Insight Guides Pocket Crete (Travel Guide eBook)
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About this ebook
Insight Pocket Guides: ideal itineraries and top travel tips in a pocket-sized package. Now with free eBook, and a pull-out map.
Compact, concise, and packed with essential information about Where to Go and What to Do, this is an ideal on-the-move companion when you're exploring Crete
Covers Top Ten Attractions, including Hania's scenic harbour, the Minoan palace at Knossos, the ancient remains of Gortys and the Toplou Monastery, plus suggestions for a Perfect Tour, including the lakeside nightlife at Agios Nikolaos, sightseeing in Rethymno and hiking in the Samaria Gorge
Offers an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture
Contains an invaluable pull-out map, and essential practical information on everything from Eating Out to Getting Around
Includes an innovative extra that's unique in the market - all Insight Pocket Guides come with a free eBook
Inspirational colour photography throughout
Sharp design and colour-coded sections make for an engaging reading experience
About Insight Guides: Insight Guides has over 40 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture together create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.
Insight Guides
Pictorial travel guide to Arizona & the Grand Canyon with a free eBook provides all you need for every step of your journey. With in-depth features on culture and history, stunning colour photography and handy maps, it’s perfect for inspiration and finding out when to go to Arizona & the Grand Canyon and what to see in Arizona & the Grand Canyon.
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Insight Guides Pocket Crete (Travel Guide eBook) - Insight Guides
How To Use This E-Book
Getting Around the e-Book
This Pocket Guide e-book is designed to give you inspiration and planning advice for your visit to Crete, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.
The guide begins with our selection of Top 10 Attractions, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan unmissable experiences. The Introduction and History chapters paint a vivid cultural portrait of Crete, and the Where to Go chapter gives a complete guide to all the sights worth visiting. You will find ideas for activities in the What to Do section, while the Eating Out chapter describes the local cuisine and gives listings of the best restaurants. The Travel Tips offer practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, there are carefully selected hotel listings.
In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.
Maps
All key attractions and sights in Crete are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.
Images
You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Crete. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.
About Insight Guides
Insight Guides have more than 40 years’ experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce 400 full-colour titles, in both print and digital form, covering more than 200 destinations across the globe, in a variety of formats to meet your different needs.
Insight Guides are written by local authors, whose expertise is evident in the extensive historical and cultural background features. Each destination is carefully researched by regional experts to ensure our guides provide the very latest information. All the reviews in Insight Guides are independent; we strive to maintain an impartial view. Our reviews are carefully selected to guide you to the best places to eat, go out and shop, so you can be confident that when we say a place is special, we really mean it.
© 2018 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd
Table of Contents
Crete’s Top 10 Attractions
Top Attraction #1
Top Attraction #2
Top Attraction #3
Top Attraction #4
Top Attraction #5
Top Attraction #6
Top Attraction #7
Top Attraction #8
Top Attraction #9
Top Attraction #10
A Perfect Tour of Crete
Introduction
The ‘Great Island’
The fruitful year
The cradle of Europe
Freedom or death
Enduring traditions
A Brief History
The Minoans
Dorians and Romans
Early Christians
Venetian days
The battle for Crete
Ottoman rule
Union with Greece
War and peace
Historical Landmarks
Where To Go
Iráklio
The city centre
The harbour area
South of the city centre
The Archaeological Museum
Central Crete
Knossos
Towards Gortys (Górtyna)
Phaistos
Agía Triáda and Vóri
Mátala to Agía Galíni
The central mountains
Eastern Crete
Rowdy resorts
Mália to Neápoli
Ágios Nikólaos
Eloúnda to Spinalónga island
Inland to Kritsá
The Lasíthi Plateau
East to Sitía
Toploú to Zákros
The southeastern coast
Western Crete
South of Réthymno
The south coast
Réthymno to Haniá
Haniá
West of Haniá
The White Mountains and the Samariá Gorge
Excursion to Santoríni
Firá
Ía
Pýrgos, Profítis Ilías and Akrotíri
What To Do
Sport
Beach activities
Walking and hiking
Cycling
Diving and snorkelling
Entertainment
Music and dance
Shopping
Textiles
Leather goods
Knives and antiques
Clothing
Edibles
Art and icons
Jewellery
Pottery and ceramics
Olive-wood items
Children’s Crete
Calendar of festivals
Eating Out
Where to eat
When to eat
What to eat
Appetisers
Fish and seafood
Meat main courses
Cheeses
Dessert
What to drink
Non-alcoholic drinks
Reading the Menu
To help you order
Menu reader
Restaurants
Iráklio and central crete
Ágios Nikólaos and the east
Réthymno, Haniá, the southwest
A–Z Travel Tips
A
Accommodation (See also Recommended hotels, click here)
Airports
B
Bicycle and scooter hire
Budgeting for your trip
C
Camping
Car hire
Climate
Clothing
Crime and safety (See also Emergencies)
D
Driving
E
Electricity
Embassies and consulates
Emergencies
G
Gay and lesbian travellers
Getting there
Guides and tours
H
Health and medical care
L
Language
M
Maps
Media
Money
O
Opening times
P
Police
Post offices
Public holidays
R
Religion
T
Telephones
Time zones
Tipping
Toilets
Tourist information
Transport
V
Visas and entry requirements
W
Websites
Y
Youth hostels
Recommended Hotels
Iráklio and central Crete
Ágios Nikólaos and the east
Réthymno, Haniá and the west
Crete’s Top 10 Attractions
Top Attraction #1
iStock
Ágios Nikólaos
The prettiest town in the east of the island is a popular resort that preserves its Cretan charm. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #2
Britta Jaschinski/Apa Publications
Archaeological Museum of Iráklio
Packed with priceless Minoan finds. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #3
Shutterstock
Moní Arkadíou
A shrine to the Cretan struggle for independence. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #4
Dreamstime
Samariá Gorge
The longest gorge in Europe is a strenuous but exhilarating trek. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #5
GNTO
Haniá
The minaret-style lighthouse and scenic harbour are amongst many of Haniá’s highlights. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #6
123RF
Moní Toploú
A peaceful place with a bloody history. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #7
123RF
Gortys
The capital of Crete in Roman and Byzantine times. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #8
Britta Jaschinski/Apa Publications
Knossos
Its Minoan palace, with superb frescoes, is Crete’s most visited attraction. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #9
iStock
Lasíthi Plateau
Home to rural life and ancient windmills. For more information, click here.
Top Attraction #10
iStock
Réthymno
Réthymno’s attractive Venetian harbour is lined with dozens of fish restaurants. For more information, click here.
A Perfect Tour of Crete
Days 1–2
Iráklio
Pick up your hire car at Iráklio airport, check into a city hotel and look round the Archaeological Museum. Stroll through the old quarter, taking in the Historical and Religious Art museums in particular. Devote the following morning to Knossos Palace.
Days 2–3
Ágios Nikólaos and Spinalónga Island
After lunch in Iráklio, drive east to Ágios Nikólaos, choosing accommodation nearby. Take in ‘Ag Nik’s’ lakeside nightlife, then next morning embark at Pláka for Spinalónga Island to visit its abandoned leper colony.
Days 3–4
Head east
Lunch in Ágios Nikólaos, then head east via Sitía to Moní Toploú and Vaï beach. Stay over near Koureménos beach for two nights. On day 4, hike the Hohlahiés gorge, and sample windsurfing at Koureménos.
Day 5
Swim and overnight in Mýrtos
Proceed via Zíros and Makrý Gialós, stopping to swim at a tempting beach, before a lunch (and museum) stop in Ierápetra. Continue west to overnight at peaceful Mýrtos.
Days 6–7
Rouvás Gorge
Drive inland from Mýrtos towards the Mesará valley, pausing at Áno Viánnos for its brilliantly frescoed church, before proceeding to Zarós for two overnights. On day 7, walk the Rouvás Gorge or visit the monastic churches of Vrondísi and Ágios Fanoúrios. With any time remaining, make the short detour to ancient Gortys.
Day 8–9
Church visit
Continue west, via the Minoan highlights of Phaistos and Agía Triáda, pausing for lunch at either Vóri or Mátala (swim at the latter). End the day at Plakiás or Spíli, checking in for two nights. The next day involves an early start to tour the Amári Valley to visit its churches, with possibly time late in the afternoon for a swim at Ágios Pávlos beach.
Days 10–11
Sightseeing in Réthymno
Drive to Réthymno, stopping at Arkádi monastery en route, and arrange lodging in the atmospheric old town for two nights. Spend the entire next day taking in the old quarter, especially the massive Fortezza and the Historical and Folklore Museum.
Days 12–13
West towards Haniá
Proceed west towards Haniá, stopping for a swim and lunch at idyllic Lake Kourná. Arrive in Haniá for a two-night stay at a boutique hotel in the old quarter. The afternoon and the whole of day 13 are spent savouring the old town’s museums, shops and plentiful restaurants.
Days 14–15
Hike
Park your hire car safely before taking a dawn bus up to Xylóskala for the unmissable descent of the Samariá Gorge. At the bottom, overnight at Agía Rouméli; next day, take a boat west to Soúgia or Paleóhora where you will have an opportunity for another well-deserved swim. Finally, take a bus back to Haniá, retrieve your car, and drive to your departure airport.
Introduction
Crete: the name invokes a range of different images. Ancient sites to explore; commercial towns bustling with noise and traffic; millions of olive trees blanketing the countryside; raucous resorts with neon-lit bars and loud music; a romantic meal for two overlooking a small fishing port; mountains and gorges to trek through; a sun-bed