The Greek Orthodox Christmas traditions have different secularization elements compared to international customs; for example, Santa Claus (as in Saint Nicolaus) doesn’t come the night before Christmas, but on December 6, the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of sailors and
If you visit Hersonissos by day, you’ll notice tourists walking around, sitting in seafront tavernas and cafes, or shopping. Yet the town keeps an appearance of calm and tranquility. But, of course, things change around sunset when the first beats fill the air: it’s time for techno, hous
On Crete Island, take advantage of the many opportunities you must enjoy an active holiday. Horseback riding is highly in demand during the warmer seasons, after the rains of the Cretan winter subside. No matter where on the island you choose to vacation, you will find stables offering horseback rid
At the Lychnostatis Open Air Museum, Cretans celebrate their living heritage, traditions, and ethnology. Those visiting Crete for the first time and interested in folk culture and nature will find the museum’s structure and exhibits fascinating. The Lychnostatis Open Air Museum is in Thesi Pla
Discover the spa at Alexander Beach Hotel & Village Resort: an escape from the life-disrupting hassles that cause stress and tension and damage your inner balance. Instead, the spa experience will enhance your vacation on Crete Island with a fully merited dose of wellness. Begin with the treatme
High up overlooking Lassithi Plateau on Mt. Dikti (Lasithiotika Ori), where Amaltheia reared baby Zeus with her goat’s milk, the Katharo Plateau is a hidden wonder of Crete. At an elevation of 1150 meters above sea level, this is the island’s highest plateau and truly the table of the island’s
Many visitors to Crete do not realize the island offers hiking experiences like no other. In all, there are more than 440 hiking routes on Greece’s largest island. In the countryside surrounding Malia, you will find several unique footpaths leading past wonderful nature and sporting spectacular vi
Known as Sfakia to most, this village on Crete’s south coast should be on every traveller’s itinerary. An exhilarating drive through the White Mountains from Chania or Rethymno (the journey from either takes less than 90 minutes) there’s something uniquely welcoming about this former tiny fish
You will find Episkopi, a traditional Cretan village in a beguiling natural setting, about eighteen kilometers southeast of the Cretan capital Heraklion. It sits about 350 above sea level on a hill surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Alongside herding, viticulture and olive growing are the mai
Mochos is a picturesque hamlet twelve kilometers from Malia on the way to the Lasithi Plateau. It is about 40 kilometers from Heraklion, Crete’s capital, and easily accessible by car. Favored by tourists for its rural appeal, Mochos has plenty to offer to justify a day trip. Here are some of the m
