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.

Anna Bei 1900, Ierapetra

As well as a proper restaurant, this all-purpose nightspot also has a traditional café and ouzo bar, serving meze in the courtyard of an attractively restored old building (see Anna Bei 1900, Ierapetra).
Anna Bei 1900, Ierapetra

In an old house which has been imaginatively refurbished to create bars, a café and a restaurant, this is the most attractive place for a drink in Ierapetra.
Anogeia

Pleasant cafés and shops conceal Anogeia’s embattled past, when it was a hotbed of resistance against the Turks, who sacked it in 1821 and 1826, and the Germans, who levelled it in 1944.
Antique Weapons

The Cretan pallikar (warriorhero) loved highly decorated weapons. Authentic antique weapons are highly valued.
Aphrodite, Sougia

Pretty pension in a quiet, leafy lane just off Sougia’s somnolent main street. Clean, affordable rooms with blue-painted balconies, marble-topped tables and lots of flowers.
Aptera

A Byzantine town built on the site of a Hellenistic city, remains here include Roman cisterns, Byzantine foundations, a Venetian monastery and a Turkish fort.
Aptera

Climb the bastions of the Aptera Fort, on a hilltop near the ruins of Byzantine Aptera for sweeping views. Below, across the coastal highway, is the grim Itzedin Fort, now a prison and closed to visitors.
Aquapark

At Chersonisos, the Aqua Splash Water Park is a playground of waterslides, waves and waterfalls.
Archaia Eleftherna

Founded in 700 BC, ancient Eleftherna was a powerful Dorian city. Having vanished from history, it is now being rediscovered by archaeologists.
Archanes Archaeological Museum

The small farming town of Archanes has a surprisingly good museum with finds from nearby sites, including clay Minoan coffins, fragments of pottery, and a sacrificial dagger that may have been used in human sacrifice.

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Hotel price categories

For a standard, double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes and extra charges.
- under €30
- €30–€40
- €40–€80
- €80–€120
- over €120