Tourist Information
Greece is the crossroad between Europe, Asia and Africa, located at the south east part of Mediterranean Sea. Visitors have the opportunity to trace the “fingerprints” of Greek history from the Paleolithic Era to the Roman Period in the hundreds of archaeological sites, as well as in the archaeological museums and collections that are scattered throughout the country.
Minoan Crete, Mycenae, Athens, Delphi, Vergina, Thessaloniki, Olympia, Delos, and Epidavros are just a few of the places which can testify about the history of Greece and its achievements, along with numerous temples, sculptures and other findings scattered throughout the country. And then there is another big part of the Greek heritage in philosophy, mathematics, medicine, drama, physics, chemistry, theatre, literature and so many more.
Today the population is around 11,000,000. Although the sea embraces the country, which is famous for islands, sun and long beaches, 80% of Greece consists of mountains or hills making the country one of the most mountainous in Europe. The highest mountain is Olympus which was considered to be the residence of the 12 Greek Gods in mythology. The climate is Mediterranean, featuring mild and wet winters and hot, dry summers.
Athens is the capital and the biggest city, followed by Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion and Larissa. The language is Greek and the first textual evidence of the Greek language dates back to 15th century BC.
Crete, the fourth biggest Mediterranean island, is known for its richness and diversity and lays on the crossroad between Europe, Asia and Africa. About 250km long and 57km wide, its highest point is 2400m.
Known as the birthplace of Zeus, Crete is the cradle of an important civilization (Minoan) and Cretans today are very proud to belong to the Hellenic world. Celebrities such as Nikos Kazantzakis, Mikis Theodorakis come from Crete.
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Heraklion is the largest city and port of Crete, has a history of many centuries, a history that gave to the city a unique character and an unmatched charm. The Minoan civilization was developed here. The palace of Knossos is located a few kilometers away and it is full of fascinating myths, from the Labyrinth with the Minotaur to Daedalus and Icarus. Heraklion is a mosaic of civilizations, an alloy of Arabic, Byzantine and Venetian influences!
It is a city of European status, easily accessible and friendly to visitors throughout the year, offering a range of modern facilities and options. It combines significant business activity, shops selling famous brands, intense nightlife and an exemplary infrastructure for hosting conferences and exhibitions.
Heraklion, beyond its glorious past, nowadays is a reference city for modern Greece. During the Olympic Games of 2004, Heraklion was one of the Olympic cities.
Summer in Crete is moderate to hot, with temperatures hovering around 20-30 degrees Celsius and clouds almost nowhere. In dry south shores, sun get warmer and you should always wear hats, sunglasses and have water with you.