Crete (Greece)

Advantages: Great if your young and want fun.
Disadvantages: Not for the quiet holiday lover.

...you will be aware that Crete is a popular tourist destination. As well as having a plethora of unspoilt historical sites, there are also some interesting little known facts about the island. Crete is commonly recognised as the seat of the most ancient civilisation in Europe. It was the site for the ultimate, and strategically largest, airborne attack by Nazi Germany in 1941. (Battle of Crete) This invasion was also the only recorded battle in history ...
...removal of the Venetians from Crete by the Turkish Ottoman Empire after the siege of Candia, (1648-1669) noted as the longest siege in recorded history. Crete is best known however from Minoan history, made famous by historians such as Homer. His descriptions of ancient Greek history allow us to explore and understand Cretan origins. There are many legends mentioned, such as King Minos, Theseus and the Minotaur, Daedalus, and Icarus. The first signs ... Read review

Advantages: scenic and beautiful especially in spring and late summer
Disadvantages: Millions of other tourists if you go to the wrong place

...of all the Greek islands, Crete is the most like a separate country of its own. The national slogan in fact is pretty much “Cretan first, Greeks second”. It is the largest of the islands forming modern Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean (behind Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus and Corsica) With its fine variety of sights and landscapes, it deserves to be explored independently by car, giving you the added advantage of escaping the over-trodden ...
...farming. This is today’s parallel Crete – mass tourism running smoothly alongside the gentle, timeless lifestyle of ordinary Cretans. Over 2,000,000 visitors come to Crete every year, so it isn’t always easy to escape them, especially in the over-developed north of the island. Panormos is probably one of the only non-commercial resorts left in that area now, but is sadly unlikely to remain that way for long. The south is still far less targeted by ... Read review

Advantages: Large island - plenty to see an do. Friendly people. Superb weather
Disadvantages: Doesn't feel like an island. The drivers

...to drive at night in Crete is a distinct plus! If you've never been to Crete before, don't expect it to 'feel' like a Greek island in the same way as the ones where Uncle Spiros is the Mayor, taxi\donkey driver and local hotel owner/undertaker. Crete is big - driving from east to west and back again in one day is purely for the likes of 'white van man' on a mission; we're talking London to Manchester here. I'm guessing but I'd say that Crete represents ...
...summer to get that way. Crete also has a tendency to be a 'bit breezy', so beware burning, thinking it's cool when it's not. …….AND THE SECOND QUESTION "What's the food/beer like?" Well of course, a foreign holiday wouldn't be a foreign holiday without genuine John Smith's on draught, Yorkshire pudding* on Sunday and football on Sky would it? These worst excesses of the British preponderance to only go somewhere 'coz the weather's nicer, whilst ... Read review

Advantages: Nice climate, good people,nice food,good beaches,safe,plenty to see
Disadvantages: Touristy in places

We visited the island of Crete this May. The island is varied depending on area, but we concentrated on the Chania area. This review is mainly random ramblings of our thoughts and observations, perhaps a few tips and some fundamental useful info too, hope you don't find it too boring. Chania (also known as Hania) is an obvious destination for the tourist to visit. It's a mix of old and new, quite a busy place especially around the harbour area of ...
...made elsewhere anyway, with a Crete label stuck on. Souvenir hunters should look for real local goods rather than the endless cheap tat sold at these touristy shops. Shopkeepers commonly sit or stand outside, and may sometimes entice you in, but never being overly pushy. Once inside service can be stressful if you are the only customer, as all the attention is on you. This doesn't appear to be as bad as shops in other countries however. Don't be ... Read review

Advantages: nice outside the peak season
Disadvantages: can't imagine being there during the peak season

...how could we know that Crete would greet us with a cool wind blowing dark clouds across the sky and the tourists away from the beaches? We chose the resort Hersónissos, 40 km east of Heraklion, the capital of Crete, because it's nearly in the middle of the north coast and we thought it would be a good starting point for excursions. Hersónissos is the busiest resort on Crete with the most hotels and an active night-life, we had read about it in a ...
...see a single skyscraper, Crete appears low key and modest to us. The private houses in the small towns and villages are exactly like the ones in other Mediterranean countries, i.e., simple, ugly concrete boxes with flat roofs, the Cretan variety is advanced in one respect, though, nearly all houses have a collector for solar energy on the roof, very laudable! What did we do? We walked along the coast, had a look at the tiny harbour (the town itself ... Read review

Advantages: An interesting an informative day out
Disadvantages: Far too far from Reading!!

...by the Phoenicians as their sacred standards of victory, and so were carried with them and were imported to British soil. Even the language comes under study. Apparently 50% of the words making up the English language are derived from the Sumerican, Cymrian or Hittite languages which come from the Aryan-Phoenician language and script. What do I think? Well, I went for a break, and to visit my nephew. I was truly blown away by the experience. As Mr. Bridgewater says, if it was in Crete or Greece, people would be queuing up to see it, and recognizing it for what it is. I tend to agree. It is too sophisticated to be a medieval folly, and would have taken years to create. It was done with care and precision and is a work of art and beauty. Apparently the shells must have been mounted with living creatures in them since they are in such good condition. I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Cheap drinks, good music, great fun
Disadvantages: None

...Well I finally have enough time to write a review on Malia, a small island in Crete, Greece. I visited Malia this summer with my friends and found it to be one of the most exciting yet laid back cities in Europe. I hope to share my experiences of Malia to the Ciao community. Brief History: Malia is located on the Greek Island of Crete, 34km west of Heraklion, the largest city and capital of Crete. Most of the buildings and ruins found in Crete are from the Bronze Age, making Crete an ancient city with a huge historical background. Booking the Holiday: I and my friend's had decided to go to Malia some time back, however had yet to book it. In normal circumstances we would have booked the holiday months in advance, however due to lack of communication and laziness we left it to the last minute. Having looked throughout... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: great beaches
Disadvantages: steep prices

...Perhaps the jewel of the Cyclades, Milos is known due to the statue of Venus found here. The place has incredible beaches, each and every one of them different from the others, and while it has enough of a night-life to satisfy the common tourist, the hard-core nightclubber might want to choose Santorini or Mykonos. You can rent a car or a motorbike to move around, or you can use the local transport to move to the most known places. Dont forget to visit the Catacombs! You can reach the island from athens via plane, or via boat from piraeus, Crete or Santorini. As always in Greece You do want to avoid going in August, since the whole country is so full, that you will probably be unable to find even a bus ticket. Oh, last thing : large hats, sunblock and a waterbottles are at the top of the NEED list. Just imagine going to Egypt, remove... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful