chionia
Palaiokastro Plaka
Mochlos Piskokefalo
Rousa Eklisia
Hamezi Skopi
Turloti Krionerion
Sfaya Ekso Muliana
Dris Mitaton
Mese Muliana
Lastros
Katsidonion Karidion Azokeramos
s Epano Episkopi
ro
Ornó Ó Praisos
mos Zakros
Hrisopigi Sikea
pti Kato Zakros
Aorion Ethia Voila
Stavrokhorion Zakros Zakros
Chandras
tis Pefki Gorge
Lithines Gorge
Armeni Ziros
aliva Ayoye Stefanos
Makrygialos Mesa Apidion Xerokampos
Mavros Koutsouras Moni Kapsa Kavali
Kolimbos Agia Irini
erma Guduras
Ormos
Makriyyalos Prasonision
Strongilon
Makrulon
Koufonisi
Koufonisi
Trakhilos
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
traveldk.com 70
Top Ten Guides / Back Endpaper Grid
Crete Travel Guide
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Kith
ira, G
Spanda
ythio
Skala
Rodopou
Peninsula
Vuksa
Gramvoussa Agios Ioannis
Agios Andonios
Pondikonisi
Kólpos Afrata Kólpos Chania

Kisamos Rodopos Moni Gonia
Gramvoussa
Ravdukha Aghii
Peninsula Kolimvarion Theodori
Kutri Kaliviani Kalidoniya Tavronitis Maleme

E65
Platanias
Falasarna Spilia
Gramvoussa Gerani Agia Marina
Diapanyas Modion Galat
Kastelli Kaludiana
Kissamou
kos
Platanos Vrise Periv
Patomida
Spilia
Polyrinia
Vukolye Vatolakos
Deliana Alikianos
Tiflo
Kala
s
Plataniani Furn
monitis
Sfinarion Sirikarion Topolia
1849m Skines
Korakas
Kakopetros
Koutroulis M
Playya 1071m Nea Rumata
Vlatos Mikhaliana Laki
Rogdia Floria
Amigdalokefalion
Elos
Stravles Prases C H
Vati Spina
Mavros
Kandanos Omalos
Stomion Epanokhorion
Sarakina Skafi
Khrisoskalitisa Plemenian Omalos
Sklavopula Kambanos Plateau
Pe
Kakodikion Azogyre
lek
s Temenia Psilafi 1983m

no Samaria
ani
KEY Gigilos 2080m

Kakodikia
ot
Elafonisi Kalamos Agriles

iko
Top 10 place of interest Kustogerakon Volakia

s
2116m
Other place of interest Anidri Livadas Samar
Prodromion
Sougia Gorg
Airport Yaros
Ferry Port Krios Agia Roumeli
Motorway Paleochora
Flomes
Major Road Agios
Secondary Road Orm
Other Road Agia R
Track
National Park boundary
Regional boundary
Summit
Bus station
Tourist information
City wall 10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
traveldk.com 71
Crete Travel Guide 0 km 5
Spanda
Piraeus
Skala
Sea of Crete
Rodopou
Peninsula
oannis
Agios Andonios
Khondros Kavos Tripiti

(Mavromuri) Stavros Maleka
Afrata Kólpos Chania Akrotiri Moni Gouvemeto
Rodopos Moni Gonia Peninsula Moni Katholikou
Aghii Khorafakia
avdukha Moni Agia Triada
Kolimvarion Theodori
Kambanion Khordakion
Kalidoniya Tavronitis Maleme Kunupidiana Muzuras
Platanias Oasis
Spilia E65
Beach Chania Chania Pervolitsa
Airport
Gerani Agia Marina
Diapanyas Aronion Sterne
Modion Galatas
ludiana Paleosuda
kos
Vrise Perivoliya Souda

Patomida Souda
Spilia
Mournies Nerokuros Ormos Souda Drepanon

Vukolye Vatolakos Malaksa
Deliana Alikianos Aptera
Tiflo
Kala
Plaka Kokinon Khorion

Kondopula
s
Plataniani Furnes
monitis
Kalive
E75
polia
1849m Skines Aletruvarion Stilos Drananis
Kakopetros Armeni
Meskla Kambi Neon Khorion
Nea Rumata Drakona Kefalas
Mikhaliana Laki Vamos Litsarda
Floria
C H A N I A
Kalamitsion
es Prases Fres Amigdalion
Spina Ayos Pavlos Dzidzifes Georgioupoli
Vafes
danos Omalos Alikambos
Skafi Epanokhorion Embrosneros Limni E75
Plemenian Omalos Kournas Yepiskopi
Kambanos Pahnes
Plateau 2453m
Azogyre Psilafi 1983m Trohari Kournas
Temenia
Samaria 2401m
Gigilos 2080m Trypali
r
i
Agriles Zaranakefala Amudarion

amos 1494m Argyroupoli
Kustogerakon Volakia 2149m O
2116m
Samaria
k a
Anidri Livadas Aghathes Asi Gonya
Prodromion
Sougia Gorge L e f Kali Laki Imbros 1511m
Mundro
Agia Roumeli Murion Asfendos Miriokefala

chora Agios Ioanis
Flomes Aradena Kali S
Imbros Gorge
Agios Pavlos
Anopolis Komitades
Ormos Marmara Nomikiana Ano
Agia Roumeli Loutro Rodakinon
Chora Sfakion Skaloti
Muros
Frangokastello
Kak
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
traveldk.com 72
Crete Travel Guide 0 km 5 10 15 20 25
Pirae
Piraeus
f Crete
us
vos Tripiti
uri) Stavros Maleka
Akrotiri Moni Gouvemeto
Peninsula Moni Katholikou
afakia
Moni Agia Triada
banion Khordakion
a Muzuras Sea of Crete
Chania Pervolitsa
Airport
Aronion Sterne
Paleosuda
Souda
Souda
kuros Ormos Souda Drepanon
Malaksa
Aptera
dopula
Kalive
E75
Stilos Drananis
Armeni
Kambi Neon Khorion Khondros Kavos
Kefalas Panormos
Vamos Litsarda Kólpos Almiros
Kalamitsion Rum
Fres E75
Amigdalion Melidon
Angeliana Cave
Dzidzifes Georgioupoli Rethymno Ye
Vafes Adele
Atsipópoulo Pigi Perama
Alikambos
Embrosneros Galos Agia Irini Lutra
Limni E75 Prines Mesi Kiryana Margarite
Kournas Yepiskopi P
Chromonastiri
et
Gonya Amnatos Archaia

res
ohari Kournas Prasye Garipas

Kharkia Eleftherna
01m Trypali Armeni
r
i
Amudarion Konstandinos Moni Arkadiou

1494m Argyroupoli
O
Aghathes Asi Gonya
Mundros
Rustika
Kumi
Kare Selion RETHYMN
Kali Laki Imbros 1511m
Voleones Thronos
Murion Asfendos Miriokefala Agios Vasilios Pandanasa
Karine Apostoli Vistayi
ena Anguseliana
Imbros Gorge Kali Sikia
Meronas
Komitades Kanevos Miksoruma Spili
Marmara Ano Yerakarion Amari
Nomikiana Sellia
Chora Sfakion Skaloti Rodakinon Mirtios Fo
Kourtaliotiko
Muros Gorge Amari Valley
Plakias Asomatos Kisos
Frangokastello Ano Meros
Lefkoga Vatos
Kakomuri Platanes Agios Ioannis
Damnoni Drimiskos
Moni Preveli Agalianos
Preveli Agia Paraskeva
Beach
5 Sakturia 10
Platis
10 5 miles 0 km Melambes
Agios Pavlos
Agia Galini
Kokkino
Pirgo
traveldk.com Kólpos
73
Mesara
10 15 Travel 20
Crete Guide 25
Area shown
Pirae
us
Sea of Crete
Khondros Kavos
Panormos Bali
lp o s Almi ros Skepasti
Rumeli Sise
E75 Vlikhada E75
Melidoni
Angeliana Cave
Rethymno Yero
Medidonion
Adele pota Aloydes
sipópoulo Pigi Perama mos
Galos Lutra Apladiana Damasta
Prines Agia Irini Murdzana
Mesi Kiryana Margarite
Garazon Khonos
Chromonastiri
Gonya Amnatos Archaia Ayos Mamas
Prasye Garipas
Kharkia Eleftherna Kamariotis
Armeni Sfendoni
andinos Moni Arkadiou Kalivos Cave Axos
ika
Kumi
Kare Selion RETHYMNO Zoniana
Anogeia
Gonyes
Voleones Thronos Idi

gios Vasilios Pandanasa Or
guseliana
Karine Apostoli Vistayi os
Meronas Mt Idi
Kanevos Miksoruma Spili
Yerakarion Amari 2456m
Mirtios Fourfouras
Kourtaliotiko
Kuduni
Asomatos Gorge Kisos Amari Valley Kurute 1860m
Alikadam
Lefkoga Ano Meros 1920m
Vatos
Platanes Agios Ioannis Nitavris
Damnoni Drimiskos
Moni Preveli Agalianos Lokhnia
Platanos
IRAKLEIO
os
Preveli Agia Paraskeva Vorizia

Langopotam
Beach Kamares
Gergeri
Sakturia
Platis
Madiros
10
Melambes
5 miles 0 km 5 10
Zaros
Klima
Agios Pavlos Skurtula
Agia Galini Moronion
Kokkinos Timbakion
Pirgos Galia Gortys
Vori Kastelion
traveldk.com Kólpos 74
Mesara Agia Triada Ambeluzas
Kólpos Afrata Kólpos Chania
Crete Travel Guide Kisamos Rodopos Moni Gonia
Gramvoussa
Ravdukha Aghii
Peninsula Kolimvarion Theodori
Kutri Kaliviani Kalidoniya Tavronitis Maleme

E65
Platanias
Falasarna Spilia
Gramvoussa Gerani Agia Marina
Diapanyas Modion Galat
Kastelli Kaludiana
Kissamou
k os
Platanos Vrise Periv
Patomida
Spilia
Polyrinia
Vukolye Vatolakos
Deliana Alikianos
Tiflo
Kala
s
Plataniani Furn
monitis
Sfinarion Sirikarion Topolia
1849m Skines
Korakas
Kakopetros
Koutroulis M
Playya 1071m Nea Rumata
Vlatos Mikhaliana Laki
Rogdia Floria
Amigdalokefalion
Elos
Stravles Prases C H
Vati Spina
Mavros
Kandanos Omalos
Stomion Epanokhorion
Sarakina Skafi
Khrisoskalitisa Plemenian Omalos
Sklavopula Kambanos Plateau
Pe
Kakodikion Azogyre
lek
s Temenia Psilafi 1983m

no Samaria
ani
Kakodikia Gigilos 2080m

ot
Elafonisi Kalamos Agriles

iko
Kustogerakon Volakia
s
2116m
Anidri Livadas Samar
Prodromion
Sougia Gorg
Yaros
Krios Agia Roumeli
Paleochora
Flomes
Agios
Orm
Agia R
Chania
Lighthouse Inner Harbour
GL
Firkas & AF
KO
Byzantine U
Naval Museum
Museum
I
SA
AKTI ENOS E OS
AZ
PLATI A
RP
MB
KATEHAKI
ID
ON
OU
TO
Topanas U
IK A R
LO K A L E R GO N
TI
GE
AK
AN Mosque of the
Janissaries Kastélli
LI THI NON
MIN O O S
SI F AK A
AK
THE
O
TI
V AR San Splanzia
KO
PI
NE
OTO
N Rocco
KA
U
KA
RE
Renieri D O U R I O T VOURDOUB
A
FA
KOP
OU
DH
OS
Gate Agios
SI
PLATIA PLATIA
S KU FO N
AS
1821 Nikolaos
O ULO
SINDRIVANI LI
ZAMBELIU KARAO
KA
OU
NIKI
LO
I
KO ND IL AK
E. DO
IOAN AKI
U
SARP
YIA
Etz Hayyim Archaeological U

OPO
NN
POTI
Synagogue Museum IS K
RO
N. EP
IS
THEO
IANI Minaret
E
U
IMO Cretan House Cathedral DHAL
RASS ON KA
GE Folklore Museum U DHER FO
U
HON
LO T S O
BETO OU
Evreíka S K R ID L
OF FO
R
PIR EOS
HALID
Market KO
PIGA Schiavo NI EL VENIZELOU
META
MEL. Bastion PLATIA

S.VENIZELOU
HAKI
T RIKOU P I
YIANARI PA
PA
PLATIA ND
RI RE
1866 K R IA OU
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
traveldk.com 75
0 metres 300
Afrata Kólpos Chania Akrotiri Moni Gouvemeto
Rodopos Moni Gonia
Crete Travel Guide Peninsula Moni Katholikou
Aghii Khorafakia
avdukha Moni Agia Triada
Kolimvarion Theodori
Kambanion Khordakion
Kalidoniya Tavronitis Maleme Kunupidiana Muzuras
Platanias Oasis
Spilia E65
Beach Chania Chania Pervolitsa
Airport
Gerani Agia Marina
Diapanyas Aronion Sterne
Modion Galatas
ludiana Paleosuda
k os
Vrise Perivoliya Souda

Patomida Souda
Spilia
Mournies Nerokuros Ormos Souda Drepanon

Vukolye Vatolakos Malaksa
Deliana Alikianos Aptera
Tiflo
Kala

Kondopula
s
Plataniani Furnes
monitis
Kalive
E75
polia
1849m Skines Aletruvarion Stilos Drananis
Kakopetros Armeni
Meskla Kambi Neon Khorion
Nea Rumata Drakona Kefalas
Mikhaliana Laki Vamos Litsarda
Floria
C H A N I A
Kalamitsion
es Prases Fres Amigdalion
Spina Ayos Pavlos Dzidzifes Georgioupoli
Vafes
danos Omalos Alikambos
Skafi Epanokhorion Embrosneros Limni E75
Plemenian Omalos Kournas Yepiskopi
Kambanos Pahnes
Plateau 2453m
Azogyre Psilafi 1983m Trohari Kournas
Temenia
Samaria 2401m
Gigilos 2080m Trypali
r
i
Agriles Zaranakefala Amudarion
amos 1494m Argyroupoli
Kustogerakon Volakia 2149m O
2116m
Samaria
k a
Anidri Livadas Aghathes Asi Gonya
Prodromion
Sougia Gorge L e f Kali Laki Imbros 1511m
Mundro
Agia Roumeli Murion Asfendos Miriokefala

chora Agios Ioanis
Flomes Aradena Kali S
Imbros Gorge
Agios Pavlos
Anopolis Komitades
Ormos Marmara Nomikiana Ano
Agia Roumeli Loutro Rodakinon
Chora Sfakion Skaloti
Muros
Frangokastello
Kak
Gavdopula
Gavdos
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
Gavdos
traveldk.com 76
300
Akrotiri Moni Gouvemeto
Peninsula Moni Katholikou
afakia Crete Travel Guide
Moni Agia Triada
banion Khordakion
a Muzuras Sea of Crete
Chania Pervolitsa
Airport
Aronion Sterne
Paleosuda
Souda
Souda
kuros Ormos Souda Drepanon
Malaksa
Aptera
dopula
Kalive
E75
Stilos Drananis
Armeni
Kambi Neon Khorion Khondros Kavos
Kefalas Panormos
Vamos Litsarda Kólpos Almiros
Kalamitsion Rum
Fres E75
Amigdalion Melidon
Angeliana Cave
Dzidzifes Georgioupoli Rethymno Ye
Vafes Adele
Atsipópoulo Pigi Perama
Alikambos
Embrosneros Galos Agia Irini Lutra
Limni E75 Prines Mesi Kiryana Margarite
Kournas Yepiskopi P
Chromonastiri
et
Gonya Amnatos Archaia

res
ohari Kournas Prasye Garipas

Kharkia Eleftherna
01m Trypali Armeni
r
i
Amudarion Konstandinos Moni Arkadiou

1494m Argyroupoli
O
Aghathes Asi Gonya
Mundros
Rustika
Kumi
Kare Selion RETHYMN
Kali Laki Imbros 1511m
Voleones Thronos
Murion Asfendos Miriokefala Agios Vasilios Pandanasa
Karine Apostoli Vistayi
ena Anguseliana
Imbros Gorge Kali Sikia
Meronas
Komitades Kanevos Miksoruma Spili
Marmara Ano Yerakarion Amari
Nomikiana Sellia
Chora Sfakion Skaloti Rodakinon Mirtios Fo
Kourtaliotiko
Muros Gorge Amari Valley
Plakias Asomatos Kisos
Frangokastello Ano Meros
Lefkoga Vatos
Kakomuri Platanes Agios Ioannis
Damnoni Drimiskos
Moni Preveli Agalianos
Preveli Agia Paraskeva
Beach
Sakturia
Platis
Melambes
Agios Pavlos
Agia Galini
Kokkino
Pirgo
Kólpos
Mesara
Paximadia
Mata
Mata
Mediterranean
Sea
Gavdos
Lithinos
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
traveldk.com 77
Top Ten
Crete Travel Guide
Sea of Crete
Khondros Kavos
Panormos Bali
lp o s Almi ros Skepasti
Rumeli Sise
E75 Vlikhada E75
Melidoni
Angeliana Cave
Rethymno Yero
Medidonion
Adele pota Aloydes
sipópoulo Pigi Perama mos
Galos Lutra Apladiana Damasta
Prines Agia Irini Murdzana
Mesi Kiryana Margarite
Garazon Khonos
Chromonastiri
Gonya Amnatos Archaia Ayos Mamas
Prasye Garipas
Kharkia Eleftherna Kamariotis
Armeni Sfendoni
andinos Moni Arkadiou Kalivos Cave Axos
ika
Kumi
Kare Selion RETHYMNO Zoniana
Anogeia
Gonyes
Voleones Thronos Idi

gios Vasilios Pandanasa Or
guseliana
Karine Apostoli Vistayi os
Meronas Mt Idi
Kanevos Miksoruma Spili
Yerakarion Amari 2456m
Mirtios Fourfouras
Kourtaliotiko
Kuduni
Asomatos Gorge Kisos Amari Valley Kurute 1860m
Alikadam
Lefkoga Ano Meros 1920m
Vatos
Platanes Agios Ioannis Nitavris
Damnoni Drimiskos
Moni Preveli Agalianos Lokhnia
Platanos
IRAKLEIO
os
Preveli Agia Paraskeva Vorizia

Langopotam
Beach Kamares
Gergeri
Sakturia
Platis
Madiros
Melambes Zaros
Klima
Agios Pavlos Skurtula
Agia Galini Moronion
Kokkinos Timbakion
Pirgos Galia Gortys
Vori Kastelion
Kólpos
Mesara Agia Triada Ambeluzas
Phaestos Mires
Kamblarion
Paximadia Sivas Perion Platanos
Pitsidia Plora
Pombia
Matala
Matala Pigaydakia
Miamu
Mediterranean Andiskarion
Sea Kaloi Limenes

Levin
Lithinos Lendas
Megalonisi
10 5 miles 0 km 5 10
traveldk.com 78
2009Wanderl
ustTr
avelAwards
'
TopGui
debookSer
ies'
Winner!
2009

Crete Travel Guide: Made by DK

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Crete Travel Guide: Made by DK

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Crete Travel Guide: Made by DK

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CRETE TRAVEL

personal guides powered by traveldk.com

The hallway leading to the King’s chamber is named after

Cretan House Folklore Museum

Archaeological Museum. The onsite collection includes

Temple of Isis and Serapis

Central Palace Court

Top 10 Sights 5 Storerooms

Venetian Fortress (Koules)

Bull’s Head Rhyton

To the southeast of the site,the smaller ruins of the First

Storerooms and Pithoi

First Palace Remains

Historical and Folk Art Museum

Muslims and Hajis

the old village of Agia Roumeli. Below these ruins lies

Tarra (Old Agia Roumeli)

Thronos Getting Around the Valley

Agios Ioannis Theologos

Walking and Hiking

Cheap Flights and

Prices and Bargaining

Nikos Siragas, Rethymno

Markets and Shopping Streets Local Products Exhibition, Farmers’ Union of

Places to Eat and Drink

Giros (Kebab) Stands Aroma, Chania

Places to Eat and Drink

Anna Bei 1900, Ierapetra

Places to Eat and Drink

10 Sterna tou Bloumofisi, Vamos

Places to Eat and Drink

The Four Lions, Irakleio

Places to Eat and Drink

Places to Eat and Drink

Kalidon, Elounda 10 Marilena, Elounda

Paragadi, Siteia Agios Nikolaos

Places to Eat and Drink

Candia Maris, Amudara

10 Minos Beach Art ’Otel, Ag. Nikolaos

Aspros Potamos, Makrygialos

White River Cottages, Makrygialos

Kastri Village, Palaiocastro

10 Diktaeon Andron, Psychro

Georgioupolis Beach Hotel

Astir Beach Hotel, Gouves

Louis Creta Princess Club, Maleme

Agioi Deka Church

History and Culture

History and Culture

1 1750 BC: Golden Age of Minoan Culture

History and Culture

History and Culture

Venetian Acropolis and Polyrinia

Da Molini Castle Ruins, Alikianos

Chania 10 Venetian Tower, Finikas, Loutro

History and Culture

San Marco and the Loggia

Arolithos Nea Fortessa Piskopiana Kó

Anogeia Kato Kalesia Knosos Sklanion