Geography
Crete is one of the 13 regions of Greece and the southernmost land of the European Community. It is the biggest island in Greece and the second biggest (after Cyprus) of the East Mediterranean.

It lies at the Southern Aegean Sea and at the crossroads of three continents Europe, Asia and Africa. Crete covers an area of 8,336 sq.kms / 3218 sq miles and has 1.046 km (650 miles) of coastline. The island is 260 km (160 miles) long and 60 km (37 miles) at the widest point between the capes of Dion and Lithinon while Isthmus of Ierapetra is merely 12km (7.5 miles) wide. A high mountain range crosses the island from West to East, formed by three different groups of mountains.

To the West the White Mountains (2.452 m), in the middle the mountain of Idi (Psiloritis-2.456 m) and to the East the mountains of Dikti (2.148 m). The runoff from these mountains give the island fertile plateaus like Lasithi, Omalos and Nidha, caves like Diktaion and Idaion cave, and gorges like the famous Gorge of Samaria.

Time Zone
The time in Greece is GMT +2 hours.

Climate
The climate of Crete is quite varied due to the large altitudinal range on the island. Lowland areas are typically Mediterranean, with summers which are hot and very dry. Winters are mild, seldom experiencing frosts, and are characterised by low pressure fronts which skirt to the north bringing warm air from the African coast. Most of the rain falls during winter - especially in the mountains, which are prone to localised thunderstorms and strong winds. In May and September the average daytime temperature in the region of the White Mountains is around 22ºC (72ºF) though it will be cooler at higher altitudes and as low as 8ºC (45ºF) on the highest summits. The summers are usually sunny and dry but sudden storms do occur in the mountains and you need to be is traditionally a dry time of year.

History
The claim to be the first European civilization is made by the Minoan era on Crete from 3000-1400 BC. This was at its zenith from 2000-1500 BC when the famously recreated palaces at Knossos were built. After the destruction of this civilisation by an earthquake, Crete retained its independence through classical Greek and Roman periods before being finally conquered in 67 BC by Rome. Part of the Byzantine empire, Crete was taken by the Venetians in 1204 and held until falling to the Ottoman Turks in 1669 after a 20-year siege. Uprisings were common place under the stern occupation of the Turks, but only in the late nineteenth century (some time after the Peloponnese and other parts of Greece had expelled the Turks) was Crete given any assistance by other Greek forces who by now were pursuing, under the charismatic leadership of Crete-born statesman Eleftherios Venizelos, the "Great Idea" of uniting all areas of Greek settlement in the near East. Finally in 1913 Crete proclaimed 'enosis' (unity) with Greece. Its troubles were not over, however, as it suffered terribly under German occupation in World War II, but the hardships only served to inspire the fabled resistance of which more can be read in the plethora of books on the subject. Today Crete's main industry, easily overshadowing traditional agriculture, is tourism. This is predominantly in the north coastal areas and in the White Mountains agriculture still retains its importance, with olives and oranges the principal crop, while goats are the major livestock.

Flora & Fauna
There are almost 2,000 different plant species in Crete. The Cretan flora is especially rich in herbal and pharmaceutical plants like origano, thyme and labdanum. There are also a wide variety of flowers in Crete, such as tulips, cyclamen, and orchids. Because of the Island’s mild Mediterranean climate the blossoming period lasts for 9 months from December to September. Crete is also the most northerly point on the globe where certain African trees are encountered. Crete has also a varied fauna. There are certain subspecies of animals that are found only in Crete, like the local wild goat, kri kri, and the Cretan Tree Frog. There are also various birds from a number of subspecies of the common hawk to the grey heron. Finally, there is a wealth of sea life and on the less accessible beaches of the southern coast are found the caretta-caretta sea turtles.

Currency
Like the rest of Greece, Crete’s currency is now the Euro. As of February 2006, the exchange rates are:

£1 = 1.47 Euros
$1 = 0.84 Euros

It is not necessary to purchase Euros outside the country. By far the easiest way to obtain money in the country is from ATMs using credit or debit cards. Debit cards linked to the plus or cirrus system are the cheapest way to obtain cash. If bringing your travel money with you we recopmmend this is carried in the form of cash US dollars or sterling. Please note that in Greece cashing travellers cheques is expensive, can only be cashed at banks, and most banks close at 2.00pm. Credit cards can be used to purchase goods and services and at most larger restaurants.

Visas
Nationals of the US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand do not need visas for stays less than 90 days. There are no entry restrictions on passport holders of any country in the EU.

Vaccinations
You should visit your own doctor and dentist for a check-up prior to taking your trip to Crete. The following is a ROUGH GUIDE for immunization. (We must stress that this is only a basic guide to the most commonly required vaccinations for travel worldwide. You must seek and abide by the specific advice of your local doctor/medical professional).

(a) Polio (normally you will just need a booster.)
(b) Tetanus.
(c) Typhoid. A full course requires 2 injections separated by an interval of 4-6 weeks.
(d) Hepatitis (A) and (B).

Given enough notice, your doctor will be able to administer all the above vaccinations.

Additional Sources of Information

Books
The White Mountains of Greece. Loraine Wilson. Cicerone Press
Searching for the Legendary Palace of King Minos . Theoharis E Detorakis
Knosso. Alexandre Farnaux's
Winds of Crete David MacNeill Doren
The Chania Town News Douglas Bullis'

Maps
MG036 Crete 1:50 000 and guide (Freytag and Berndt)
MG031 Crete Western 1:100 000 (Harms)

Our trip dossiers/itineraries give details of books and maps that are specific to a particular trip. Click here for details of book and map retailers.

Web
Lonely PLanet - www.lonelyplanet.com
Rough Guides - www.roughguides.com