Crete lies at the point where the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa meet and it is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean with an area of 8,335 square kilometers. Crete is divided into four prefectures. From west to east they are: Chania, Rethymno, Iraklio and Lassithi - please click for maps.

Three mountain ranges form a sort of spine stretching across the island and several upland plains are situated among the mountain ranges of Crete. The same geological forces that created the mountain ranges also created awe-inspiring gorges throughout the island. Faragi Samarias (Samaria Gorge) is the most famous with a length of 16km, making it the longest gorge in Europe as well as one of the most impressive thousands of tourists take the 6-7 hour walk every year.

There are more than 2000 caves on the island. Many of these were used in ancient times, some possibly as far back as 3000 B.C. Crete has 155km of sandy beaches along its coastline.

The climate of Crete is probably the mildest in Europe.

The strong northwesterly wind, the meltemi, moderates even the hottest months of July and August. Rainfall is rare during the summer months. Autumn is Crete's mildest season, when temperatures are often higher than in spring. The mountains that run across the island act as a barrier to the weather, often creating different conditions in northern and southern Crete.

Crete is the home of a rich variety of flora that contain, among many hundreds of others, 130 species of wild flowers and herbs which are unique to it. Among these are dictamo (Organium dictamus), an herb made famous by Aristotle for its medicinal value.

Archaeological finds confirm the presence of man on Crete for at least 8,000 years. From that time until today many civilizations have prospered and declined on the island, leaving unfading marks of their presence in the many archaeological places that are scattered from the one end of the island to the other and the visitor can relish during his travel.