Travel Guide

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———Magical Crete: The Garden of Antiquity

Magical Crete: The Garden of Antiquity
by Aline Dobbie on April 10, 2017

Organized by “Tourist Guides of Crete”, Travel Agency

http://www.travelcrete.gr/en/

Crete had ‘called’ to me yet again after my recent autumnal visit and when we arrived to spring sunshine and warmth, the blossom on trees and the calls of birdsong and the buzz of the bees it was a superb feeling.

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Agarathos Monastery

According to written documentation, the Monastery was established in the 15th c. AD and is considered to be one of the oldest in Crete.

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Agia Roumeli

This is one name for two different settlements, the old and the new (inside and out) – Ayia Roumeli.

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Agia Triada

One of the most important archaeological sites of Crete, located 3 km. west of Phaistos Palace.

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Agios Minas, Heraklion

The first chapel of Agios Minas, the small Agios Minas as the locals call it, was built in 1735 and hosted -for the first time after the Turkish occupation - the Cretan cathedral.

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Agios Nikolaos

Agios Nikolaos, the capital of Lasithi prefecture since 1904, is situated on the north seaside of Mirabello bay and measures 27 000 residents approximately.

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Agios Titos, Heraklion

Probably the oldest church in Heraklion with the initial building erected during the 10^th century after the reconquest of Crete by the Byzantine general Nikiforos Fokas in 961 AD.

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Anogia village

A prominent village set on the northern slopes of Psiloritis Mountain at an altitude of 750 meters above sea level positioned in a way that can supervise a significant part of two provinces. One of the most interesting villages in Crete. The locals vary from other Cretans in their traditions, customs, social life, folk art and the local dialect.

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Aptera

The site is set on the hill of Palaicastro, at a distance of 15 km from the city of Chania.

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Archanes village

Archanes is a picturesque village very famous for its typical Cretan architecture. Most of the houses have been restored recently and Archanes has won the second award as “the best restored village in Europe”.

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Arolithos

Arolithos the traditional Cretan village is a thematic and multiuse park. Its philosophy is based on the Cretan culture & traditions.

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Assites

The two villages, Ano and Kato Assites are located at the eastern foothills of mount Ida, on the elevation of 480 and 450m. respectively.

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Byzantine church of Panagia Kera

The Byzantine church of Panagia one of the most important and better preserved churches in Crete.

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Chromonastiri Village

A village 12km away from Rethymno that still lives its own past. Spreading at 360m altitude to the north east of Vrisinas mountain the well preserved settlement is impressive. 360 residents liven up the historic village.

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Diktaion Andron Cave

Diktaion Andron Cave on Lasithi plateau is regarded as Zeus’s birth place.

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Eleftherna Orthi Petra

The Necropolis of Orthi Petra is part of the wider archaeological site of ancient Eleftherna which is a town with continuous habitation from 3000BC to the Byzantine years.

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Fountains of Heraklion

The city of Heraklion, since it was founded always faced water shortages, due to the lack of water resources in a relative proximity.

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Frangokastello

Only 15km east of Hora Sfakion is located the Venetian Fortress of Frangokastello

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Gazi Archaeological Museum

The archaeological Museum of Gazi displays approx. 500 ancient objects from a private collection and from various excavations around.

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Gortyna

One of the most important sites of Crete, located in south central Crete, towards Moires.

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Heraklion Archeological Museum

Αrtifacts from Neolithic and Minoan excavations of Crete are displayed in 14 galleries, as well as the collection of Hellenistic and Roman sculptures in two galleries. On the first floor, are the marvelous Minoan Frescoes displayed in a big gallery, and the exhibits of the Historical Period, displayed in 8 galleries.

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Historical Museum of Crete

The Historical Museum of Crete was founded in 1953 in a neoclassical building of exceptional architectural merit, tells the story of seventeen centuries of local history and culture

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Holy Monastery of Agia Irini

Set on the foot of the mount Vrysina, on the northeast of the city of Rethymnon, the Holy Monastery of Agia Irini is one of the oldest in Crete and it is dated from the 2^nd Byzantine period.

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Idaion Andron Cave

According to one of the versions of the myth of the genesis of Zeus, this is one of the caves claiming to be the cave of where goddess Rea gave birth to Zeus.

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Imbros Gorge

The Imbros Gorge, east of Samaria and parallel to it with a length of 8km, is one of the most well-known, much-frequented gorges in the White Mountains.

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Imbros Village

The village of Imbros is located exactly at the center of the small homonymous plateau, 55km south-east of Hania at a height of 780m.

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Kalessa Village

A village of 1238 inhabitants found at an altitude of 140 meters. On the west of the village lies a unique habitat, the Kalesano stream of 5 km length.

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Kamaraki Village

It is a small village between Gonies and Astiraki villages, and on 540 m. elevation.

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Kamariotis Village

A very picturesque small village on an altitude of 620m.

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Knossos

It is the biggest in size Minoan Palace of Crete, and lots of its architectural features were copied in the rest of the Minoan Palaces.

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Komitades village

Komitades is a village in the Sfakia region 4km north-east of Hora Sfakion, located precisely at the exit of the Imbros Gorge.

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Kritsa Village

The Village of Kritsa is one of the oldest villages on Crete and retains even today elements of the Venetian architecture.

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Kroustas

The Mysterious Mountain Minoans now just a hike away

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Lato

Lato is considered to be the best preserved city in Classical - Hellenistic period in Crete and one of the best preserved in Greece.

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Loggia, Heraklion

Loggia is a very elegant building, one of the most picturesque monuments of Venetian architecture on Crete.

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Malia

The archeological site of Malia is located at a distance of 36 km east of Heraklion and 2 km on the east of the city of Malia. Its most important finds are showcased in the Archeological Museum of Heraklion

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Margarites Village

Located on the northeast of the city of Rethymnon in a distance of 27 km. Famous for its pottery του makers and with wonderful byzantine churches inside the village.

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Maritime museum in Chania

Inaugurated in 1973 an exhibition with the view to displaying and preserving the Greek naval heritage.

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Matala

On the south coast, 11km to the south-west of Phaistos the Matala caves offer an extraordinary sight.

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Mili Gorge

The name was given after the water mills that existed in the past all along the gorge and were used to grind the wheat of the nearby villages

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Minoan Palace in Archanes

It is situated 16km to the southeast of Heraklion, in Archanes town, a suburb called “tourkogitonia” (Turkish neighbourhood).

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Monastery of Arkadi

The Holy Monastery of Arkadi is the symbol of freedom and longing for the Liberation of the island and its people in Crete under the Ottoman rule.

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Monastery of Koudoumas

Built the southern coast of Crete, 80km from Iraklion, amongst caves occupied by hermits.

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Myrtia village

A small traditional Cretan village that displays characteristic samples of Cretan Architecture also the birth place of Nikos Kazantzakis

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Nida Plateau

The famous plateau of Nida located ataltitude of 1450 meters above sea level. It bears the ancient name of the Psiloritis mountain

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Nikos Kazantzakis

One of the most important Greek writers and the most translated worldwide with his books being published in 60 languages

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Omalos

The plateau of Omalos, at an altitude of 1080m with an extent of 25 square kilometers, mainly inhabited during the summer months.

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Phaestos

The second most important ancient city of Crete, after Knossos.

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Piskopiano Museum of rural life

The Museum Collections are organised thematically and are entered around the Cretan countryside and objects dating from the late 19^th to the mid-20^th century.

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RETHYMNO GUIDE

Life goes on! Behave responsibly and enjoy our destination safely

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Saint Mark, Heraklion

The Venetian Cathedral of Saint Mark in Candia was built in the town square in 1239. Today it hosts the municipal gallery.

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Saints Peter and Paul, Heraklion

Built during the first period of Venetian rule by the Cistercian monks of the 12th century, and later occupied by the Dominican Order, the Catholic church of Peter and Paul, located just next to the sea-wall

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Samaria

At a distance of 42km from Hania, the longest gorge in Europe begins, the well-known Samaria Gorge.

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Sfakia

Sfakia is a coastal settlement of 350 residents. It played a leading role in all the Cretan uprisings against the Venetians and Ottomans and the wild character of its landscape has always provided a refuge for Cretans who were being pursued.

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Souda Bay WWII Cemetery

The Commonwealth War cemetery lies 5 km to the east of Chania, by the old village of Souda, hosting 1527 graves of British, Australian and New Zealanders soldiers and officers.

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St. Catherine of Sinai, Herakion

North East of the Cathedral of St. Minas is the Nave of the monastery of St. Catherine of Sinai, succursal of the homonymous monastery.

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St. Matthew, Heraklion

Approximately 500m south of the Cathedral of St. Minas, within the historical district of Heraklion we have the church of St. Matthew.

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The Archaeological Museum in Chania

Finds from Chania town along with various archaeological sites in Chania prefecture are exhibited in chronological order in the archaeological collection of Chania prefecture which is hosted in an impressive building of the Venetian era.

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The city walls of Heraklion

The city walls of Venetian Candia, one of the major defense strategy and military achievements of its time.

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The Folklore Museum in Ano Assites

A folklore Museum of the village established in 1995.

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The Museum of Cretan Ethnology in Vori village

Exquisite museum of Cretan Ethnology offers a well-rounded exhibition of the cultural and traditional life on Crete.

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The wetland of Almyros

Located along the north coast of the Malevizi district, it consists of a main spring, a lagoon and a river, as well as a marshland of about half a sq. km. around.

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Thrapsano village

Located in a distance of 30 km from the city of Heraklion – it is the biggest pottery center in Crete.

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Tylissos

Tilisos village is 13 km away from Heraklion, en route to Anoyia, on an elevation of c. 200m. It is just outside of the village, that three big Minoan houses (villas) where discovered.