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Crete (Greek: Κρήτη / Kriti, occasionally spelled "Krete" in English) is the largest of the Greek islands and is located between the Sea of Crete and the Libyan Sea, south of the Peloponnese. Crete is approximately 260 km long and 60 km wide. Crete consists of four prefectures: Chania, Rethimno, Heraklion and Lasithi.
If there was a beauty contest for Greek islands, Crete would surely be among the favourites. Indeed, some say there is no place on earth like Crete. This view is strongly supported by those fortunate enough to have visited the island. Crete, with a population of approximately 500,000, is not just sun, sea and sand; it is a quite distinct place full of vitality, warmth, hospitality, culture and of course an excellent infrastructure.
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SEE DO EAT
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 SEE
- The ruins of the ancient Minoan civilization in Knossos, Phaistos and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.
- The big variety of landscapes in a short distance: the wilderness and solitude of the Cretan mountains some hundred metres away from the coast.
- The eccentric culture of Crete in the traditional cafes (kafeneia).
- The gorge of Samaria
- The southern coast of Rethimnon prefecture. There are some beautiful beaches, many accessible only on foot. The monastery at Prevelli is of particular historical interest as the site from where Abbot Agathagelos Lagouvardos sheltered and assisted the evacuation of Allied troops during WWII.
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DO
- Visit the Archaeological Site of Knossos - and its famous palace, major city of the Minoan civilization 4,000 years ago, with a professional tourist guide.
- Check more sites of interest to visit by consulting the Hellenic Minister of Culture web-site
- Listen to traditional Cretan music: Lýra is the dominant folk instrument on the island; it is a three-stringed fiddle, direct descendant of the ancient Lyre, which is held vertically, resting on the thighs of the player and is played with a bow like a violin. It is often accompanied by the Cretian lute (laoúto), which is similar to both an oud and a mandolin. The film Zorba the Greek helped to expand the audience for Cretan folk music; popularity peaked from about the middle of the 1970s to the middle of the 1980s.
- Complete the walk down the Samaria Gorge from the Omalos plateau to Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea, at which point tourists sail to the nearby village of Hora Sfakion and catch a coach back to Hania. The walk takes between four and seven hours and can be strenuous, especially in high summer.
- Avoid overcrowded and touristic places as they are ugly and don't offer any of the qualities of Crete. In general, the North coast is much more busy and touristic than the South coast.
- Go walking in the mountains.
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EAT
Crete is the most delicatessen place of Greece, famous for its tasty and healthy cuisine.
The Cretan Diet was the subject of study that revealed its great health benefits and nutritional value.
A good tip is to join any of the hundreds of traditional fiestas in villages having great food,
wine and live folk music.
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