Even though Crete is an island, it offers not only snow capped mountains but also olive trees on rolling hills. Of all the islands in Europe, Crete has the most endemic plants and a large mix of tourist resorts. Crete holidays will give you remote settlements, small fishing villages and cities like Heraklion and Chania. Both of these cities have had inhabitants for nearly eight thousand years. This island offers something for everyone, whether you are looking for a peaceful seaside village, the sun and sea or to explore the traditions and the cultures.
You can reach Crete in many ways. There are charter flights from Europe and there are many to choose from April through October. Most scheduled flights that are international will go through Athens which is a large and congested city. In the summer, the air pollution is at a high level but you will find in Athens, superb museums and archaeological sites. Greece holidays can take you from Athens to Crete by either a ferryboat or by plane as both will leave from Piraeus. There is a new airport in Athens and public transportation offers connections all around the city and to the port of Piraeus.
If you choose to ride the ferryboat, the ships leave each evening around eight and arrive early in the morning between five and six. These are modern ships and will certainly cost you less than a flight and are most romantic if you are looking for that option. You might want to avoid weekends as there can be crowds and holidays too can draw a crowd. It is possible to get from Greece to Italy as there are a few shipping companies. There is the SuperFast Ferries that can make the trip the quickest but will cost you more. It is advised that you book your passage in advance during the hectic summer season. Getting to Greece by land has stopped altogether since the disintegration of Yugoslavia. If you are by car or bike, take the ferry from Italy. Once on Crete, you will find the airport of Heraklion about 4 km from the center of the city. There is a bus service that can take you to the city or you can take a taxi as well. The airport has a few terminals and the buses leave each hour during the day. The trip to Chania will take two and a half hours and after 8pm the buses do not run. If you arrive at night you can only take a taxi. This trip you might want to share with someone as it will cost about 90 Euro to get to Chania.
