Crete Sights

Crete, the largest island in Greece, is called the keeper of legends and numerous mythical stories. It combines ancient cities and beautiful nature, attracting a large number of tourists.

All the sights of Crete can be divided into natural and man-made. Each of the famous places undoubtedly deserves attention. It is worth driving around them all by car, which can be rented at any hotel.

For a comfortable trip, many tourists prefer to use car rental services in Greece. The average cost of renting a car at Heraklion airport is 18 euros per day, at Chania airport - 17 euros per day.

Knossos Palace

Not far from Heraklion is the Palace of Knossos, which, according to legend, was the residence of Minos King. The territory of the palace occupies about 2 hectares, including a theater, a sanctuary, a large number of rooms (about 1500), warehouses and workshops. The construction of the palace dates back to 1900 BC. During its existence, the building was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt again.

Historians also associate the myth about Minotaur with the Palace of Knossos, according to which a labyrinth was built to hide this monster. The legend also tells about Theseus, who defeated Minotaur and saved Athenians. This myth gave the Palace of Knossos a second name - Labyrinth of Minotaur.

Toplou Monastery

The northeastern part of Crete is famous for the Toplou monastery, the second name of which is the monastery of Our Lady of Akrotiriyani. The name of the monastery, which is considered one of the most important and beautiful on the island, means "cannon" when translated from Turkish.
Toplou Monastery resembles a small fortress with a 33-meter bell tower and a 10-meter wall around the perimeter.

On the initiative of the rector Philotheos Spanoudakis, a museum was founded on the territory of the monastery, where you can admire priceless icons dating back to the 15th century, as well as various objects of church art - gilded crosses, the Gospel, seals, revolutionary banners and much more.

Arkadi Monastery

Near the city of Rethymno there is a large monastery - Arkadi monastery. The exact date of its foundation has not yet been established.It is known that the church of St. Constantine was built in the 16th century. The territory of the monastery occupies 5200 square kilometers.In the 19th century, the Arkadi monastery housed the revolutionary headquarters for the fight against the Ottoman Empire, in which many inhabitants of Crete died.Today the monastery does not operate, but every year on November 9, a ceremony is held here in memory of the dead people. In addition, a historical museum has been opened on the territory of the monastery, known for its valuable collection of icons and other interesting exhibits.

Samaria Gorge

The longest canyon in Europe is breathtaking and amazes with its beauty. The length of the Samaria Gorge is 13 km, while the width of the canyon ranges from 300 m to 3.5 km. Since 1962, the gorge has been declared a National Park, which delights visitors with rich flora and fauna.On the territory of the Samaria Gorge, St. Nicholas churches, Hosia Maria, St. Mary of Egypt have been preserved, and traditional rural houses have been reconstructed. Toilets, drinking fountains, recreation areas are equipped along the tourist trail laid in the gorge.

Fountain in Rethymnon

In Rethymnon city located one of the most famous architectural monuments is Rimondi fountain. It was built by the Venetian governor in 1626 in order to provide drinking water to the inhabitants of the city.

Rimondi Fountain is a marble wall adorned with four Corinthian columns, between which are set the heads of lions. From them, water flows into three bowls, which are located just below. The center of the fountain is decorated with the coat of arms of the governor and the inscription "Generous source", made in Latin.The fountain is still functioning today, delighting the inhabitants of the city with the desired coolness.There is also a legend that two lovers will definitely become husband and wife if they drink water from Rimondi fountain.

Frangokastello Venetian fortress

Located in the region of Chania, Frangokastello fortress was built in 1371-74. The task of the castle at that time was to protect the property of the nobles from pirates and restore order in Sfakia region. The Venetians who built the castle called it the Castle of Saint Nikita. The name Frangokastello, in translation - the castle of foreign Catholics, the fortress received from the locals, who were initially against its construction.

Frangokastello is a rectangular fortress with four towers on each corner of the building. The main gate is decorated with an engraved lion, there are also remains of the Venetian coat of arms. Previously, the fortress had 3 floors, but the ceilings, alas, have not survived to this day. The courtyard of the fortress of Frangokastello is used today for concerts in the summer.

Elafonisi beach

Translated from Greek, "elafonisi" means "deer island". This island with a famous beach is quite a bit removed from the coast (100 meters), which allows you to wade to it.Elafonisi beach is called pink because the white sand is diluted pink blotches.The sea here is warm, shallow and with clear water. The shallow depth allows you to swim here in any weather, including a storm, since there are practically no waves near the beach.

It makes no sense to argue about the importance and beauty of the listed sights of Crete. The list of famous places of the island can be supplemented by Zaros Lake, Cretan Aquarium, Styronas winery, Spinalong island, Valley of a Thousand Windmills, Gramvousa Fortress, Lefka Ori National Park and many other ancient cities, monasteries, parks and beaches. You can talk endlessly about each of these sights of Greece, but it is better to see them with your own eyes!