• Crete is Greece’s largest and most diverse island, more than just beaches.
• Home of Europe’s first civilization: the mighty Minoans.
• Packed with ruins, gorges, caves, and timeless villages.

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Crete is a country within a country.

 Bigger than many nations, Crete has its own culture, cuisine, and history. From 1897 to 1913, it was even an autonomous state within the Ottoman Empire. Today, it feels like a world apart from the rest of Greece, rugged, proud, and full of surprises.

This island gave birth to Europe’s first civilization.

Long before classical Athens, the Minoans ruled Crete. Their palace at Knossos, near Heraklion, is over 3,000 years old. This is where Greek myth begins, King Minos, the Minotaur, and the Labyrinth were all born here. It’s not just legend, it’s real, and it’s still standing.

Every power in history wanted Crete.

Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Venetians, Ottomans, they all came, stayed, and left their mark. You’ll see it in old ports like Rethymno and Chania, in cliff-top fortresses, and in villages that seem frozen in time.

Nature here is just as powerful as the past.

 From the snowy White Mountains to the steep Samaria Gorge, Crete is built for explorers. Beaches, caves, and mountain trails are all within easy reach, if you’ve got a car.

Crete is more than an island, it’s an experience.
Heraklion may be the gateway, but the soul of Crete lives in its villages, coastlines, and stories. To truly discover it, you need to go beyond the bus routes.

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