“Steeped in Homeric history and culture, scented by wild fennel and basil, Crete spoils visitors with its wealth of myths, legends and history, a blessed and dramatic landscape, an extraordinary fusion of past and present, and an abundance of choices and experiences. Its stunning mountain ranges are dotted with caves and sliced by dramatic gorges, and its rugged interior is blanketed in olive groves, wild flowers and aromatic herbs. Breathtaking drives along the rugged coast lead to a sun drenched paradise of long sandy beaches and isolated coves.”  Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com)
Geography.  Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the southest part of Europe, located at approximately 35° N 24° E. The island has an elongated shape - 260 km from east to west. It covers an area of 8,336 km² and has a coastline of 1046 km. Its population is 650,000 people (as of 2005). Principal cities are Heraklion (150,000 inhabitants), Chania (70,000 inhabitants), Rethymno (35,000 inhabitants) and Agios Nikolaos (20,000 inhabitants). Although Crete is famous for its beautiful sandy beaches and rocky coves, the up-county regions are mountainous and are defined by a high mountain range crossing the island from West to East, formed by three different groups of mountains. The peak of the Idi range particularly  has the 2nd highest prominence in Greece and the 8th in Europe (Psiloritis, 2,456 m). These mountains gifted Crete with fertile plateaus, caves and gorges like the famous Gorge of Samaria. Crete Region (http://www.crete-region.com) Climate.  The climate of Crete is probably the mildest in Europe. During summer, average temperatures are in the high 20's-low 30's (Celsius). The strong northwesterly wind, the meltemi, moderates even the hottest months of July and August. Rainfall is rare during the summer months. Autumn is Crete´s mildest season, when temperatures are often higher than in spring. Even in winter, temperature is rarely below 10 C, while average is 15 to 20 C. Economy. The economy of Crete, which was mainly based on farming, started changing visibly during the 1970s. While there is still an emphasis on farming and stock breeding, due to the climate and the terrain of the island, there is a big increase on the services industry (mainly tourism related). As in other regions of Greece, olive growing is also a significant industry. Unemployment is at approximately 4%. Crete shows one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. Tourism.  Crete is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe. Fifteen percent of all arrivals in Greece come through the city of Heraklion (port and airport), while charter flights to Iraklion were last year 20% of the total of charter flights in Greece. In sum more than two million tourists visited Crete in 2006. The tourism infrastructure in Crete caters to all tastes. There is accommodation of every possible category, from large luxury hotels with all the facilities (swimming pools, sports and recreation facilities etc.), to smaller family owned apartments, to camping facilities. Visitors can arrive at the island through two international airports in Heraklion and Chania, or by boat to the ports of Heraklion, Chania, Rethimno and Agios Nikolaos. Other major tourism destinations are Chersonisos, Elounda and Malia. Greek National Tourism Organisation (http://www.gnto.gr)
Heraklion	Chania
History. Crete was the centre of Europe's most ancient civilization, the Minoan, flourishing from approximately 2700 to 1450 BC. The palace-complex at Knossos is the most famous Minoan site. Other palace sites in Crete are Phaistos, Gortys and Malia. The Roman occupation came in 69AC and lasted until 330AC, followed by the Byzantine era. In the partition of the Byzantine empire Crete was eventually acquired by Venice, which held it for more than four centuries. During the 17th century, Venice was pushed out of Crete by the  Ottoman Empire. In the 19th century Crete became a free independent state and then united with Greece. In World War II, Crete provided the setting for the famous Battle of Crete (May 1941),  which was unique as it was the first mainly airborne invasion in history, and it was the first time invading German troops encountered mass resistance from a civilian population. The battle introduced a revolutionary form of warfare and had a significant impact on the course of events of the Second World War. Beaches. With a coastline of more than 1,000 km, Crete has hundreds of beaches of all shapes and types. Seventy eight of them have been awarded with the blue flag by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe, an award based on quality of water, safety and enviromental management (http://www.blueflag.org/). Nine of those beaches are within 15 km distance from Analipsi. Cretan Cuisine.  The famous Cretan cuisine has a significant role in the island’s culture and identity. Based on olive oil, local vegetables, herbs, meat and dairy products, Cretan diet is not only aromatic and tasteful, but also extremely healthy. Scientists consider the Cretan diet and the climate as the reasons for long living and good health, as the residents of the island have the lowest mortality rates internationally and the less heart attack or cancer diseases.