Crete - g.d. photo
1. Quite a big island, so the sights are more diverse, and the range of landscapes (gorges, mountains, valleys, bustling cities and quiet retreats) are quite different from elsewhere on Greece, while the countryside is strikingly green
2. The Samaria Gorge: a thrilling, captivating landscape
3. Chania, Rethymno and Elafonisi are all spectacular
4. The south-west part of the island has beaches and clear blue waters
5. The cultural and historic remains of the Minoan civilization
6. Far from the beaches, the remote mountain villages have a unique, mystical atmosphere
7. You can eat well on Crete (souvlaki, gyros etc.) or have a healthy salad. The wines are good too, and the tavernas are great, with lots of young people
8. The local people are pleasant, laid-back, hospitable and above all proud
9. Good roads and a pleasant climate
10. The island is as suitable for active tourism as for a lazy, relaxing break – there are many opportunities for hiking and having fun
11. The island of Chrysi has sand so white it’s almost Caribbean, surrounded by beautiful nature
12. Balos Lagoon
1. Heraklion and its surroundings are not at all attractive, and Heraklion airport is also ugly
2. Large-scale tourism is not very romantic, and some parts of the island are simply overcrowded, especially in the north, or at Hersonissos or Malia, while there is too much development around many resorts (greedy, tourist development)
3. It’s hard to discover the best of the island without hiring a car
4. It’s exhausting to drive on the mountain roads: distances are long, the traffic is too much for a vacationing foreigner, and there are plenty of Cretan cretins who drive like maniacs
5. The locals have become a little too complacent with their tourist industry; they’re not as willing to help as they used to be, and in off-season – party from laziness – too many shops are closed.
6. Prices can be sky-high in some tourist areas, and the food in tavernas isn’t always up to scratch
7. In some areas, particularly around the major settlements, the landscape is barren, and lacks the green found elsewhere
8. It’s often windy, meaning big waves in the sea. There are a lot of mosquitos, and in summer the heat is oppressive
9. The souvenirs in the shops are unimaginative, and often downright tacky
10. The crowding in July and August is unpleasant
11. Salespeople, car rental dealers and the shills outside restaurants are all unpleasantly pushy and intrusive
12. Some of the bus drivers are jerks
13. It isn’t always wise to trust the estimated journey times in the maps they sell on the island
14. Knossos Palace is nothing to make a song about - not much to see
