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Currency
Foreign Currency Exchange: Please visit www.Moneycorp.co.uk for all the information required. Moneycorp is part of the UK's premier foreign exchange services group - TTT Moneycorp Ltd. Finance: We recommend Conti Financial Services "for completely independent and impartial advice". Email: enquiries@conti-financial.com or visit their web site www.overseasandukfinance.com.
About Crete
Crete is the largest of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean, and is situated on the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, some 256 km long, and between 15 and 30 km wide. Historically Crete is the most significant of the Greek islands, where over 4000 years ago, Minoan civilization gave rise to the birth of European culture. The main archaeological sites include the ancient Minoan Palaces at Phaestos, Gortina and Knossos, King Minos' palace, where legend tells of how Ariadne saved Theseus from the Minotaur.
Crete is an exceptionally beautiful land with a diverse landscape - long sandy beaches, tall proud mountains, rich valleys, fertile planes, steep gorges, sheltered harbours... there is something for everyone.
Generally speaking, the West of the island is less developed, as the land is more fertile and is used mainly for agricultural production. Cretan olive oil is known for its quality and is thought to be the reason why the Cretan diet is said to be one of the healthiest in the world. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, mandarins, bergamot, pomegranates, bananas and avocadoes grow in abundance, as well as various types of wine grapes and all kinds of garden vegetables. Many different cheeses are also produced and potatoes and grain crops thrive on the fertile, mountainous planes.
In the springtime, Crete is a wonderful place to be and its rich variety of flower and fauna attract botanists and wild flower lovers from afar. Aromatic and medicinal herbs spread, in abundance over the hillsides and are sold for pennies in local markets. The island's multiform landscape and abundant wildlife also make walking, climbing and all kinds of water sports popular activities.
Much more than just beautiful countryside, however, Crete has another, more contemporary face to its character. The towns of Rethymnon and Chania, in particular, are bustling with activity. There are a wide variety of shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, cinemas and all the facilities of modern European towns, while only a few miles away traditional Cretan villages slumber in the afternoon sunshine as though time did not exist.
Crete is a unique place, even in Greece, and the Cretans are renowned for their independent spirit. They are also, however, fiercely proud of their "filoxenia" (Filos = friend, Xenos = foreigner). The people of Crete have an easy, natural way of making visitors and newcomers to their island feel welcome in the community. A bag of oranges or a few ripe, red tomatoes found on your doorstep one morning will no doubt be from a friendly neighbour, and to be invited to join in a family celebration or Saint's day festival in the village square is considered no more than a common courtesy. Nothing is ever too much trouble and a solution to any problem can always be found; a couple of glasses of the potent local Raki breaking through any language barrier! The climate provides for the cultivation of olives, grapes, carobs, miniature bananas, melons, peaches, avocados, oranges, tomatoes and numerous kinds of mountain greens (horta) to name a few. The most important, the olive tree, has grown on Crete since Mycenaean times and you will see trees everywhere in the countryside of Chania. An olive tree will flower in April with its first fruit visible by May. In October nets are spread out under the trees and from the beginning of November onwards the ripe olives fall. Since the oil here is so plentiful and of such good quality it is used extensively in cooking. The best grade oil is from the first pressing. In the past oil presses were huge vats in which a round stone was turned manually. Nowadays this is done by machine and the oil is extracted by hydraulic presses. Lesser grade oil is used for soap, creams and fuel.
For further information about the wonderful island of Crete we recommend www.creta-info.gr