Top 10 Crete (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)

148 Pages·2007·34.12 MB·English

by  DK Publishing

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
TOP 10
CRETE
10 Best beaches
10 Unmissable museums & ancient sites
10 Spectacular areas of natural beauty
10 Best traditional tavernas
10 Most exciting festivals
10 Liveliest bars & clubs
10 Best hotels for every budget
10 Most charming villages
10 Fascinating monasteries & churches
110 Insider ti0ps for every visitor
YOUR GUIDE TO THE 10 BEST OF EVERYTHING
TOP 10
CRETE
ROBIN GAULDIE
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
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Left Dolphin fresco, Knosos Right Rethymno harbour
Contents
Crete’s Top 10
Ancient Knosos 8
Irakleio 12
Produced by Blue Island Publishing
Reproduced by Colourscan, Singapore Irakleio Archaeological
Printed and bound in China by Leo Paper
Museum 14
Products Ltd
Chania 18
First American Edition, 2003
07 08 09 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Phaestos 20
Published in the United States by Rethymno 22
DK Publishing, Inc., 375 Hudson Stret, Gortys 24
New York, New York 10014
Samaria Gorge 26
Reprinted with revisions 2005, 2007
The Amari Valley
Copyright 2003, 2007 © Dorling
Kindersley Limited and Mt Idi 28
Al rights reserved under International and Pan- Gournia 30
American Copyright Conventions. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval Moments in History 32
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
Ancient Sites 34
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without prior written permission of the Art and Archaeological
copyright owner. Published in Great Britain by
Dorling Kindersley Limited Museums 36
Folklore Museums 38
ISSN 1479-344X
ISBN 978-0-75662-574-0 Venetian and Turkish
Within each Top 10 list in this book, no Castles 40
hierarchy of quality or popularity is implied.
Churches and
All 10 are, in the editor’s opinion, of
roughly equal merit. Monasteries 42
Floors are referred to throughout in Beach Resorts 44
accordance with British usage; ie the “first
floor” is the floor above ground level. Islands and Boat Trips 46
The information in this DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at the time of
going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers, opening hours, prices,
gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are liable to change. The publishers
cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book, nor for
any material on third party websites, and cannot guarantee that any website address in this
book will be a suitable source of travel information. We value the views and suggestions of
our readers very highly. Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides,
Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand, London, Great Britain WC2R 0RL.
Front – Alamy Images: Peter Adams main; DK Images: Max Alexander cl; Robin Gauldie bl. Back – DK
Images: Max Alexander tl, tr; Nigel Hicks tc. Spine – DK Images: Nigel Hicks.
2 Key to abbreviations
Adm admission charge payable Free no admission charge
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Contents
Left Plakias Right Tavernas, Chersonisos
Villages 48 Streetsmart
Areas of Natural Beauty 50 Getting To and
Mountain Walks 52 Around Crete 116
Wildlife 54 General
Famous Cretans 56 Information 117
Things to Avoid 118
Myths and Legends 58
Music and Instruments 60 Special Interest
Holidays 119
Festivals and Events 62
Eating and Drinking
Markets and Shopping
Tips 120
Streets 64
Shopping Tips 121
Food and Drink 66
Budget Ideas 122
Restaurants 68
Families and Disabled
Tavernas 70
Visitors 123
Cafés and Ouzeries 72
Banking and
Nightlife 74
Communications 124
Health and Security
Around the Island
Tips 125
Central Crete 78
Places to Stay 126
Western Crete 90
Eastern Crete 102 General Index 132
Left Castle, Paleochora Right Siteia harbour
Following pages Siteia beach 3
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Contents
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CRETE’S
TOP 10
Highlights of Crete
6–7
Ancient Knosos
8–11
Irakleio
12–13
Irakleio Archaeological
Museum
14–15
Chania
18–19
Phaestos
20–21
Rethymno
22–23
Gortys
24–25
Samaria Gorge
26–27
The Amari Valley
and Mt Idi
28–29
Gournia
30–31
Top 10 of Everything
32–75
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CRETE’S TOP 10
Highlights of Crete
Although it could not be more Greek, Crete is really a country within a
country, with its own history, folklore and traditions. It was the birthplace of
Europe’s oldest civilization, the enigmatic Minoan culture which flourished
over 4,000 years ago. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Saracens,
Venetians and Turks also left their mark.
This rich human heritage is set against the
backdrop of magnificent mountain scenery
and beaches lapped by a deep blue sea.
Irakleio
@A good place to see a slice
of everyday Greek street life,
Crete’s capital is an eclectic mix
of medieval Venetian fortifica-
tions, bustling markets and
Ancient Knosos modern streets (see pp12–13).
!Knosos is among
the most impressive
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Museum
Crete’s leading
museum houses
amazing finds from
Knosos and other
great archaeological
sites (see pp14–15).
Chania
Once the island’s $
capital, this pretty
little harbour town, Phaestos
with good beaches %One of the most important
nearby and lots of Minoan palace sites in Crete,
open-air restaurants Phaestos is a fascinating maze
and shops, makes a of walls, stairways and court-
great base for yards on a hillside overlooking
exploring Crete’s wild the Messara plain and the Libyan
west (see pp18–19). Sea (see pp20–21).
6
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Rethymno
^Crete’s third largest
city is packed with remind-
ers of a multi-layered
history. A huge castle,
Turkish mosques, Venetian
town-houses and bustling
markets are part of the
charm, along with a beach
esplanade (see pp22–3).
Samaria Gorge
Gortys *The “White Mountains” of
The bases of & the Sfakia region dominate
toppled Roman southwest Crete. This rugged
columns, the ruins of massif, most of which can only
a Byzantine basilica, be explored on foot, as there are
post-Minoan few roads, is cloaked in pine
fortifications, an trees and traversed by the lovely
agora, acropolis and Samaria Gorge (see pp26–7).
remains of temples
to Athena and Apollo
all hint at the
chequered past of
Gortys (see pp24–5).
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The Amari
(Valley &
Mt Idi
Old-fashioned
villages, empty
mountain pano-
ramas and legend- Gournia
laden caves seem )The best preserved
like part of a Minoan town on Crete,
different world, has a honeycomb-like
and can easily be labyrinth of tiny houses
explored with a and narrow lanes sur-
rented car or rounding a small palace
escorted coach overlooking the Gulf of
tour (see pp28–9). Mirabello (see pp30–31).
7
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Crete’s Top 10
Ancient Knosos
Knosos is steeped in mystery and enchantment.
In legend, it was the seat of King Minos, beneath
whose palace the bull-headed Minotaur hunted
its victims in the labyrinth built by Daedalus. In
reality, it was the hub of a Bronze Age empire
that held sway over the Aegean more than
4,000 years ago. This part of the Knosos story
only began to be unearthed at the beginning of Dolphin Frescoes
the 20th century, when British archaeologist Sir £The queen’s rooms
were lavishly decorated
Arthur Evans began excavations of the site.
with frescoes of leaping
dolphins and well equipped
Top 10 Sights with a bath and even a
flush lavatory.
1 Central Court
2 Piano Nobile
3 Dolphin Frescoes
4 Storehouses
Central court 5 South Portico
6 Great Staircase
If possible, visit
7 Hall of Double Axes
Knosos in spring or
8 North Entrance Passage
autumn, when cooler
weather makes 9 Throne Room
exploring more 0 Bust of Sir Arthur Evans
pleasant than in high
summer. But if you
are holidaying in
Central Court
peak season, get to !All Minoan palaces
the site as soon as it were built around a
opens, before most central courtyard. This
coach tour groups would have been the hub
have arrived. of the complex and would
probably have been used
There are several for ceremonial purposes
tavernas and snack and for royal audiences.
bars within a few The courtyard of Knosos
steps of the site has a commanding view
entrance, along the of the valley.
Storehouses
main road to Irakleio. $
The storehouses or
Piano Nobile “magazines” contain giant
• Map K4 • Route 97, @Evans dubbed this earthenware jars called
5 km (8 miles) south of
expansive room on the pithoi, which the Minoans
Irakleio
upper floor of the palace used to store olive oil,
• 2810 231940
building the “noble hall”, olives, grain and
• Summer: 8am–7pm believing that it might other supplies.
daily; winter: 8am–6pm
have been the audience Such jars, with
daily • Closed national
hall of the ancient a capacity of
holidays • Adm €5.50
Minoan kings. Its up to 200
• Disabled access walls are decorated litres, were
difficult
with copies of the used by later
fabulous frescoes of Greeks over
agile, leaping bull the next four
dancers – the most millennia, and
famous images of Knosos. are still made today.
8
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Crete’s Top 10