Human presence has been recorded in the island since the Paleolithic Era, 10,000 years ago.

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1 The island took its name -according to mythology- either by the nymph Kriti or the son of Jeus and nymph Ida, named Kreta. Moreover, the highest mountain in the island has Ida's name (Idi) on the one hand and the god of the gods, Jeus, was born in Dikteon Antron (in Prefecture of Lassithi). Human presence has been recorded in the island since the Paleolithic Era, 10,000 years ago. The Minoan civilization was developed in Crete (3,000-1,400 B.C.), remaining of which are mainly located in Knossos and Phaestos. Throughout centuries, Crete suffered multiple occupations (Romans, Arabs, Venetians Turks and Germans, during the II World War. That is why there are plenty of monuments-specimens of these cultures: Venetian castles and fortresses, Arabic artworks, Turkish mosques. Crete is the biggest island in Greece and the second one in the Eastern Mediterranean (Cyprus is the biggest one). Its population is approximately 700,000 residents and its coastline extends to over 1,000khm. Crete is one of the most popular tourist destinations either for Greek or foreign visitors due to its lots of choices. Beaches of remarkable beauty for swimming, sea sports, diving, fishing, etc. Wild landscapes, chestnut, plane and pine forests, olive and orange groves, indigenous plants and herbs, landscapes of unique beauty suitable for romantic escapes in nature, walking paths and mountain sports. Traditional Cretan villages where you may enjoy traditional festivities, Cretan weddings and the worldwide famous Cretan cuisine. Archaeological sites driving you back thousands of years, many caves, monasteries and churches. Moreover, crowded resorts with luxury hotels and infrastructure ready to meet all your needs. Either you wish peaceful vacations in lonely beaches and traditional villages or crowded places offering any kind of entertainment, your choice has one name: Crete. 1 / 5

2 The place where the magnificence of the past meets the pride and beauty of the present! Chania {highslide type="slideshow-controlbar" url="chania-harbour.jpg" width="250" positions="top, right" }{/h The second prefecture of Crete regarding population and one of the most famous tourist destinations of the island for Greek and foreign visitors. Archaeological findings have been discovered in Chania since the era of Ancient Kidonia (3,000 B.C.). The sites of the prefecture are numerous: the ancient Aptera, Lissos and ancient Falassarna -specimens of the Minoan civilization, the Venetian castle of Fragkokastello with the legend of Drossoulites. The lakes of unique beauty, Kournas and Agia, protected by Natura, numerous gorges: of Topolia, Agia Irini, Imvros, etc and of course the famous Gorge of Samaria with thousands of visitors from all around the world arriving to experience its unique wild beauty and the well known wild goat, so-called "Kri-Kri" that lives free only in the gorge. The Prefecture of Chania is the greenest one in Crete with amazing green landscapes: olive and orange groves, palm trees, planes etc. Furthermore, here you may find amazing beaches like Elafonissos, the beach of Falassarna with its unique sunset, the stunning lagoon of Balos, the beach in Fragkokastello, in Sougia, in Georgioupoli, Marathi, Almyrida, Agia Marina and so forth. The Prefecture of Chania has rich fauna and flora; a wide variety of plants and herbs (stamnagathi, malotira, etc) some of which are indigenous, found exclusively here. Its agricultural products are famous for their nutritional value and quality: extra virgin olive oil, vegetables, delicious cheeses like graviera, anthotiro, mizithra and of course the production of the traditional drink of Crete, tsikoudia. {highslide type="slideshow-controlbar" url="chania-old-town.jpg" width="250" positions="top, right" }{/ In the city of Chania, you may visit the most beautiful old harbour with its lighthouse, the old city with its beautiful narrow alleys, the Naval Museum, the Archaeological Museum, Neoria (old shipyards being renovated as art exhibition centre), the traditional taverns offering delicious plates of the well known Cretan diet and plenty of shops with traditional Cretan products. The port of Souda, the only natural port of the Eastern Mediterranean, welcomes thousands of visitors all year round. 2 / 5

3 Chania is one of the most famous tourist destinations of Greece, while it has attracted plenty of European permanent residents (mostly English ones) as well as foreign investors that have bought properties in order to enjoy their seasonal vacation in Chania. Chania is a blessed place of unique beauty with which you fall in love at first sight... an unfulfilled love calling you back... and you just do! Useful Contacts General Hospital of Chania: Greek Tourism Organization: Port Authority of Souda: Urban Buses Station: Long distance buses: Archaeological Museum: Naval Museum: Aegean Airlines (Airport): Olympic Airways: ΑΝΕΚ Shipping Company Chania office: Souda's office: Headquarters: Rethymno {highslide type="slideshow-controlbar" url="crete-kournas-lake.jpg" width="250" positions="top, right" The city of Rethymno is laid on the place of the ancient Rithimna (5th-4th century B.C.). It is a city of remarkable beauty: the old city with its narrow alleys and the traditional houses, the old harbour with the Venetian castle (Fortezza) dominating over the city, the lighthouse in the entrance of the harbour and so on. It's worth visiting in the Prefecture the springs of Argyroupoli, the lake and beach of Preveli, the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, the village of Anogia (centre of the traditional Cretan music with famous representatives such as Xilouris, Psarantonis, etc), the historic monastery of Arkadi where the holocaust of 1866 took place during the Turkish occupation, the Cave of Sfendoni, the beautiful beach of Plakias and many other sites and beaches. Heraklion Here you may visit archaeological sites as Knossos, Phaestos, Tylissos of the Minoan Era, as 3 / 5

4 well as amazing beaches and villages such as Hersonissos with Malia -the most famous tourist destination of the prefecture mainly for young tourists- Matala with its unique wild beauty, the traditional settlement "Arolithos" where you may experience how life used to be in Crete many years ago, and many others. The city of Heraklion is a big, modern city and its port is the fourth biggest port in Greece. The famous painter, Dominikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco) and the well known ("Zorbas") author, Nikos Kazantzakis were born in Heraklion. Lassithi {highslide type="slideshow-controlbar" url="crete.jpg" width="250" positions="top, right" }{/highslide} The smallest prefecture of Crete with a history driving us back to the Protominoan III Period. The heritage of such a history appears on sites like the Dikteon Antron (place of birth of Jeus), the ancient city of Gournia, so-called "Pompei of the Minoan Crete" because it has been maintained in a very good condition. Agios Nikolaos, the prefecture's capital, overwhelms you with its breathtaking "lake", a small lagoon in the heart of the city. Elounda is the most famous destination for Greek and foreign VIPs. Sitia Sitia is ideal for peaceful vacations while the Finikodassos in Vai (the only indigenous Palm Grove in Europe), a place of unique beauty, enchants you. At the south of the Prefecture is Ierapetra, famous for its agricultural products as tomatoes, bananas, etc. Lassithi is the place of contrasts worth visiting. 4 / 5

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