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Crete is not just the largest Greek Island; Crete is a miniature of Greece. The intense diversity of the landscape, the rich culture and history but also the high quality of tourist facilities provided are the features making Crete a top summer destination. The hotels, apartments and villas are spread in both the cities like Chania, Heraklion, Rethymnon and the most remote villages, while the restaurants across the island can boast for serving the most delicious cuisine in the Mediterranean.
The history of Crete is so old that sometimes it is confused with myths and legends. The mythical palace of Minoa, the great naval power of Cretans and the great skills in art and crafts though are true and the Minoan civilization can still be admired in the ruins of Knossos Palace and the exhibits of the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion. Devastated by the volcanic eruption of Santorini, this civilization comes to its unfortunate end. Crete became a part of Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire and then by Andalucian Arabs who established the Emirate of Crete. After the fourth Crusade, Crete went under Venetian Rule fro four centuries and was conquered by Ottoman Turks. After having been divided into four pieces for Italy, Russia, United Kingdom and France and having suffered exchanges of population, Crete finally joined Greece in 1913. During the Second World War, Crete became the battlefield of one of the most important invasions of the German forces, the famous Battle of Crete with Germans confronting the fiercest resistance of civilians in the war and counting serious losses in paratroopers.Crete is located on the southernmost part of Greece facing the Aegean Sea on the north and the Libyan Sea on the south. It spans an area of 8.336 sq. km. with a total population of 621.340 residents. The islands closer to Crete are Gavdos on the south, Antikythira on the northwest, Santorini on the north and Kasos on the northeast.Crete enjoys a unique climate of a mixture of Mediterranean and North African climate. The winters are fairly mild while the mountains are capped with snow and the summers are hot and comparatively longer to the mainland. The south coast of Crete is more of a North African climate and therefore enjoys significantly more sunny days and higher temperatures throughout the year. -
Map for Crete
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