Cretan beaches and friends dancing

I found this video in the Internet and wanted to share it with you :) I'm still smiling :)

Nice music, beautiful beaches, people dancing :)

Interested in special car rental deals in Crete?

Interested in special car rental deals in Crete?

Picture taken from www.interkriti.org

Founded in December 1984, Anna Cars has prospered by concentrating on offering quality car rental services at exceptionally low rates.

The car rental company Anna Cars, offers organized servicing and gives you the chance to explore the whole island of Crete, in a safe, comfortable and qualitative manner.

In order to suit every demand, every year we add a wide variety of modern and maintained models to our fleet like mini bus, air-conditioned cars and open jeeps.

The car is delivered in a destination chosen by our client -airport, port, hotel, residence or work place- by a company employee who will answer any question the client may have.

In the 21 years of operation, Anna Cars has provided service to more than 100.000 clients, a fact that places the company at the top of the list of the car-rental business. This is not only due to the quality of the services provided, but it is a result of offering high quality services at competitive and affordable prices.             

Thank you for your interest in Anna Cars - Car Rental Services in Crete!

Special Deals

SUV Skoda Yeti

FROM € 40 daily We provide 24hrs. Free delivery and Collection to and from Heraklion Airport, Harbour, Hotel or Apartment. ::::: The offer is not valid from the 5th of July to the 15th of September:::: 

Audi A3 Cabriolet

FROM € 50 daily. For more informations please contact with us. SPECIAL OFFERS FOR ONLINE RESERVATIONS. We provide 100% Fully Comprenhesive Insurance,Free Delivery and Collection to and from Heraklion Airport, Harbour,Hotel or Apartment. 

Suzuki Jeep Jimny soft top

Price from € 33 daily. We provide 24hrs. Free delivery and Collection to and from Heraklion Airport, Harbour, Hotel or Apartment. ::::: The offer is not valid from the 5th of July to the 15th of September:::: 

http://www.annacars.gr/index.asp?pageid=29&langid=en&mid=4 

World's Best Place to Visit: Crete | U.S. News Travel

World's Best Place to Visit: Crete | U.S. News Travel

World's Best Places to Visit

Sometimes, when the travel bug strikes, the only cure is to pack your bags and go. But where to? We've compiled a list of our favorite spots from across the globe. Our list includes the most popular places and we're adding new destinations all the time, so don't worry if your favorite spot didn't make the cut. Check back soon to see if your dream vacation makes the list. (for obvious reasons, we'll only deal with Crete here :-)

Sitia Promenade

Fortunately, Sitia remains under the radar from developers and crowds of tourists.

Crete Travel Tips

If there was one word to describe the Greek island of Crete, it would be "diverse." Sandy beaches hide amongst soaring mountains, palm-tree forests grow in the middle of sprawling plains, bustling modern cities share coastline with ancient ruins. And speaking of cities -- in Crete they reflect the people that came before; the streets are lined with architecture mirroring the styles of the Minoans, the Venetians, the Ottomans as well as contemporary Greeks. Despite the visible contrasts, this island maintains a sense of unity felt whenever you step onto the street, dine at a local taverna or enjoy a glass of raki at a sidewalk café.

Crete's experiences are as assorted as its history, so take some time to decide what type of vacation you're looking to have before you set anything in stone. For a more urban setting and a variety of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, consider staying along the northern coast in Chania or Heraklion. Those who prefer the great outdoors should head to the southern areas of Chania and Rethymnon for the hiking opportunities and many beautiful beaches.

Plakias, Crete

http://travel.usnews.com/Crete_Greece/Travel_Tips/ 

Δεινόσαυροι Στην Κρήτη – Dinos in Crete « Candia

Δεινόσαυροι Στην Κρήτη – Dinos in Crete « Candia

Continuing their wonder at the biggest European cities, the giants of Argentina arrived to thrill the inhabitants and visitors of Crete. You will find in this exhibition full dinosaur’s skeletons and life reconstructions, the biggest carnivore dinosaur that ever inhabited the planet along with the smallest, the earliest with the latest, Cretaceous birds that could not fly, dinosaurs that would learn to fly, and much more.

The exhibition will be hosted at the Natural History Museum of Crete, University of Crete, from March till August 2012, and is co-organised by the Natural History Museum of Crete, the Grupo Cultural SRL, the Region of Crete and the Friends of Natural History Museum of Crete.

Opening day for public 6th of March 2012.

Visit the exhibition’s site http://www.dinosincrete.gr/

Here below you can watch a video about the exhibition, as broadcasted by the local TV channel KRITI TV:
http://vimeo.com/37818918

http://candia.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/dinos-in-crete/#ENGdino

Ferries to Lasithi, Lasithi Travel Guide - Beaches

Ferries to Lasithi, Lasithi Travel Guide - Beaches

The seaside village of Xerokambos is 9 km from Zakros. Its golden sandy beach is spotlessly clean.

The sandy beach of Vai is located beside the only palm forest in Europe with over 5,000 palms. Vai is located in the most eastern part of Crete, close to the village of Paleokastro. 

Koufonissi is a small deserted islet in the Libyan Sea south of Goudouras. There are Minoan ruins, sand dunes and beautiful beaches.

Travel information for Ferries.
Ships and Ferries to Lasithi - Crete Island.
Lasithi and the Crete island in general are connected
to the port of Piraeus. There are evening departures
to the ports of Lasithi (Souda), Rethymno, Heraklion
and Agios Nikolaos every day, all year long.
In addition, there are ferry connections from Crete
ferry to the Cycladic islands of Ios, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Mykonos, Amorgos, Milos and also to the islands of Kythira, Karpathos, Rhodes, Kos, and basically all Dodecanese and East Aegean Islands via a third island.
Your trip to Crete can be with a conventional ferry boat or Highspeed depending on the day, the time and the ferry company you wish to travel with.
Your trip to Crete, Chania will last approximately 7-8 hours and to Heraklion 8-9 hours, travelling during the night, whereas the same daily trip lasts 5 and 6 hours respectively. If you decide to visit Rhodes first, you
can reach Heraklion through Sitia's port (Karpathos,
St Nikolaos) and your trip will last approximately 12
hours. From the island of Santorini the trip to Heraklion with a high speed ferry will last no more than 2.30 hours
Ferries from Piraeus to Crete run all year round on a
daily basis. However, during the summer, Easter and holidays in general there is an additional daily route
for you to choose, according to the increased demand.
1. Piraeus - Crete Agios Nikolaos
Sitia
2. Piraeus - Crete Chania
3. Piraeus - Crete Heraklion
4. Piraeus - Rethymno
5. Piraeus - Paros - Naxos - Santorini
Crete Heraklion
6. Piraeus - Milos - Crete Rethymno
7. Gythion - Kythira - Crete Kissamos
8. Mykonos - Santorini - Crete Heraklion
9. Rhodes - Karpathos - Crete Sitia
Agios Nikolaos
Attention !
The above mentioned information is subject to alteration. To be sure about correct schedules, departure and arrival times of conventional and highspeed ferries check the ONLINE Booking System. Click here. 

http://www.ferries-greece.com/greek_islands/crete_island/lasithi_ferries/lasithi_beaches.asp 

Lessons from the back-roads of Crete | Neos Kosmos

Lessons from the back-roads of Crete | Neos Kosmos

23 Aug 2010

THOMAS ANDRONAS

Crete is Greece's biggest island and home to its third-biggest city, Iraklio.

It's most heavily populated along its northern coast where thousands of tourists, mostly Scandinavian, flock during the summer months to soak up the rays and party in Rethymno and Chania, where the nightlife, with its abundant bars, are at a comfortable distance from the beach. If you're looking for more of an adventure hit the road, as there are many lessons to be learnt along the way.

Lesson 1: The beach at Preveli, less than an hour's drive south of Rethymno is worth the trip, if you don't mind working for your swim.

Frequented mostly by day-tripping tourists, the beach is well serviced by public buses and is (almost) accessible by car, the rugged terrain requiring a challenging half-hour hike down the cliffs from the car park to the beach. There you'll find nothing more than a cantina serving drinks and snacks, and crystal clear waters that are certainly worth the effort. But like anything, Preveli is what you make it. If you're looking for a less touristy experience and you're not averse to stretching out your sleeping bag on pointy jagged rocks, consider staying the night. Admittedly, rocks do not make comfortable beds, but the banter and frivolity around the campfire with other like-minded travelers is worth the discomfort, and if you drink enough wine you won't even notice the shards jabbing you in the spine. On your way back the next day pull over at the arch about ten minutes back up the road and take a hike up the gorge, where a 2km rock-hop reveals fresh-water springs gushing from caves that dot the gorge walls. Along the way you're likely to encounter the handful of hippies who make their way each summer to live in the gorge. Most are friendly, though respecting their space is probably a good idea, especially when they're wearing nothing but a pair of zebra-print budgie-smugglers.

Lesson 2: After driving the brutally rough 7km dirt road to get there, and completing the pain-staking 2km hike down the cliffs, you could be forgiven for expecting you'd be alone on the beach at Balos.

Arriving there just before nightfall the beach is deserted and there's just enough light to collect firewood before settling in for the night. In contrast to Preveli, the beach at Balos is wide and sandy, and surprisingly comfortable to sleep on. Stargazing here is unavoidable as the night sky is illuminated by millions of bright dots and shooting stars. By morning however, the mystique and tranquility of the place is shattered by the thousands of tourists that converge their via ferry from nearby Gramvousa, proving that Balos is best enjoyed by night.

Lesson 3: If while you're walking the road to Kourna Lake, 3km from Georgioupolis on the island's northern coast, a young man stops to offer you a lift in his ute, take it, chances are it will end at Marko's Place.

A small tavern on the banks of the lake run by the namesake and his four brothers, Marko's serves only fresh local produce, the majority of which is grown at the family farm. Marko takes great pride in showing his guests true Cretan hospitality, including plenty of his homemade raki, which despite its potency is smooth and syrupy. Before ordering your meal, be sure to ask Marko what's on the specials menu. If he says moussaka, order it, he'll gladly guarantee you've never tasted anything like it. The majestic blue waters of the fresh-water Kourna Lake are worth a look as well. Bring your swimming gear.

Lesson 4: Turning off the New National Road, which runs from Sitia to Kissamos and services most of Crete's main towns, is done at your own risk.

Picture this, for example: seven people cram themselves and all their luggage into a Holden Zafira and take the Paleochora turn-off from Elafonisi, on Crete's south-western tip. Elafonisi is a tourist town featuring a long stretch of umbrella-studded beach, smothered in Italian tourists by day that disappear to unknown places at night, as the town has only three tavernas and a handful of rooms to rent. As the crow flies, the much bigger and livelier Paleochora is relatively close-by but by road requires either a 2-hour detour or a shorter, riskier off-road diversion. It's a 32km drive through the mountains and after 150-metres of asphalt-paved bliss the road turns to dirt, complete with jagged rocks. About 3km later the Zafira decides it's going no further as it struggles up a mild incline. The seven occupants pile out in the hopes of willing their little car further but to no avail, so they turn around and head back to Elafonisi, defeated. On the way back down the hill a tyre pops, an appropriate end to a rough day's drive.

Lesson 5: Crete is full of hidden treasures that can easily be found by looking a little beyond the norm.

Indeed, even the well-trodden path can be enjoyed in new ways that can make your experience of a place so far removed from the average tourist's, that it's difficult to believe you've been to the same place. Give it a go, it's worth the effort.

http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/node/9563
http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/node/9563?page=2 

People of Heraklion, a few photos :)

I lived in Heraklion last winter and I liked a lot to go for walks to the port... Here are the photos of people I saw there:

When you see people dressed that way in February, you immediately know that they are not local :))))

Stalis Beach on Crete Island, Greece

Stalis is just half an hour away from Heraklion City and "Nikos Kazantzakis" airport.

It ie less than 10 minutes away from Malia and Hersonissos.

The location is ideal for exploring the central and easter part of Crete Island.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/23vVE7/www.traveldudes.org/travel-tips/phrases-5-common-languages-know-when-traveling-europe/12580/ 

Red Beach - Matala - Crete

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2F1WFB/www.expatify.com/advice/10-best-places-to-live-for-escaping-world-conflict.html/

Red Beach, Crete, Greece

This beach is located in Southern Crete, and is accessible via boat or hiking through rocks to a goat fence with a gate! Make sure to go prepared to this beach, as there is nowhere to purchase food or drink. Most of the nudity can be found on the north area of the beach with the rock sculptures. 

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2F1WFB/www.expatify.com/advice/10-best-places-to-live-for-escaping-world-conflict.html/ 

I want to go with Oh to Venice

My 5-point wish list:

Gondola
Museums
Italian Dishes
Friendship
Night life

This is how you can win 4 fantastic prizes with Oh's Facebook competition!

Since 1997 thousands of travellers have chosen to 'Go with Oh', trusting them to provide others with their ideal holiday accomodation.

With 10 destinations and counting, which city do you think they should head to next?

Tell them on Facebook for your chance to win...

iPad 2-16GB
500 Euro: Holiday accomodation worth 500 Euro
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3K
Samsonite luggage worth 500 Euro

www.GowithOh.com

Your chance to 'Go with Oh'

1 month – 4 cities – your accommodation FREE
No matter what you blog about, if you’re passionate about travel and are at a bit of a loose end this autumn/winter, this is the competition for you.

Hot on the heels of Sherry Ott, you could be the next ´Go with Oh´ guest blogger. We’ll put you up in our holiday rental apartments in up to four European destinations, allowing you to experience local life at a grass-roots level. You’ll be our man in Havana – or Europe, in this case.

You’re welcome to take a friend along with you, and we’ll decide exactly which four cities you’ll be going to between us. The month’s stint takes place in autumn/winter 2012, but we’re pretty flexible about dates within the 4-month period.

What will you be doing? In a word, sharing. Our community of followers and fans on all the major social media channels will be with you along the way, as you post your tips, photos, videos and overall impressions of each city.

Entering is easy!
All you have to do is create a blog post and then tweet the URL. Our favourite entry gets to ‘Go with Oh’ in autumn/winter 2012.

http://www.gowithoh.com/blogger-competition/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=bianca&utm_content=event&utm_campaign=gowithoh

Sky Park, Rethymno

Kalimera! 

The SkyPark web site is just 13 years old but already needs to be renovated again, for the fourth time now. 

In particular because more and more guests come to the SkyPark who found it on the Internet and then get slightly astonished as the old description does not any more meet reality: There meanwhile are just too many changes.

Indeed, the SkyPark is not quite an ordinary pub but somehow out of the common. 

Most of the people from North, West and Middle Europe who settled down at Rethymnon meet here, and they unobtrusively mingle among the tourists and enjoy their times. 

Nobody can exactly say why they visit exactly the SkyPark (a.k.a. "The Bar").

After all, the SkyPark at  Platanias near Rethymnon on the island of  Crete looks rather plain from outside. One has surely to go inside in order to really discover it. 

Passing the bar and going further to the rear one comes into the garden - or rather the restaurant. 

That is why they call it the SkyPark: Gardens in the open air.


This makes sense because there are as good as no clouds over Rethymnon from early June until late September and therefore it virtually never rains. Whoever wants to shovel snow during wintertime has to go for an excursion to the mountains.


The menu includes all essential things ranging from typical Greek dishes up to the international cuisine. 

Very pleasant is that the innkeeper has ingeniously adapted some Cretan dishes to foreign taste. During wintertime he uses to travel to other countries for some weeks in order to collect new ideas. 

And of course he himself supervises the kitchen.


http://www.skypark-creta.com/photos/

The SkyPark roughly divides into 4 parts: The Restaurant (in the garden), the Bar, the Grilleion and the Internet Cafe "Senses".


http://www.skypark-creta.com/taverna/

Next is the 2^nd department which is the bar - in the innkeeper's opinion the SkyPark's heart.

http://www.skypark-creta.com/thebar/

The kafeneion (pronounced as ka-fai-NEE-on) was the SkyPark's basic unit years ago. 

Then they changed it into a grill, so now it is a Gril-LEE-on. 

During the season, it also provides the restaurant with the Greek grill specialties such as Gyros (one of the best on the scene), Souvlaki, Bifteki etc.

http://www.skypark-creta.com/grill/

Since 2008, the SkyPark includes the Internet Cafe "Senses" as well. 

Each of the 5 workstations has a 19 inch flat screen in 16 x 9 shape, a camera and a microphone as well as DSL connection. 

Furthermore, you can connect your laptop to the wireless LAN, inside as well as outside on the terrace.

http://www.skypark-creta.com/netcafe/

ΑΝΤΙΚΥΘΗΡΑ. Η ΓΟΗΤΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΜΟΝΑΞΙΑΣ

Andikithira: the charm of loneliness.

http://www.visitkythera.gr/en/

Welcome to Kythera!
Welcome to Kythera, the idyllic birthplace of Aphrodite, a window in the middle of the Mediterranean. Walk in the paths of the heart and secret loves.



http://www.visitkythera.gr/en/multimedia/images.html



The History of Kythera


According to Hesiod’s myth, Aphrodite was born in the sea of Kythera.


According to Hesiod the sea of Kythera is the birthplace of goddess Aphrodite (Venus). Gaia (the Earth) wanted to punish her husband Uranus (the Sky) for forcing her to keep her children within the bowels of the Earth, so she called on them to help her get rid of their “wild” father. Cronus took a weapon and severed his father’s genital organs, which fell into the sea of Kythera. The foam thus formed traveled by force of wind to the island of Cyprus, where Aphrodite came forth...



http://www.visitkythera.gr/en/culture/history.html



The Kytherians


Kythera has always been a crossroads of civilizations and peoples in the Mediterranean. The sea routes between the East and the West pass through here, and control of the Sea of Kythera was of great strategic importance for any kingdom or empire at the time.  The various waves of invaders almost always brought their whole families with them in order to colonize the island.  Those who came here mingled with the indigenous populations, and as a result Kythera is a small medley of civilizations and peoples.  Today, you can still find inhabitants bearing Venetian family names or others with the name "Kasimatis", which originates from Constantinople.  Colonization took place in small numbers but was steady throughout the centuries, thus forging the "Kytherean" people...



http://www.visitkythera.gr/en/culture/people.html



Useful Information about Kythera
Where is Kythera?

Kythera is located south of Greece, at the crossroads of three seas (Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea and Cretan Sea).  In other terms, it is located between Peloponnese and Crete. From an administrative point of view the island belongs to the region of Attica (county of Piraeus) but historically speaking it is part of the Eptanissa (the seven islands of the Ionian Sea). Kythera is a municipal corporation that includes 13 geographical counties covering an area of 284 km².  The 13 counties are administratively represented by local councils. Kythera's population is approximately 4,000.
From a geographical point of view Kythera is part of the Alpine chain, specifically the southern branch of the Tethysian system that extends from the Dinaric Alps to the Taurus Mountains in Syria. Simply put, Kythera is a major gateway to the Aegean Sea from the central and western Mediterranean Sea.
The coastline of Kythera is approximately 90 km long (49 Nm).  It is at 80 km (43 Nm) from Crete, 21 km (12 Nm) from Neapoli and 200 km (108 Nm) from Piraeus. The geographical coordinates of Kythera are 36.8° latitude north and 22.6° longitude east.
Where is Antikythera?

Antikythera is Kythera's little sister and is located southeast of Kythera and northwest of Crete.  The small island is administratively attached to Attica; it has an area of approximately 20 km² and a population of approximately 45.  Its geographical coordinates are 35.3° latitude north and 23.2° longitude east.

http://www.visitkythera.gr/en/information/practicalinfo.html

http://www.visitkythera.gr/en/

Working in Crete

Working in Crete

Amirandes Beach Hotel in Gouves! I wonder if they let you take a dip here when you're off-duty, he, he.

Jobincrete.com

Jobincrete.com

Map taken from www.zorbas.gr

http://www.zorbas.gr/map-of-crete-greece.html

Minos Imperial Luxury Beach Resort & Spa

About.com: http://www.minosimperial.com/careers.aspx

Contact Details
Minos Imperial Luxury Beach Resort & Spa Milatos, Crete, Greece 72400
Tel.: +302841065000
Fax: +302841081300
E-mail: info@minosimperial.com

The Resort

Minos Imperial is set in the Emerald Bay of the traditional fishing village of Milatos which is 45 km from Heraklion Airport, in the heart of Eastern Crete.
The village of Milatos has the reputation of a seafood heaven by locals and it is therefore the finest choice to experience genuine fresh quality seafood with its taverns right on the sea making it an ideal site to unwind.
The resort consists of 350 accommodation units. All rooms and suites are ideally created for couples or families the majority of which have a panoramic sea view over the Aegean. Since the accommodations' preference may vary from one guest to another there is a wide selection of choices to welcome you.
The resort is covering a total area of 190.000 sqm, surrounded by picturesque gardens, waterfalls, palm trees, olive trees a lagoon and numerous pools.
Minos Imperial is the perfect choice for a memorable luxury hotel experience offering genuine hospitality and a truly unforgettable service.
The hotel management retains the right to make changes to all facilities and services mentioned in this description without prior notice.

Location
Milatos is located beyond Sissi and is a traditional fishing village, quiet with narrow streets and traditional houses. It lies on the north east coast of Crete about 20 mins. west of Agios Nikolaos.
Agios Nikolaos is a coastal town of the island of Crete known as a tourist town. It is located north of the town of Ierapetra. Agios Nikolaos means Saint Nicholas and is the patron saint of sailors.
Elounda is one of Crete's finest holiday resorts. It lies on the shore of Mirabello Gulf and is located approximately 9km north of Agios Nikolaos.
http://www.minosimperial.com/location.aspx

Company Overview
Awarded five star Deluxe Resort

Minos Imperial is set in the Emerald Bay of the traditional fishing village of Milatos which is 45 km from Heraklion Airport, in the heart of Eastern Crete.

The village of Milatos has the reputation of a seafood heaven by locals and it is therefore the finest choice to experience genuine fresh quality seafood with its taverns right on the sea making it an ideal site to unwind.

The resort consists of 350 accommodation units. All rooms and suites are ideally created for couples or families the majority of which have a panoramic sea view over the Aegean. Since the accommodations’ preference may vary from one guest to another there is a wide selection of choices to welcome you.

The resort is covering a total area of 190.000 sqm, surrounded by picturesque gardens, waterfalls, palm trees, olive trees a lagoon and numerous pools.

Minos Imperial is the perfect choice for a memorable luxury hotel experience offering genuine hospitality and a truly unforgettable service.

Τοποθεσία/Location: Milatos-Lassithiou, CRETE, GREECE

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Minos-Imperial-Luxury-Beach-Resort-Spa-in-Crete-Island/115112585169139