Rough Guides - The Rough Guide to Crete (Travel Guide with Free eBook) (Rough Guides)

Reinhard Schmid

LODGINGS IN THE VILLAGE OF MAHERI, HANI

Contents

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Introduction to

Crete

With its fabulous beaches and crystalline seas, Crete has everything you could want of a Greek island. But it also has a great deal more: as the birthplace of Zeus and cradle of Europes earliest civilization Crete can boast a history longer even than classical Greece, and reminders of its extraordinary past are scattered all over the island. Its also a substantial and multifarious land in its own right, with cosmopolitan cities as well as unspoilt, hidden villages, dramatic gorges and mountains high enough to be snow-capped well into summer.

Because the island is so big, it is far from dominated by visitors. Indeed, thanks to a flourishing agricultural economy including some surprisingly good vineyards Crete is one of the few Greek islands that could probably support itself without holiday-makers. So although tourism is an important part of the economy, traditional life also survives, along with the hospitality that forms part of that tradition. There are plenty of visitors, of course, and the populous north coast can be as sophisticated as you want it; here youll find every facility imaginable and, in places, crowds of package tourists determined to exploit them to the full. But in the less-known coastal reaches of the south its still possible to escape the development, while the high mountains and agricultural plains of the interior are barely touched. One of the most rewarding things to do on Crete is to rent a car and head for more remote villages, often just a few kilometres off some heavily beaten track. Here the islands customs, its everyday life, dialects, song, traditional dress and festivals, and above all its welcome to strangers, survive to an extent thats exceptional in modern Europe.

The mountains , which dominate the view as you approach Crete, run from one end of the island to the other, and make all but the shortest journey inland an expedition. They are perhaps the islands greatest surprise and biggest reward, providing welcome relief in the heat of summer, giving Crete much of its character, and making the place feel much larger than it really is. Cut through by gorges and studded by caves, they offer fabulous walking too, from easy strolls to strenuous climbs, as well as a huge variety of habitats for wildlife , including many large birds of prey. For birdwatchers and wildflower spotters, Crete has no end of treats in store.

Mountain hiking

There are few places in the world where high mountains so close to the sea combine with an often perfect climate. This is a paradise for climbers, birdwatchers, botanists and nature lovers, but above all for walkers whether on a brief stroll or a week-long hike. A network of ancient footpaths and shepherds trails allows you to walk all day and barely see a soul. Yet, should you want to, you can always find a village, and Cretan hospitality ensures that almost wherever you end up you will eat well and spend the night in comfort. The daddy of Cretes treks is the E4 , the long-distance European footpath that traverses the island, taking in many of the highest peaks en route. To walk the entire length takes weeks, but there are plenty of sections that are easily accessible and where you can hike for a few hours. Some of the best of these are in the southwest, where the path splits: one branch following the coast and another winding through the heights of the Lefk ri; the magnificent Samari Gorge links the two.

One striking feature of Cretes topography is the sheer number of spectacular gorges that slash their way through the mountains. In addition to Samari, there are at least fifty more gorges in the Lefk ri alone, many hardly visited at all. On a hot summers day, heading down a gorge is the ideal hike: youre shaded from the suns ferocity, with an empty beach and a welcome swim to reward you at the end. Arrange for someone to collect you so you dont have to toil back up, and you have the makings of a perfect day.

Cretan food can also prove an unexpected bonus. Theres an increasing awareness of culinary traditions based on magnificent, locally sourced, sun-ripened fruit and vegetables, foraged herbs and home-reared meat, much of it organic. In fashionable city restaurants, grandmas recipes are being rediscovered to great effect, while in more rustic village or beachside tavernas, the age-old magic of superb ingredients, simply served, has never been forgotten.

An extraordinary history plays a large part in Cretes appeal, too. It was more than four thousand years ago that the islands story began to be shaped, when, from around 2000 BC, the Minoans developed an advanced and cultured society at the centre of a substantial maritime trading empire: the first real European civilization. The artworks produced on Crete at this time are unsurpassed anywhere in the ancient world, and it seems clear, as you wander through the Minoan palaces and towns, that life on the island in those days was good. For five hundred years, by far the longest period of peace the island has seen, Crete was home to a civilization well ahead of its time. The excavations of the great Minoan palaces are among the islands prime tourist attractions today.

The Minoans are believed to have come originally from Anatolia, and the islands position as strategic meeting point between east and west has played a crucial role in its subsequent history. The Greek flag was finally raised over Crete little more than one hundred years ago, in 1913. For two thousand years and more before that the island was fought over by others subject to Rome, Byzantium and Venice before being subsumed into the Turkish Ottoman empire. During World War II Crete was occupied by the Germans and gained the dubious distinction of being the first place to be successfully invaded by parachute. Each one of these diverse rulers has left some mark, and more importantly they have imprinted on the islanders a personality toughened by constant struggles for independence.

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HIKING AROUND BLOS BAY

A rural island

Despite the rapid growth in the last fifty years of towns like Hani, Rthymno and particularly Irklio, Crete remains a land rooted in the countryside . Almost everyone seems to have some connection to the land a smallholding where they grow fresh produce or a village where parents or grandparents still live. The villages, each with its own character and traditions, are the islands pulse, where the pace of the year is determined by the agricultural calendar. Here you can still find everyday life lived as it has been for centuries, where potters craft clay into ewers and jars, weavers make rugs in traditional patterns and farmers cart their olives to the local press.

Where to go

Every part of Crete has its loyal devotees who will argue fervently in defence of their favourite spot. On the whole, though, if you want to get away from it all you should head for the ends of the island west, towards Hani and the smaller, less well-connected places along the south and west coasts, or east to Sita and beyond. Wherever youre staying, you wont have to go far inland to escape the crowds.