Crete in a few Words: A Driving Tourist's Paradise
If you are planning on an exotic vacation where you intend to rent a car, Crete is definitely the perfect option for you. With more than 8,300km2 of tumultuous history and awe-inspiring landscapes, more than 1,000 kilometres of coastline bordering four different seas and car hire in Crete as cheap as you could possibly find in a well-known tourist destination, it is the ideal place to go whether you want to have an unforgettable cultural experience, admire mesmerising panoramas or just lay in the sun and swim on a lazy afternoon.
All you need to do to live all of these unique experiences is to rent a car – Crete will be at your feet. Or wheels, actually. Your starting point can be any of the three major airports on the island, as car hire in Crete is available almost everywhere. From there, you can set off towards one of the three mountainous ranges spanning the island from east to west. In the White Mountains, or Lefka Ori, located in the western prefecture of Chania, you will be amazed by the more than 50 gorges, with the best views offered by the renowned Samaria Gorge. Going eastwards, you will then cross the Idi Range, with the legendary Mount Ida, Crete's highest peak, legendary sanctuary of Titaness Rhea and childhood hiding place of Zeus, at Idaion cave. A further drive eastwards will end your journey with the Dikti Mountains, with Diktaion Antron cave, known according to some legends as the birthplace of Zeus.
Legendary places and marvellous views are not the only treat you will come across if you decide to hire a car in Crete. More than 130,000 years of history will unveil themselves to you starting with neolithic settlements at Kephala, which was even larger than the Bronze Age Knossos palace later built there. Speaking of which, Crete is also home to Europe's oldest advanced civilisation, the Minoans, with their legendary birth place at Gortys, on the edge of the Lybian Sea as a result of an affair between Zeus and Europa. It remains to this day an important archaeological site, with the Roman Praetorium, built in the early period of Rome's, and later the Byzantine Empire's, rule of the island, being an important tourist attraction. However, the main centre of the Minoans laid 45 kilometres further north, where you can easily get via the accessible roads if you rent a car in Crete, where the aforementioned Knossos palace near Iraklion, home to the legendary King Minos and his Minotaur, represent to this day one of the major visiting objectives for the island.
But not only the neolithic civilisations, the Minoans and the Romans or the Byzantine rule should attract you on this history-filled island. Iraklion's History Museum of Crete and Archaeological Museum, as well as its architecture will also offer wonderful insights into the Venetian and Ottoman periods in the island's history, as will Chania, whose old town is considered the most beautiful urban district on the island due to its strong Venetian architectural influences – a definite must-see. And, at only 145 kilometres west of Iraklion, it's only a short drive away if you opt for car hire in Crete. Halfway through, you will drive through Rethymno, with its Venetian Fortalezza as one of the best-preserved castles on the island and the Loggia both worth a view. In the east, Agios Nikolaos on the northern coast, bordering the Sea of Crete, and Ierapetra on the southern coast will both be accessible by car to offer their share of spectacular Minoan, Roman and Venetian archaeological and architectural wonders to the eye, making it all the more worthwhile to rent a car in Crete.
Finally, if you just want your fair share of sunbathing and swimming, Crete is the perfect destination. Apart from the superb beaches in all of the already-mentioned cities, where history-filled streets merge with hot summer afternoons at the seaside, fantastic swimming places can also be found from Kissamos to Sitia and from Paleochora to Ierapetra, or even on the small neighbouring islands of Dia, Gavdos or Koufonisi. Just rent a car and Crete's famous beaches will all be within a short driving distance.
All in all, this is Greece's most famous island in just a few words: rich history, astonishing natural landscapes and perfect beaches with perfect waters, all scattered around the island and hardly accessible unless you invest in a car hire in Crete. You will find that it is the most worthwhile option if you want to make the most of your vacation here and not only lie around in the sun, but also learn the history and mythology of one of the oldest modern civilisations on the planet.
Last update: 26/04/2011
