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A glance at the map shows that the scattered islands of the Cyclades group are indeed the heart of Greece itself. The white cubist architecture of islands such as Mykonos has come to signify the essence of Greece for the rest of the world, but on islands such as Crete the Venetian influence is evident in the pastel-washed houses of the harbour fronts.
Beneath it all, something far more ancient lies; something whose origins are lost in time but that is still visible in the mysterious Minoan palaces of Crete, and in the evocative ruins that cover every inch of Delos, lying off Mykonos. Perhaps the phrase ‘the cradle of civilisation’ is not so inappropriate here. Civilisation, however, has grown up and while the fascination with our origins remains, people want to be amused on holiday as well as educated. In Mykonos, certainly, there is no lack of heady entertainment in summer, while Crete, almost too big to be called an island, has something for everyone, whether it is to ponder on the past or take advantage of superb beaches and challenging terrain for sports of all kinds.
Our Crete Recommendations:
• The island of Spinalonga is only five minutes by boat from Elounda, a leper colony until 1957 it is dominated by the ruin of a Venetian fortress. It is the setting for Victoria Hislop’s recently published novel ‘The Island’
• The Plateau of Lasithi can be explored by car or mountainbike. Scattered with countless windmills, the heritage of its important agricultural past, it is also home to a great number of utterly fascinating ancient towns dating back to early Minoan times. Here too, is the Cave of Dicteion, where legend has it that Zeus was born
• The sunken city of Olous, from which Elounda takes its name, provides some wonderful snorkeling opportunities
• Make a late afternoon visit to the enchanting village of Kritsa, explore the ruined city of Lato, and watch the sun slide into the waters of the glorious Mirabello Bay
• The Samara Gorge in north western Crete is the longest river gorge in Europe, almost 18km (12 miles) long. It begins in the mountains and runs out through sheer limestone walls that almost meet in places, to the sea, with a tumbling stream of clear, drinkable water running through lush vegetation. A shorter route is possible, but hiking boots are necessary for both routes. Hiring a car is probably the easiest way to get to the gorge
• A visit to one of the ancient Minoan palaces such as Knossos near Heraklion is not to be missed – legend says that Theseus slew the Minotaur here
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