Country Overview:

You are unlikely to find a more charming and beautiful location than Crete. From the life and vitality of the old town of Hania to the medieval mountain villages, from the sun-drenched sandy beaches with their all-year-round sunshine to the Minoan ruins of Knossos - Crete seems to offer everything. The wild landscapes of the interior and the majestically unspoiled hiking opportunities of the nearby Samaria Gorge can make you forget that you are never more than a few miles from a palm-fringed beach.

The largest of the Greek islands is easily reachable by flight or ferry from Athens. Flights from Athens to Chania (airport code: CHQ) are reasonably priced, leave several times a day and take just 40 minutes. Fast and slow ferries are also available if you would prefer to take your time and cruise across the Aegean to Chania's local port.

The weather is mild throughout the winter and normally warm enough to sit outside at the cafés in shirtsleeves all through the year. During the summer the temperature can rise to 100° F, but the fact that you’re never far from a palm-fringed beach helps to make this a little more bearable. There is almost no rain at all between June and September. However, while the winter is not exactly wet, one does get the occasional thunderstorm between November and March.