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| | Crete, an Island of Extremes |
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Crete is an island of extremes in everything, from the harsh craggy ravines to the beautiful mellow beaches and plateaus; from the warrior like people who are also among the kindest and most hospitable of Greece, to the arid rocks in the mountains of Rethimno area...
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History |
| The dawn of this island’s history blends with mythology, as we encounter the Minoan era which can be traced back to 3,000 B.C. |
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Ancient Sites and Monuments |
| Owing to its tempestuous and lively history, the whole of Crete is replete with monuments and ruins from the Minoan palaces of Knossos, in Iraklio and Malia in the same prefecture, Zakros and Phaistos in the prefecture of Lasithi and numerous other remains all over the island. |
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Architecture |
| The old quarters of the major towns of Hania, Rethimno and Iraklio have a distinctive Venetian look distinguished by the Loggias of Iraklio and Rethimno, the old walls of these cities and the very active harbors of Iraklio and Hania. |
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Identity and Charm |
| Cretans are wild mountain people with thick mustaches and intense sparkling eyes who have granted to themselves the right to bear arms. The knife is a symbol of Crete and indeed, these are sold in abundance at the souvenir shops. |
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Points not to Be Missed |
| Crete is divided into four prefectures and has five major towns. These are, from west to east: Hania, Rethimno and Iraklio to the north, and Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra to the east and south. |
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Cultural Heritage |
| The Venetian era encouraged all sorts of art. The famous El Greco (born Domenicos Theotokopoulos) was a student of the Cretan school of iconography. |
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Cuisine and Local Products |
| The whole of Crete and the prefecture of Lasithi in particular, produce some of the best quality olive oil in the whole world. It is therefore not surprising to find a vast variety of olive oil-based recipes here. |
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Wines and Spirits |
| Crete is also a wine drinkers’ paradise. The major wine producing areas are around Iraklio (Arhanes, Mesara etc.) and Sitia (Malevizi). The Hania area also produces its own wine which is a stronger red wine. |
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Beaches and Places of Physical Beauty |
| Anywhere one goes in Crete, one is bound to encounter beautiful beaches, from the long sandy golden beaches of the north to the endless gray, almost black, pebbly beaches of the south of the island, where a kind of white lily sprouts from the sand in spring. |
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How to Get There |
| Crete is extremely well served by two excellent airports, one in Iraklio and one in Hania, with regular flights from Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as Rhodes and Santorini in the summer, and numerous charter flights from all over Europe. |
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Where to Stay |
| Hotels of Crete |
