Crete and Greece
Useful information
You've made up your mind! You've made up your mind. This year you're going to Greece. So you're starting to plan your first trip to Greece, to Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos or the Peloponnese, for example. You're asking yourself lots of questions, and here are just a few that come to mind:
- When is the best time to visit Crete and Greece?
- To see, to visit
- What language is used for communication?
- What about hotels, restaurants and cafés?
- How do I get around, and rent a car?
Crete and Greece
When to visit Crete
With an area of 8,300 km², Crete is the largest island in Greece, and the 5th largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus and Corsica. It is located in the centre of the Mediterranean, equidistant from the three continents of Asia, Europe and Africa. It is 250 km long and 60 km wide at most...
Crete and Greece
To see, to visit
As far as the length of stay is concerned, it would be ideal to spend two weeks there, one in the east and the other in the west. Otherwise, in one week you will have to choose between the sites to visit. If I had to choose among my favourite places, I would have mentioned; Loutro, Kato Zakros, Chania, Samaria, Rethymnon...
Crete and Greece
Language of communication and traditions
If you are not lucky enough to speak Greek, basic English will suffice. French is unfortunately losing ground, as it is all over the world. Forty years ago, French was synonymous with culture and distinction. Today, the Cretans still have a certain sympathy for France and the French. Finally, it should be noted that people here define themselves first as Cretans and then as Greeks. Does this remind you of anything?
Crete and Greece
Restaurants, bistros and hotels
As the English, Scandinavians and Germans are the majority of western tourists in Greece (the French only come 3rd or 4th, depending on the year), in some places, Greek restaurant menus are so adapted to the dominant clientele that the language of Molière is not enough to get to know the Cretan diet...
Crete and Greece
Getting there, moving around
Heraklion airport is located in the centre of the island, which is just over 250km long. It takes 1 hour to get to Rethymnon (80km) or Agios Nikolaos (70km), and 2 hours to Chania (160km). The north of the island is served by an expressway linking east and west. Heraklion's airport, "Nikos Kazantzakis", is 5km from the town centre...
Rent a car in Greece: Crete (Heraklion, Chania, Rethymnon, Agios Nikolaos) – Athens – Rhodes – Corfu – Mykonos – Santorini – Thessaloniki – Preveza/Aktion/Lefkada – Patras/Araxos – Kalamata – Paros – Syros – Kos – Naxos – Lesbos – Thassos – Zakynthos/Zante
