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Crete Facts

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Here on the Crete Facts page we cover

Name

Crete - Kríti - Κρήτη

Location

Crete is the southernmost island of Greece in Europe.

This island is located in the Mediterranean Sea at 35◦N 24◦E, it is one of the largest Greek islands and the fifth largest island in the Mediterreanean.

Crete Location Map - with tips about travel to the island here.

Geography

The population of Crete is just over 636,000.
The island of Crete is 260 km long, 60 km at it's widest point and 12 km at its narrowest point.
The area of the island of Crete is 8,336 sq km.
The highest point on the island is Mt Ida, also known as Psiloritis, at 2,456m.
To the north of the island is the Sea of Crete, to the south the Libyan Sea.
The major ports on the island are at Souda Bay, Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos and Sitia.
The major airports are at Chania CHQ and Heraklion HER. There is a smaller airport at Sitia JSH.
The major mountain ranges include the White Mountains, Psiloriti Range and the Dikti Range.

Maps

We have both hard-copy and digital maps of Crete for your information.

See loads of information on Crete maps here

Climate

The island of Crete experiences both Mediterranean and North African climates. An average of 300 days of sunshine a year.

Crete has mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. More on Crete's climate

In the chart below you can see average daily temperatures across the months, click on the arrows to see other months. Click on 'get 7 day forecast' for that information and much more.

Crete Facts - Currency

Crete's currency is the Greek Euro.

The code is EUR.

The symbol is €.

Weights and Measures

Metric measurements are used. For example, distances are in kilometres and weights in kilograms.

Crete Facts – Language

The official language of Crete is Greek. There is a Cretan dialect called Kritika with sounds, accents, words and phrases differing from modern Greek. Dictionaries and texts are available in this dialect, and it is spoken by Cretans in both Crete and the diaspora.The local people of Crete speak with a distinct accent, when speaking Greek or dialect.

One can hear some accents here in this video, showing an interview with well-loved Cretan musician Psarandonis of Anogeia, Ο Ψαραντώνης.

Capital

The capital of Crete is Heraklion, located in the centre north of the island, with a population of over 177,000 it is a bustling port city with an international airport.

Municipality of Heraklion - local government

Regions

Map showing the Prefectures of Crete or local regions

Crete is one of the 13 Peripheries of Greece, and in turn has four prefectures. The prefectures, from west to east are:

Chania
Rethymnon
Heraklion
Lasithi

Crete Facts – Main Towns

Main towns apart from the capitals mentioned above, include

Kastelli Kissamos
Palaiochora
Moires
Chora Sfakion
Sitia
Ierapetra

More on our beautiful Cretan towns

Time

Crete time is equal to GMT/UTC +2

Crete Facts – Getting to and from Crete

Crete is accessible from many cities in Europe by direct flights. Both Chania and Heraklion airports are international and accept many flights per day in summer. Ferries travel to both these ports also, from all over Greece.

Details on travelling to Crete

Here is a map of Kriti with ports and airports marked.

Crete Facts – Getting around in Crete

Crete is a large island with plenty of countryside, mountains and coastline to explore. A network of national roads makes travelling by car a practical way to expore the island. A wonderful local bus service can take you to even the tiniest village, if you are patient.

Details on travelling within Crete

Useful Telephone Numbers

Emergencies

Ambulance	166
Directory enquiries	131
Fire brigade	199
Police	100
Roadside assistance	10400
Ambulance	166

Transport

Aegean Airlines	80111 20000	www.aegeanair.com
Athens Airport	21035 30000	www.aia.gr
Bus Schedules	2810 245020	www.ktel.org
Ferry Schedules	2810 346185	www.ferries.gr
Chania Airport	2821 083800	www.hcaa.gr
Heraklion Airport	2810 397129	www.hcaa.gr
Olympic Airlines	801 801 0101	www.olympicair.com
Roadside Assistance (ELPA)	10400	www.elpa.gr

Store opening hours

Banks
8am to 2.30 Monday to Thursday
8am to 2pm on Friday

Shops
8am to 2pm Mon Wed Sat
8am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 8.30pm Tues Thurs Fri

Supermarkets tend to keep longer hours.

Hospitals

Crete has excellent hospitals, mainly located on the northern coasts of the island near the four major town centres. See location map below and names and addresses of the hospitals also below.

The Chania General Hospital Agios Giorgos "St. George" (above) is situated in the outskirts of the city of Chania, near Mournies village.

The word for hospital in Greek is nosokomeio νοσοκομείο.

List of Major Hospitals in Crete, Greece

Area	Hospital	Address
Chania	Agios Giorgos General Hospital	Mournies, Chania
Rethymnon	Rethymnon General Hospital	17 Trantalidou St, Rethymnon
Heraklion	Venizelio Hospital	Knossou Ave, Heraklion
Heraklion	University General Hospital	Voutes, Heraklion
Agios Nikolaos	Agiou Nikolaou General Hospital	Knossou St, Agios Nikolaos, Lassithi
Neapolis	Dialinakio General Hospital	Neapolis, Lassithi
Ierapetra	Ierapetra General Hospital	Kalimeraki, Ierapetra, Lassithi
Sitia	Sitias General Hospital	Sitia, Lasithi

Property

Many of our readers are interested in moving to Crete and Greece. See more information about moving to Crete here. See more about purchasing property in Crete.

Crete Facts - Books

Before embarking on a trip to Crete for a holiday or to live here, many of our visitors like to do some reading, whether it is light holiday travel narratives, or more complex Greek history, there are endless topics to explore in relation to Crete.

On our books pages we suggest some good titles.

Crete Facts - Notable Cretans

El Greco was a painter, sculptor and architect of the Renaissance who came to fame in Spain of the sixteenth century.

Domenikos Theotokopoulos was born in Crete in 1541, studied and became a master painter in Heraklion as part of the Cretan School of art, flourishing in Post Byzantine culture.

Nikos Kazantzakis Καζαντζάκη wrote many diverse works, including the novels for which he is commonly known.

Kazantzakis was born in 1883 during the Ottoman occupation in city of Heraklion, Crete and died in 1957 in Freiburg, Germany.

Customs - Moustakia, Sarikia & Stivania

White sarikia being worn by children at a wedding in Crete

Get to know a little about the customs of the island, including traditional mustaches, headscarves and boots.

Moustakia, Sarikia & Stivania

More about the people and life of Crete here.

The Cretan Diet

The Cretan Diet is a lyrical poem, punctuated by fresh produce; vegetables, fruits, oils, nuts and cheeses cultivated for centuries on Kriti. The cuisine includes fresh olive oil, and plenty of it.

The natural diet of the island of has been recognised as one of the healthiest in the world. It includes wild greens, fresh home-grown tomatoes, broad beans, lemons and fresh olive oil.

Look out for the Quality Label of Cretan Cuisine at tavernas, restaurants and similar labels for Open Wineries, Cretan Grocery Stores and on certified products. This classification by the Agronutritional Coop of the Region of Crete means the taverna, restaurant, winery or product has been authenticated as local; a true Cretan experience.

Trivia

Who was Zorba the Greek? Where was the movie filmed? What is Jennifer Aniston's connection to Crete? All these trivia questions are answered on our special trivia page.