DK Travel : 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.

Pentozalis

The pentozalis’s sprightly rhythms are reminiscent of the jigs and reels of Irish and Scottish folk music.
Phaestos

The ruins of the Minoan palace at Phaestos, on a hilltop by the south coast of Crete, are second only to those at Knosos. A maze of walls and courtyards marks the site of the Second Palace at Phaestos, built around 1600 BC. Hieroglyphics on the clay Phaestos Disc still puzzle scientists (see Phaestos).
Phaestos

This labyrinth of ruins dating from around 1600 BC includes a Minoan courtyard and theatre with tiers of stone seats, a monumental stairway, peristyle hall and a vast central courtyard. The still undeciphered Phaestos Disc, which was discovered here, is on display in the Irakleio Archaeological Museum (see Irakleio Archaeological Museum). Phaestos was destroyed around 1450 BC by the cataclysm that also laid low the rest of Crete’s Minoan palaces. Not usually as crowded as the more famous Knosos, the site at Phaestos has an impressive location on a hillside above fertile farmland (see Phaestos).
Phaestos

One of the most important Minoan palace sites in Crete, Phaestos is a fascinating maze of walls, stairways and courtyards on a hillside overlooking the Messara plain and the Libyan Sea (see Phaestos).
Pidiktos

The pidiktos , a dance from eastern Crete, involves great athletic leaps and bounds.
Pili Tis Ammou, Chania

Tucked away in a courtyard shaded by pines and tamarisks atop the ramparts on the east side of the Venetian harbour, Pili Tis Ammou is at its very best in the evening.
Plakias

A huge sweep of clean grey sand draws visitors to this little south-coast resort, but there are even better beaches nearby at Damnoni, which can be reached by boat or on foot. Plakias is one of the island’s quieter beach resorts, and its accommodation mostly takes the form of selfcatering apartments.
Plakias

Plakias is one of Crete’s newer resorts. Its excellent beaches were overlooked by the holiday industry until the 1990s, at which point, the tiny fishing and farming community began to transform into a strip of purposebuilt hotels (none of them obtrusively large), apartments, shops and restaurants. Not for those looking for authenticity, Plakias nevertheless has plenty going for it, including attractive surrounding countryside, its own long sweep of shingly sand, and lots more even prettier beaches and palm-fringed coves within walking distance.
Plakias

A lovely friendly town on the South coast of Crete. Definitely worth a visit if only for the moussaka on offer along the promenade. Fantastic people, great food and beautiful scenery. Plakias is one of the unspoilt gems of Crete.
Platanias

The best beach within easy reach of Chania, and the village has plenty of places to eat and drink. This is Chania’s after-dark summer playground, with pubs, clubs and discos.