Crete Attractions

Teenage Mutant Cretan Turtles, Girorgiopolis, Crete

Advantages: See terrapins in the wild, get your excercise peddaling, enjoy peace and quiet up a river
Disadvantages: Not cheap, not any good if you are not fairly fit

...terrapins by going up the Almiros river estuary in Giorgiopolis. I think they may be a Balkan terrapin or Mauremys rivulata rather than the sea turtles or Loggerhead Turtles that lay their eggs on the beaches of Crete and are the ones being protected by a number of charities today. Our small grandsons are very interested in wild life and so this was absolutely perfect as Giorgiolpolis was only a few miles down the coast from Gerani where we were ...
...time during the day but we felt that we would like to go early before the sun got too hot so we arrived at Giorgiopolis at about 10 o’ clock when the pedalo place opened. We found a place to park the car near the beach and walked back through the town and across the bridge and down towards the river mouth. There was a lovely large pelican who posed proudly on a fishing boat just under the bridge. The boys were very interested in his beak and discussed ...

catsholiday 14.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Almiros River Estuary, Georgioupoli

GOOD MEN ARE ALWAYS FOUND

Advantages: Lessons in History are always rewarding
Disadvantages: none

My wife and I visited Spinalonga two years ago when we were staying in a lovely resort on the South Coast of Crete Makriyialos highly recommended resort but that is another story. We arrived at Elounda by Coach to board a small boat for the Trip to Spinalonga which we had been told about by my Brother who had visited a few years previous. The island looms into sight, It was immediately obvious that some restoration work had been made since my brothers ...
...the boat landing. Spinalonga was used as a Leaper Colony for many many years but not anymore. At first the suffers were sent to the Island under the impression that they would be able to return, this was quickly dispelled on their arrival when they found out from the other inhabitants that it was a one way trip. In the early years life to death was Hell, they had no income , the conditions attrocious. Then the Greek Government agreed to pay them ...

poshtroika 04.08.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Spinalonga (Kalydon), Elounda, Crete

Heraklion Airport

Advantages: Easily accessible to main town Heraklion. Good transport links to rest of island. Staff friendly
Disadvantages: Slow check in procedure with scanning bags after check in with tickets. Tour operator queues.

...I now live in Crete and have used the airport many times at different times. Daytime seems quieter because as I say most tour operators use the early morning slots. I worked for a large tour operator last year and heard many stories of people being delayed in the airport and how awful it was. There is air conditioning inside the building, but as you have to wait outside of course it is still quite warm in the summer in the early hours and I can imagine ...
...scheduled to be built. Not sure when as it has not been started yet, but eventually one will come. Dont be put off by visiting Crete though! The island is a beautiful area to visit and I am confident that you can have a really good holiday. ...

Phweeter 28.04.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Crete Airport

A Lake with a myth - Lake Kournas, Crete

Advantages: Beautiful clear freshwater lake, need a car to get there
Disadvantages: expensive sun loungers and large slippery stones to negotiate before being able to swimg

...from Gerani near Rethmynon to Lake Kournas in about 15 minutes, it is just off the main highway near Georgiopilis on Crete. The road meanders around and then you come to a tiny signpost pointing down between two house only just wide enough for a car to squeeze through. We turned in thinking that this must be a mistake, but it was indeed the road. No wonder all cars on Crete seem to have some scrape or other on their body work. I am pretty certain ...
...This ilarge beautiful fresh water lake is surrounded by mountains or hills and gets its name from a derivation of the Arabic word for lake . We were told it was the only freshwater lake on Crete but on some websites they state that there are two freshwater lakes so I don’t know. The lake reaches a depth of 25metres and covers an area of about 160,000 square metres There is a 360° photo view which does give an excellent idea of the lake and its setting: ...

catsholiday 31.08.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Lake Kournas, Crete

Bonking Bulls

Advantages: the cradle of European civilisation
Disadvantages: too full in summer

...with me to Crete, to the Palace of Knossòs (stress on the second syllable) to be precise, and I'll tell you the myth and also some others which you may already have heard or read about but maybe don't associate with this Greek island. We're in the Bronze Age, in the third millenium BC , one day Zeus, the leader of the gods, who was born on Crete, fell in love with the Phoenician princess Europa (aha!), he transmogrified into a snow-white bull and ...
...and climbed on its back. The bull ran into the water and once safe at sea revealed its true identity, then swam west to the island of Crete [the Cretans were supposed to have come from Phoenician settlements in Asia Minor]. After reaching the coast Zeus changed back into his original shape, copulated with Europa and bigat triplets one of which was called Minos (later this name came to mean 'king', the period from 2600 BC - 1420 BC is known as the ...

MALU 01.10.2006 · Read full review
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Review of The Palace of Knossos, Heraklion, Crete