Crete

The larger cities of Crete, which are the capital, Heraklion, Rethymno and Chania, are all on the north coast. Heraklion, situated along the midpoint of the island’s north coast, takes its name from Herakles—better known as Hercules. Heraklion was the port of the Minoan palace city of Knossos, the site of the Kastro (Castle) and Megalo Kastro (Grand Castle) in Byzantine times, the Arab fortress known as Chandakas, the flourishing Candia under the Republic of Venice. The Venetians built the ramparts which still encircle the city center and the Rocca al Mare fortress, now called Koules, at Heraklion’s inner harbor. Opposite the port, you can still see a series of mighty stone arches, which were the Venetian shipyards. The Republic of Venice invested a lot of time and treasure in defending Heraklion, which finally fell to the Turks, who renamed it Kandiye, in 1669.

The heart of Heraklion is Morosini fountain at Liontaria or Lion’s Square but the star cultural attraction of the city, and indeed of all of Crete, is the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. It is home to the largest collection of artifacts from the Minoan civilization, the earliest in Europe. You will be amazed at what the islanders created here from around 2700 BC up to around 1450 BC. Ornate Minoan jewelry including the golden bee pendant, the Phaistos Disc and exquisite figurine of the bull leaper—which item will stir your imagination the most? The Minoan palace ruins of Knossos are found just outside the city center at a colossal Bronze Age site that encompasses hundreds of interconnected walls and rooms including what celebrated archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans identified as the megaron or Throne Room. With a little imagination, you can picture legendary King Minos holding court over the labyrinth that housed his son, the mythical half-man, half-bull known as the Minotaur, here. Decorated pithoi storage jars and multicolored frescoes abound on the site too, while many of the original frescoes such as that of the “Prince of Lilies” and famous bull leaper are now housed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Another palatial, open-air Minoan archaeological site is at Phaistos, south of Heraklion.

While Crete is best-known as a sunny escape, its rugged and deeply chiseled coastline also makes it a paradise for hikers. The island is more about mountains and gorges than wide-open spaces and plateaus (though there are a few of those) and the most spectacular ravine is the Samaria Gorge, nestled in the White Mountains on the south coast of Crete (Region of Chania) and part of a protected biosphere. The popularity of the gorge’s 10-mile-long walking path does nothing to diminish the setting’s remote and rugged appeal; the trail starts at an elevation of more than 4,000 feet and culminates at the Libyan Sea. Due to its southern position, Crete’s beach season is one of the longest in Europe. On the south coast as well as the north, the sea is warm enough for swimming well through October.