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crete: general info
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The largest of the Greek Islands is also one of the most fascinating. Crete was the birthplace of Minoan
culture, Europe's first advanced civilization and Knossos - discovered only in 1990 - was its capital city.
The reconstructed Palace of Knossos was once thought to have been home of the legendary
King Minos, whose wife bore the Minotaur - half bull,
half man - which thrived n human sacrifice and lived in a secret labyrinth beneath the
palace. The palace dates to 1700 BC, although the brilliance
and vibrancy of its frescoes and sophistication of the layout and organization make
it seem almost contemporary. Knossos' restoration has been the source of heated controversy among archaeologists, who consider it, at best the
enlightened guesswork of the early 20th century archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans. The
Royal Apartments are without doubt the epitome
of luxurious court living four floors of room that illustrate Minoan life more than 3000 years ago. Portraying a remarkably
advanced and peaceful society many of the Minoan treasures and frescoes (unsurpassed in the ancient world) have been removed and are now housed in Heraklion's Archaeological Museum (second only to that of Athens)
Purists will prefer the nearby Palace of Phaistos. It was excavated at almost the same time and dates to the same period, but was left in a
practically unreconstructed state.
Meanwhile, the most spectacular natural wonder in Crete lies along the Samaria Gorge the longest ravine in Europe. The popular but
strenuous downhill hike through the White Mountains begins with a 3000 foot drop during the
first mile via the steep, zigzagging
Xyloskalo (Wooden Stairs). A well trodden 11 mile trail levels off after that, perfumed with mountain thyme and wild oregano. If your
lucky you might glimpse the rare horned kri-kri (Cretan wild goat) known to live here. The hike's high-point come at Sidirosportes (Iron Gates)
where trekkers squeeze through a 9ft wide space, the gorge's narrowest, between sheer
rock walls soaring 2000 feet on either side. The hike eventually leads down to a seaside village and a cool dip in the Libyan Sea some five to seven exhilarating hours later.
The common jumping off place is the coastal town of Chania, known for its atmospheric historical port.
Sound like a place you'd like to visit? Then check out our awesome Greek Island Hopping Tour. Just click
here for more information...
Information here (unless otherwise specified) are licenced
under a Creative
Commons Licence.
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