EYEWITNESS TRAVEL TOP10 CRETE N O ORO ID S U K B O OF M OR I EN 10 5 A UT LIKO MA 2 MA LI Best beaches K Agios E O S OUT PLATIA I Titos AGIOS I TOU ARI ADNI AS TITOS S T S 10 R IO IGI O Must-see museums & ancient sites AY F M I R A B E L O U Battle of Crete O B Loggia AN Museum S 10 O Venetian DHR K Spectacular areas of natural beauty HA M D ZID A K I U Walls IL DOU OG ATO O U S D EO HÍ D 10 K Best traditional tavernas D O Archaeological EDHALOU RA I APOUTIE Museum S THOU IDOMENEO N A 10 D Most exciting festivals 10 Liveliest bars & clubs 10 Best hotels for every budget 10 Most charming villages 10 Fascinating monasteries & churches 10 Insider tips for every visitor YOUR GUIDE TO 10THE 10 BEST OF EVERYTHING TOP 10 CRETE ROBIN GAULDIE EYEWITNESS TRAVEL Left Dolphin fresco, Knosos Right Rethymno harbour Contents Crete’s Top 10 Contents Ancient Knosos 8 Irakleio 12 Produced by Blue Island Publishing Reproduced by Colourscan, Singapore Printed Irakleio Archaeological and bound in China by Leo Paper Products Ltd First American Edition, 2003 Museum 14 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Chania 18 Published in the United States by DK Publishing, 375 Hudson Street, Phaestos 20 New York, New York 10014 Reprinted with revisions Rethymno 22 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 Gortys 24 Copyright 2003, 2011 © Dorling Kindersley Limited Samaria Gorge 26 All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication The Amari Valley may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by and Mt Idi 28 any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the Gournia 30 above publisher of this book. Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited Moments in History 32 ISSN 1479-344X Ancient Sites 34 ISBN 978-0-75667-035-1 Within each Top 10 list in this book, no Art and Archaeological hierarchy of quality or popularity is implied. All 10 are, in the editor’s opinion, of Museums 36 roughly equal merit. Folklore Museums 38 Floors are referred to throughout in accordance with British usage; ie the “first Venetian and Turkish floor” is the floor above ground level. Castles 40 Churches and Monasteries 42 Beach Resorts 44 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 WC2R 0RL, Great Britain, or email: [email protected] Front – DK Images: Robin Gauldie bl; Superstock: age fotostock main. Back – DK Images: Nigel Hicks tc, tr; Robin Gauldie tl. Spine – DK Images: Peter Jousiffe b. 2 Key to abbreviations Adm admission charge payable Free no admission charge 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 Myths and Legends 58 Things to Avoid 118 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 Around the Island Health and Security 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 CRETE’S TOP 10 Highlights of Crete 6–7 CRETE’S TOP 10 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 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. Crete’s Top 10 @ 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 #HANIA relics of the ancient 0LATANIAS 4FBPG$SFUF Mediterranean +ASTELLI 3OUDA +ISSAMOU !LIKIANOS world. The Minoan 0ANOMOS palace was 'EORGIOUPOLI 2ETHYMNO imaginatively #(!.)! /MALOS 0ERAMA reconstructed in J 0S 3AMARIA LB the early 20th 'ORGE -FG 2%4(9-./ century (see 0ALEOCHORA *E pp8–11). #HORA3FAKION !MARI J 0LAKIAS 3PILI 6ALLEY NJMFT LN !GIA'ALINI £ Irakleio .FEJUFSSBOFBO 0HAESTOS Archaeological 4FB Museum -ATALA 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 Share your travel recommendations on traveldk.com ^ Rethymno Crete’s third largest city is packed with remind- ers of a multi-layered history. A huge castle, Turkish mosques, Venetian Crete’s Top 10 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). &ODELE )RAKLEIO ,IMIN 4FBPG$SFUF #HERSONISOS -ALIA !NOGEIA +NOSOS .EAPOLIS 0 3ITEIA 6AI SP !GIOS.IKOLAOS T +ASTELI 3KOPI +RITSA 6ARVARI 0S 'OURNIA )2!+,%)/ PT% JLUJ 'ORTYS ,!3)4() !NO6IANNOS :AKROS !GIOI -AKRYGIALOS $EKA )ERAPETRA .FEJUFSSBOFBO 4FB ( 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 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 £ Dolphin Frescoes of the 20th century, when British archaeologist The queen’s rooms Sir Arthur Evans began excavations of the site. were lavishly decorated with frescoes of leaping dolphins and well equipped Crete’s Top 10 Crete’s Top Top 10 Sights with a bath and even a 1 Central Court flush lavatory. 2 Piano Nobile 3 Dolphin Frescoes 4 Storehouses 5 Central court South Portico 6 Great Staircase If possible, visit 7 Hall of Double Axes Knosos in spring or 8 autumn, when cooler North Entrance Passage 9 weather makes 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 • 28102 31940 upper floor of the palace used to store olive oil, • Summer: 8am–8pm building the “noble hall”, olives, grain and daily; winter: 8:30am– believing that it might other supplies.