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Crete is a fabulous holiday destination with something for everyone.  Sun, sand, sea, stunning scenery, rugged mountains, quiet countryside, bustling towns, lively night life, antiquities, varied activities, unique fauna and flora - all you could want.

The biggest and most southerly Greek island, Crete has a mainly temperate Mediterranean climate but the south east tends towards the more arid, north African climate.  Spring, warm with occasional showers, is followed by long, hot, rain-free summers and mild winters.

Crete, 257 Km long by 60 Km at its widest point, would fit twice into Wales with a little room to spare.  The coastline is over 1000 Km long with many beautiful, sandy beaches and hundreds of tiny coves and inlets.

Whether you want to spend long, languid days on the beach, take gentle walks through orange or olive groves, tackle demanding mountain routes, engage in various water sports, study archaeology or wonderful Venetian architecture it’s all within easy reach.

The economy is based on agriculture and tourism and there's a mixture of holiday resorts, tiny hamlets in remote mountain areas, fishing villages and larger towns like Iraklio, Hania and Rethimno - the latter two being resplendent with beautiful Venetian architecture, much of which shows the later influence of the Ottoman empire.  Both have lovely harbours surrounded by cafés, tavernas and restaurants where there's a vibrant atmosphere.

Parts of Crete show evidence of continuous human habitation for more than 8,000 years so it's little wonder that there are archaeological sites scattered all over the island.  The two most famous sites are Knossos and Faistos which were great centres of culture during the Minoan period.  It's also no surprise that there are many wonderful museums displaying antiquities and artefacts.  Many of these are quite small, intimate and often uncrowded with visitors able to view the exhibits in unhurried, peaceful surroundings.

Spring is a great time to visit Crete, especially in April and May.  The temperature has begun to rise and, as the land warms up, there's a profusion of wildflowers that blanket the countryside.  There are more than 6,000 species of plants, many unique to Crete.  An excellent introduction is Wild Flowers of Crete, a well illustrated and informative book.

The weather is pretty good at this time of year, generally warm and sunny but you should be prepared for an occasional shower.  It's an excellent time to explore the landscape and you'll find every kind of walk from a gentle stroll through olive and orange groves to challenging hikes through rugged mountains and deep gorges.

At this time of year, despite the attractions, there are relatively few visitors so you will find plenty of space to wander leisurely, even in popular tourist spots like the old towns of Rethimno and Hania.

June to late September and even into October is pretty much rain free and hot although, towards the end of summer, there might be a few brief showers and the occasional downpour but the sun soon breaks through again.

ABOUT CRETE

Chania City

Chania Prefecture

Heraklion City

West Crete

Sfakia

Agios Nikolaos

Ierapetra

Lassithi

Explore Crete

There are some excellent web sites for information about various towns and areas of Crete.  A small selection is given below.

Sitia

East Crete

Paleochora

News archive

Thomas Cook have just announced some good looking deals

e.g. Manchester/Heraklion and

 Gatwick/Heraklion from £59.99

There are several examples on the site and dates other than those shown can also be booked.

You may need to be quick as they say “These prices are automatically updated every two hours and are subject to availability.”

Click the logo below for more details

THOMSON OFFERS

Thomson have some good offers for one way flights from Crete to UK.  Prices start at around £50.

They also have some bargains for roundtrip tickets starting in the UK.

To go to Thomson search click below

THOMAS COOK OFFERS

EASYJET OFFER

EasyJet are offering Gatwick/Athens flights at reduced prices for the remainder of the summer.

One way fares currently available are from £29.99 in September and October.  Flights from Athens during the same period range from £32 to £52 so a two weeks return trip can be booked for £61.25.

August and, especially, July are more expensive but even in July you could pick up a return flight for around £150.

EasyJet flight search