Crete, birthplace of gods, – you will hear this many times during your stay on this wild, beautiful and individualistic island. It has, to say the least an animated and friendly population of around 500.000 who say they are Cretans first and then Greeks, their philosophy is of carefree courage.

Crete is the 5th. Largest in the Mediterranean and the largest of the Greek islands and most southerly. It is 250 kms. Long and has an area of 4800 square kms.

There are four mountain ranges that form a continuous chain stretching from the east to the west, Lefka Ori or the White mountains, Psilorities or the Idi range which has the highest peak at 2456 mtrs. And the Dikti range.

These mountains slope gently to the north coast creating lush fertile plains and fantastic golden beaches, whilst to the south they plunge dramatically creating wild and rugged scenery. The eastern part of the island is the most commercialised with large tourist resorts, such as Hersonisos, Malia and Aghios Nicholaos, here you will find plenty of bars, tavernas, restaurants, shops, water sports and many more things to keep you busy day or night.

At the western end of the island it is relatively quiet and authentically Crete, it has not been developed extensively, here you will find the tourists mingling with the locals, which make for a more relaxing and truly a Cretan holiday together with the warm hospitality, which is unique to these parts.

You will find the tourists scattered amongst the locals in the picturesque Venetian towns such as Rethymnon and Chania, which used to be the capital of Crete, Chania is Crete’s second largest town, also known as little Venice, with an amazing variety of Venetian and Turkish architecture.

Some regard this fertile island steeped in history, legends and natural beauty as a country in its own right, and at the centre of the world. Indeed it lies 250kms. South of Athens and 320kms. From the Libyan coast at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa.

Crete has the healthiest climate in the Mediterranean region; here you can swim from April and sometimes as late as the second week of December.

Whether it is the cosmopolitan nightlife or the romantic traditional settings, its troubled history or its rugged scenery, after a holiday here, you will want to return time and again to visit the places you have missed, only then you will realise that you have fallen in love with this island, and the love affair will continue for many years to come! Crete would have cast its magical spell on you, its memories etched on your mind forever.

Believe me, it happened to me, now I live on this island and promote it worldwide.