MEETINGREECE
52
CRETE
Crete is located in the southern part of the
Aegean Sea, lying in the crossroads of Europe,
Africa and Asia; separating the Aegean from the
Libyan Sea. Crete is a well-developed island that
offers a variety of experiences to satisfy all
visitors and has some of the best conference
facilities in Europe. The island was the centre of
the Minoan civilization (2.700-1.420 BC).
C
rete is the largest (8.260 square kilometres) and
most populous (600.000 people) of the Greek
islands and the fifth largest island in the
Mediterranean Sea. The island’s warm climate,
beautiful landscape and modern infrastructure, as
well as the choice of athletic or leisure activities
make Crete the ideal hostess not only for traditional tourism but
also for big incentives, business meetings and congresses. The
area is considered to be a significant part of the economy and
cultural heritage of Greece while it retains its own dialect and in
many cases customs.
GEOGRA PH Y
A high mountain range crosses the island from West to East
formed by three different groups of mountains. To the West the
White Mountains at 2.453 meters, in the middle the mountain of
Idi with Psiloritis at 2.456 meters and to the East the mountain of
Dikti at 2.148 meters.
These mountains gifted Crete with fertile plateaus like Lassithi,
Omalos and Nida, caves like Diktaion and Idaion cave, and
gorges like the famous Samaria Gorge.
Crete is divided into four prefectures; Chania, Rethymno,
Heraklion, and Lassithi in the east. Cities of great importance are
Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, Aghios Nikolaos, Siteia, Ierapetra,
Mires, Timbaki and Paleochora.
As far as the climate of the island is concerned, it is mainly
temperate. The atmosphere can be quite humid, depending on
the proximity to the sea. The winter is fairly mild and tolerable.
Snow fall is practically unknown to the plains, but quite frequent in
the mountains. During summer, average temperatures are from
20
° C to 30° C.
Probably the best time to visit Crete is spring and autumn.
The climate of Crete is what makes it a popular holiday
destination.
However, there are regions that also furnish cold winters and
severe snowfalls, namely the central mountainous zone where
snow may stay well into May.
H I S TOR Y
Crete is an island with great archaeological and historical interest
since it was here the Minoan Civilization, one of the greatest
ancient civilizations and the oldest in Europe, flourished during
the years 2600 BC to 1100 BC. There is a multitude of
monuments from that period all around the island, most notably
the Knossos and Phaistos palaces.
CU L T URE
The language spoken on the island has a distinct accent with an
extended vocabulary that is Crete-specific. The island is also very
famous for its Mantinades which are small songs, usually created
instantly for a specific purpose.
Arts and literature had always played a significant role in the life
of the Cretan people. Famous painters like El Greco, Michael
Damaskinos, writers like Nikos Kazantzakis, poets like Vincenzos
Kornaros and Odysseas Elitis, composers like Mikis Theodorakis,
Manos Hatzidakis and Giannis Markopoulos are Cretans or of
Cretan origin.
Cretans are fiercely proud of their island and customs, and men
often dress with their traditional costumes daily. The Cretan
costumes include knee-high black riding boots, black shirts and
black headdress consisting of a fishnet-weave kerchief worn
wrapped around the head or draped on the shoulders.
Black is the color of mourning, and since Cretan families are
considered so extended as to include great-grandparents or
second cousins (although they may have little actual contact) as
well as all their respective in-laws, one is theoretically justified to
be in continuous mourning for some relative or other, however
distant.
Crete… A place of strong charms
and evolving passion!
