Greece

Being the largest of all the Greek islands, Crete certainly boasts its fair share of beautiful bays, rustic ports and typically Grecian azure waters as well as rich Greek mythology – it’s claimed the almighty Zeus grew up here. The capital city of Heraklion is visually stunning and has been influenced by a multitude of civilisations including the Arabs, Venetians, Turks and Romans while the regions beyond are covered in vineyards so venture here for commendable wines, especially signature whites. Pair these with simple yet delicious Cretan meals, many of which are aubergine-based – somewhat a staple food on the island.

Before the 20th century

Between 5700 and 2800 BC, Neolithic Cretans lived in caves or basic houses. These people were hunter-gatherers who also farmed and raised livestock. The Minoans arrived in Crete in about 3000 BC from North Africa or the Middle East, bringing with them the skills necessary for making bronze. The Minoans thrived, as their use of bronze allowed them to build better boats and thereby expand their trade opportunities. Around 2000 BC they built their first palaces, and improvements in technology allowed them to produce fine pottery and jewellery. The Minoans became the first advanced civilisation to emerge in Europe.

The 'golden age' of the Minoans was from 1700 BC to 1450 BC. Palaces destroyed by a cataclysm in 1700 BC were rebuilt to a more complex design with multiple storeys, sumptuous royal apartments and reception halls and advanced drainage systems. Some wonderful frescoes were created during this period. Another cataclysm in 1450 BC brought Minoan civilisation to an abrupt halt.

Crete then underwent over three millennia of occupation by various forces. First were the Mycaeans from the mainland (1400-1100 BC), then came the Dorians, also from the mainland (1100-67 BC), although this period saw almost constant warfare between Crete's city states. The Romans took over in 67 BC; in 27 BC Gortyn (present-day Gortyna) became the capital of (and most powerful) city of Crete. When Rome's power declined at the end of the 4th century AD, Crete became part of the Byzantine Empire and was ruled from Constantinople (Istanbul). The Arabs conquered Crete in around 824; the Byzantines reclaimed it in 960 and sold it to the Venetians in 1204; it fell to the Turks in 1669 and became part of the Ottoman empire; it was given to Egypt in 1830, and returned to the Ottomans in 1840.

Modern history

In 1898 the Turks were removed from Crete, which was then ruled by an international administration. Greece and, in particular, the world powers of the time resisted Crete's desire to be unified with Greece until 1913. A Greek invasion of Smyrna in Turkey was thwarted and the subsequent Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 resulted in a population exchange - 1.5 million Greeks left Turkey and almost 400,000 Turks left Greece. By 1935 a rigged plebiscite put King George II on the Greek throne. He promptly named Metaxas prime minister, and then turned a blind eye as Metaxas went down the autocratic road in the guise of protecting the nation from communist forces. Metaxas had a grandiose vision of a Third Greek Civilisation rising from the ashes of its Byzantine past, but what he created was more Hitlerian than Hellenic: opponents were exiled or imprisoned, trade unions were banned, the Greek Communist Party was gagged and fascist youth gangs were encouraged. His one act of moral fortitude was to say 'no' to Mussolini's request to use Greece as a thoroughfare for Italian troops.

In the final washout of WWII, Greece was overrun by the Germans and, after the bloody, gritty Battle of Crete in 1941 (waged on the Cretan side by peasants armed with anything they could find), the Third Reich occupied the island until its defeat in 1945. Post-WWII, Cretans tended to favour all things British so there was little of the communist-versus-colonial tug-of-war that plagued the rest of Greece. However, the island did get caught up in the subsequent Colonel Coups of 1964 - a military junta, popularly thought to be supported by the CIA and US interests, determined to stop the country going anywhere near the centre or left of the political spectrum.

Postwar politics in Greece resembled nothing more than a fast-moving car with a drunk driver at the wheel: left, right, left, down the middle. By the 1980s, Greeks were fed up with right-wing governments, and Papandreou's left-wing socialist party (PASOK) hit the jackpot with promises of reform and a decrease in US military numbers. Unfortunately Papandreou also delivered financial imbroglios and sexual scandals so, by 1990, the old-style New Democracy had regained control and swung the nation back to the right.

Two years later, New Democract had corruption scandals of their own, including claims that Cretan-born Prime minister Konstantinos Mitsotakis has a secret stash of Minoan antiquities, and an older and ailing Papandreou was dragged out of bed to run a socialist-style country again. This time, though, Papandreou had almost to fax in his performance due to ill health.

Recent history

In 2000, Kostas Simitis - who'd taken charge of PASOK after Papandreou's death in 1996 - was re-elected and promptly set about Blair-ising the party, vowing he would modernise and moderate it, even if he had to drag it kicking and screaming into the pragmatic centre. Despite his record - economic reform, a smooth transition to the euro in 2002, a successful EU presidency in 2003 - the party lost power in 2004 under George Papandreou, son of the former PM. It had been beset by accusations of graft and corruption after two decades in power and left New Democracy to preside over the hiccup-free 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

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  Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas

  Crete

  Set in one of Crete’s most enchanting locations overlooking the island of Spinalonga.

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  Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas

  Crete

  Set in one of Crete’s most enchanting locations overlooking the island of Spinalonga.

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Unless you land in the middle of summer, Crete is a veritable paradise for trekking spectacular gorges, such as the Samaria Gorge, mountains and plains, and remote villages.

Swimming, parasailing, water-skiing, jet-skiing, canoeing, yachting and windsurfing are available at most of the major beaches.

May to September enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climate with hot days and warm, pleasant evenings. Winters are mild but expect rainy spells.

Transport

Getting around

Crete is easy to travel around due to its comprehensive bus system. There are frequent buses travelling along the length of the north coast. Less frequent services link north coast towns and resorts with places of interest on the south coast, via the interior mountain villages. Ferries link towns along the south coast and islands; some towns can only be accessed by sea. Many ferries operate only during the summer months, though. Those planning to bring their own car to Crete (or rent a car) should be aware that Greece has one of the highest road fatality rates in Europe. Roads in Crete have improved in recent years, but there are still many unpaved and rough roads in the south and country road signs are often only in Greek.

Getting there and away

Most visitors fly first to Athens on the mainland, which is well served by international flights, and then travel to Crete by air or boat. It's also possible to fly directly to Crete from Europe, although most direct flights are summer charter flights. Olympic Airlines and Aegean Airlines have regular flights from Athens and Thessaloniki to Iraklio and Hania.

Most overlanders currently arrive in Greece by ferry from Brindisi (free for Eurail pass holders), Ancona, Bari or Venice in Italy. Most ferries to Crete depart from Piraeus harbour, just to the south of Athens, but there are also departures from Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Kalamata and Glythio, plus Santorini and some of the Cyclades islands and Kythira. Some of these routes are painfully long - check before buying a ticket. Be aware that services in the off season (November to April) are considerably curtailed.