"Out in the dark blue sea there lies an island called Crete, a rich and lovely land, washed by the waves on every side, densely peopled and boasting ninety cities". (Very apt quotation by Homer)
The island of Crete is a wonderful, colourful jigsaw of History, Mythology, Mountains, Gorges, many many hills covered with olive trees and a long beautiful coastline. Many wonders await.
History of Crete
Crete had one of the world's earliest civilizations, the Minoan, named after King Minos. Cretan kingdom reached its greatest power, prosperity, and civilization c.1600. A series of revolts against the Turks during the 19th century, reached a climax which led to war in 1897 between Greece and Turkey.
In 1912, Cretan representatives were included in the Greek parliament, and in 1913, as a result of the Balkan Wars, Crete was officially incorporated into Greece.
Economy
The main sources of wealth in Crete are agriculture and tourism. The olive tree plays a very important part of the industry in Crete and excellent virgin olive oil is produced. Other important produce include oranges, lemons, grapes and vegetables from greenhouses. Honey, cheese and herbs are also of a top quality.
Mountains
The mountains of Crete play a large part in the island's history. The most popular range being the White Mountains, which take up a large part of the west of the island and are the main feature of the area. They are made of limestone and are aptly named because they are covered in snow until late spring. During the summer months, the sun reflects on the limestone which also makes them appear white.
Rivers
There are many small rivers in Crete but unfortunately, some of them dry up during the hot summer months. However the Preveli river, in the Rethymon area and the river at Vrisses near to Chania, actually flow all the year round. As the island is so narrow, the torrents that are formed on the mountain sides, don't have time to develop into rivers, before they empty into the sea, as they do not have far to travel. The limestone earth also helps to absorb much of the water.
Lakes
There are a few lakes on the island of Crete, the most famous being the picturesque Lake of Kournas, in the province of Apoloronas and the lake of Agios Nikolaos on the gulf of Mirabello. Lake Kournas is a fairly small, but nonetheless very beautiful lake, with a good selection of tavernas around it's coastline. Another popular lake is Aghia, the nesting place for many birds and a myriad of wild flowers create a kaleidoscope of colour in the spring.
Caves
A particular characteristic around the island of Crete,is the existence of many caves, most of which have been known since prehistoric times and were used as a place of shelter or a place to worship. The Dictaean Cave, the Idaean Cave and the Sendoni Cave are some of the most well known.
