South Crete is the most southern coast of Europe, it spreads for more than 250 kilometers in the Libyan Sea. Here the best beaches of the Mediterranean can be found – some of them are among the best beaches in the world – with transparent crystal-clear waters, deep or shallow, some of them are quiet or even desolated and some other ones cosmic and noisy, some are big and open to the endless Libyan Sea, while some others are closed like a lake, small, windless and picturesque. There is a grand Samaria gorge, and many other smaller but still beautiful gorges, all of them full of green and running waters, with wild animals and birds.
Snowy mountain peaks that reach 2,5 km high, gorgeous plateaus, woods of chestnut and oak trees, fertile valleys full of fragrant orange and lemon trees every spring, hills covered with vineyards and olive trees on your every step, with thousands of plants and dozens of birds and wild animals species complete the irresistibly beautiful natural landscape of South Crete.
In south Crete you’ll admire ruins of Minoan palaces built three and a half thousand years ago, you’ll walk on Roman paved streets, pray in Byzantine cathedrals, explore Venetian and Turkish castles, an all of these compose a unique mosaic with the history and culture of Crete, the island with the oldest European civilization.
In south Crete you’ll admire ruins of Minoan palaces built three and a half thousand years ago, you’ll walk on Roman paved streets, pray in Byzantine cathedrals, explore Venetian and Turkish castles, an all of these compose a unique mosaic with the history and culture of Crete, the island with the oldest European civilization.
Small cities, small towns and countless picturesque villages compose the modern residential net of South Crete. The main towns and villages are Ierapetra (which is also the main South Crete sea port), Ano Viannos, Mires, Zaros, Gergeri, Timpaki, Agia Galini, Kerames, Plakias, Chora Sfakion, Paleochora. Here you’ll find modern entertainment day and night, while a few kilometers away there are dozens of villages leading a different way of life, keeping traditions, language and customs of their region.
In South Crete the routes you may follow are unlimited. Every one of them has different surprises and images, with unbelievable changes in the scenery. Enjoy car rides along the coasts or in the narrow roads of many small beautiful villages in the countryside. Walk inside the gorges or ascent its mountain peaks. Swim on the beaches, do water sports, wear a mask and discover the magic of the seabed, otherwise enjoy the hot sun, lying on the sand. Visit its archeological sites, travel to the nearest small islands (Gaidouronisi, Gavdos, Gavdopoula).
On the beaches of South Crete summer never ends. But just a few kilometers to the north, on the high mountain peaks, there is snow from November till May!
The best time to visit South Crete is April, May and the first half of June, when the heat is still mild, the people are few, while the prices for rooms and tourist services are lower.
