The Island Paradise on your Doorstep
With approximately 600,000 inhabitants, Crete is the largest Greek island and the most southerly (with the exception of the small island of Gavdos). From east to west, Crete is about 260 km wide, whilst the distance from north to south varies between 15 and 65 km. The island has an area of approximately 8,336 square kilometres.
Situated only 320 km south of Athens, Crete is very easy to reach for most visitors.
With its long, flat, sandy beaches, the north coast is the main tourist attraction on the island. All the major cities are also on the North Coast: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos. In the south you will find beautiful coastal cliffs and countless idyllic bays.
The mountainous interior, however, is the least known region of the island: a long mountain chain (up to 2456 metres high), which extends over the entire island. This is just the place to look for small, traditional villages and meet the natives of Crete.