Greek resorts

Capital - Athens, language - modern Greek, Religion - orthodox - 97%, Moslem - 1%; Population - Greek, Currency - Euro

The best resorts

The Isle of Crete They say that mountains and the sea can be loved only together. Crete in this case is an ideal subject of love. Here, mountains grow directly from the sea, and you see them on the horizon for many kilometers before the quay or the landing strip. This chain of mountain groups penetrates Crete from the West to the East through all the length of the island of 257 km. In the West, these are Lefaka Ori ("white tops"), in the center this is Ida, and in the east, Dikti and Citia.

Crete is the biggest, most southern and extraordinary fertile island of Greece. The northern part of the island are sandy beaches, warm and quiet sea currents, owing to which water gets warm early enough. The east part is characterized by silent gulfs, picturesque hills and plateaus. In the south of the island, the coastal territory is mountainous with more cool waters and damper climate. Therefore, the resort zone is basically the whole of the coast of Crete from the western part up to the east. Crete is divided into 4 areas: Iraklion, Retimnnon, Khanya and Lassiti.

Iraklion is the central and the largest area of Crete with the most developed tourist infrastructure. In the city with the same name there is a seaport, 3 km to the east there is an international airport. Chersonessos is one of the noisiest places of Iraklion with a busy night life. In the city there are a lot of youth and amateurs of productive leisure. It is an informal capital of island tourism. It is located 26 km from the airport. The only objection is that the beach here belongs to the city and unattractive enough. Only 2 km off Chersonessos there are nicer sandy beaches in small resort settlements Stalida and Malya.

Khanya is the western area of the island. It is known for long, wide and clean sandy beaches, among which is the well-known beach with pink sand near the town of Elafonisi. Here you may find also a seaport and an airport.

Retimnon is the area of Crete located between the central and the western ones. The administrative centre of the area is the ancient city of Retimnon which is approximately 65 km far from the airports of Iraklion and Khanya. Retimnon is a resort with a lot of entertainments, a noisy night life and with a rich history. The silent and quiet resort settlements suitable for single and family rest with children, are located near to the noisy center. These are Adele and Platanyas, 5 km from Retimnon.

Lassity is the eastern area of Crete with unique landscapes. Here the most beautiful gulf of the island is located: Mirabello. The most popular resorts are: Agios Nikolaos (the "Saint-Tropez of Crete"), and the luxurious resort Elunda with magnificent hotels of only the supreme category. One of them is "Elounda Beach", which was recognized in 1999 to be the best hotel of the world. The city is located 80 km from the airport. It is protected from sea winds by a bend of the picturesque peninsula.

On Crete you may find hotels of various categories: from luxurious to the most modest ones. They are located both in resort small towns, and at some distance from them, on the coast and not only that. Besides, instead of a hotel, you may rent a country house. The choice of country houses is huge: near the coast or in mountains, in the Greek style or in European, or in the style of medieval castles, for a family or for a group of friends, comfortable or cheaper ones. The best country houses are reserved long before rest, sometimes even a year in advance.

Each tourist can find here entertainments to his or her liking: walking tours or sea trips on yachts, diving with aqualungs, magnificent discos till the morning and colorful shows, folk evenings with national music, dances and meals, and many other things that will allow to remember to you the rest on the island of your life.

Khanya harmoniously combines the romanticism of narrow labyrinths of lanes and numerous structures in the style of the Venetian and Ottoman architecture in the old city, near the port, both elegance of neoclassic and modern buildings, wide avenues and the beautiful squares, which have decorated the new district after the reunion with Greece. The Khanya area occupies the whole western part of Crete. On a significant part of the area, mountains, the White Mountains, rise. In the middle of the mountains, the picturesque Samarian Gorge is located. In the north of area there are gulfs Sudy, Khanyi and Kissama. One of the most picturesque areas of the island with the capital of the same name, an ancient city. Here, in the White Mountains (Dulaf Ori), with the height of up to 2 400 m, is the largest in Europe (18 km in length) gorge Samarya. In this area are situated fine long, wide and clean beaches, including the well-known beach with surprising pink sand in the area of town Elaphonisi. Near to this place is a small isle of Gramvus with ruins of a medieval fortress.

At the southern coast of the area there is the Venetian fortress Francocastello. A bit to the west, at the top of a rocky mountain, the ancient female monastery of unusual beauty is located. 15 km from Khanya is the ancient city of Aptera, where fragments of constructions of the 7th century are still preserved, and also a Turkish fortress.

Khanya is a true paradise for amateurs of wild nature.

Rhodes is one of the most beautiful islands of Greece. The ?harm of Rhodes is grand, and the soft climate is not the only characteristic peculiarity of the island. This island is literally spotted with wonderful coasts, bays, strips of cultivated ground and small valleys in contrast with mountain landscapes of Rhodes. Rhodes is an island of elliptic form with the total area of 1 398 sq. km. It is the fourth in size Greek island.

The climate of Rhodes is Mediterranean, with a soft winter and a cool summer. Because of the plentiful sun (300 sunny days a year) and humidity, the island is covered with abundant vegetation.

Rhodes is well-known among tourists for the comfortableness of rest and fine infrastructure of the servicing tourists, and also a variety of unlimited opportunities for cognitive recreation.

Rhodes attracts not only with the historical sights (architecture and castles of the crusaders), but it is also known by workshops for procession of marble (even the Italian firms order here procession of products for kitchens and baths).

Unique geographical landscapes, a variety of three seas washing the island and the compactness of its sizes make the isle of Rhodes an ideal vacation place, where you would like to return to once again.

Here you may plan in advance every day of your stay and make it unforgettable. This paradise island for tourists is visited by ocean cruise vessels from the USA and the Europe, which makes the level of the goods and shops of the island extraordinary high. Moreover, the prices on Rhodes are lower than in the rest of Greece, since the VAT is also lower.

The acuteness of paints and impressions is guaranteed to you.