Crete Overview

Crete truly has something for everyone. In fact, some say it’s more like a small country than a Greek island. There are four bustling cities on its northern coast, great for shopping, dining, exploring museums and galleries, and people watching. At its center is a mix of rugged mountains for hiking and climbing, while the southern coast offers more tranquility, ideal for sunbathing in seclusion. The island not only boasts especially diverse and often stunning terrain, filled with natural beauty and unique treasures, it also has a  rich history that ties into the country’s mythology, as the reported birthplace of Zeus, the ruler of all the gods, and the god of the sky. There are historical sites around nearly every corner, and the island is even home to Europe’s oldest city: Knossos.

Located between the North African and Mediterranean climate zones, Crete has a warm, dry climate, and while it’s hot in the summer, the heat is moderated with cool sea breezes. The warmer months of the year are ideal for refreshing swims in the crystal-clear waters that surround it as well as dips in hotel pools. Fuel your activities with the flavorful local cuisine, renowned for the quality and freshness of its ingredients, the use of wild herbs and greens. The simple Cretan cooking techniques produce a distinguishable taste that leaves most wanting more. The island has its own signature cheeses that are often seen on plates here usually produced from goat’s or sheep’s milk.

Crete History in a Nutshell

Considered the cradle of European civilization, Crete dates back thousands of years, with the Minoan civilization-building its magnificent palaces between 2800 and 1400 BC in addition to establishing a strong naval empire. The glories of the island’s Minoan past remained hidden until archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans made his discoveries at Knossos in the early 20th-century. It was Evans that coined the term “Minoan,” which came from King Minos in Greek Mythology, but no one knows what the Minoans called themselves. The famous Knossos frescoes were among the ruins that the British archaeologist unearthed. The destruction of the Minoans came by way of natural disaster, with the volcanic eruption on Santorini in 1450 BC covering the island’s northern coast with lava and ash. That was followed by an invasion of the Dorians and Achaean, and tribes from Northern Europe.

In 67 BC, Crete was conquered by the Romans. Gortyn became the capital of the Roman province and one of the first towns to convert to Christianity. One can see some of the remains from this period, including a Roman theater, enormous vaulted cisterns and a temple of Demeter that dates to the 1st century BC, at what was once one of the most important cities of ancient western Crete, Aptera. The site is near the village of Megala Horaflia about 10 miles from Chania.

It was the Byzantine period that saw the island become an important center for the Christian religion. Saracens seized it and were in control from 824 to 961 AD, before it was taken over by the Venetians. Crete fell to the Ottoman Turks in the 17th century following nearly quarter-century siege and finally regained autonomy in the late 19thcentury and was united with Greece in 1913.

Crete played a significant role in the Second World War. The island fell under German occupation with many locals executed for participating in the Resistance against German invasion. Ships secretly came to the island’s shores to bring Cretans to Egypt in order to continue the Resistance from there.