The Greek Islands have much to offer the holidaymaker. Beautiful weather, warm Mediterranean waters, delicious food, and sites of significant historical importance. Best of all, the sheer number of islands – all in close proximity to each other – make a Greek cruise a varied one. And sites such as onthebeach.co.uk offer all inclusive Crete breaks, which you can enjoy as a self-contained vacation or as the culmination of a cruise round the Greek Islands.
Crete is the largest Greek Island, and the fifth largest island in the Med. A mountainous island, full of exploratory opportunities, Crete lies south of the Aegean Sea, right at the junction of civilizations: Europe to the west, Africa to the south and Asia to the east.
Crete’s shape is elongated, with a 1000km coastline consisting of rocky cliffs and sandy beaches. High mountains form the backdrop, with three major ranges dominating the landscape. Even the ‘lowlands’ between the mountain ranges are in fact semi-mountainous landscapes – this is, as you will see, a central facet of Crete’s character.
Crete is home to around half a million permanent residents. Nearly half of these are concentrated in the three major towns, Iraklion, Chania and Rethymon, with the rest of the island sparsely populated by agricultural workers and shepherds.
Crete has a couple of different ports in which cruise ships can dock, Chania and Iraklion, which are the most protected from the sometime-ferocious winds that can build up in the area. From these towns, you can start to explore the rest of the island.
The Municipal Market in Chania is a wonderful starting point for discovering the Cretan way of life. Here, you’ll find cheeses, various artisanal breads, spices, olive oil – all the tastes and smells of a busy working market. From here, Skridloff (or ‘leather street’) is a little shopping district selling high-quality leather goods such as b
Once the shopping’s out of the way, the Venetian Dockyards have dominated the waterfront at Chania since the 13th Century, receiving huge mercantile ships which docked for trade and repair. At the other end of the port, the Firka Fortress, Naval Museum and Byzantine Museum provide tourists with information about Crete’s history. Best of all for those making a quick stop, you can make it round all the essentials in a few hours.ags, wallets and shoes, all at lower prices than UK tourists will be used to. Aside from the leather that lends its name to the area, Skridloff’s merchants sell attractively-priced jewelry, glass, ceramics, and there are myriad cafes and tavernas to stop for a quick bite to eat.
