Date:
14 August 2009
If you are looking for somewhere to vacation in Europe then you cannot go far wrong with considering spending time in Crete. You will be amazed at just how much there is for you to do and see when you spend time on this beautiful and largest of Greek Islands.
For those who want to relax this island has a wonderful away of beaches to laze on. However for the more adventurous of you then exploring some of the islands Roman settlements and mountain gorges may be more up your street. In this article we look at just some of the places that one should visit when spending time on Crete.
1. Samaria Gorge – Hundreds of thousands of visitors each year take up the challenge of hiking along one of Europe’s biggest canyons. The walk is 16k long so you need to be relatively fit but as you do walk along you get the chance to enjoy some wonderful scenery, flowers and animals.
2. Spinalonga - This is a small island situated just off the north coast of eastern Crete was inhabited by the last leper colony in Europe. As you wander through its many streets and passageways you can get a feel for what live was like for the people that suffered from this disease. It is said that the Greek Government chose to make this island into a leper colony as a way of helping to rid Greece of any remaining Turks following its independence from Turkey.
3. Knossos – Here you will find what is considered to now be one of the world’s most important and famous archaeological sites of the Minoans. What is different about this particular site is that many of the mansions, houses and palaces have been restored so that you can see what they would have looked like around 5,000 years ago.
4. Aptera – This is yet another very important archaeological site on the western side of Crete and is the home of an ancient Roman settlement as well as huge Turkish fort. The latter of which allows you to enjoy the spectacular views looking out over the Bay of Souda. This particular place is worth a visit if you just want to enjoy the views it has to offer.
5. Vai Beach – This is situated at the eastern end of Crete Island and has a more Caribbean feel to it. This is not only due to the fact that it is situated by Europe’s largest palm tree forest but comes with pink sand. Ideal for both families and couples this beach has a wonderful blue lagoon that they can enjoy. A quick dip in this water will help to cool one down.
Above we have looked at just a few of the attractions that the Island of Crete has to offer to its visitors. When thinking when to visit the best time would be late spring, summer or early autumn.
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