10 Interesting Facts About Crete for Families
A few good facts can turn a beach holiday into something children remember and talk about for years. Crete is full of them: it is a place of Greek myths, ancient palaces, dramatic gorges and unusual beaches. Here are ten to share on the plane or over dinner on your first night.
1. It is the biggest Greek island
Crete covers a little over 8,000 square kilometres, making it the largest of all the Greek islands and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus and Corsica. It is long and thin, so driving from one end to the other takes several hours. That is worth knowing when you choose where to stay.
2. Heraklion is the capital
Heraklion, on the north coast, is the island's capital and largest city. Its airport is named after Nikos Kazantzakis, the Cretan writer behind the novel Zorba the Greek. Most holiday flights land at Heraklion or at Chania in the west; a smaller airport at Sitia serves the far east of the island.
3. Zeus is said to have been born here
According to Greek mythology, the baby Zeus was hidden in a cave on Crete so that his father, Cronus, could not find him. Two caves claim the honour: one on the Lasithi Plateau and one on Mount Ida (also called Psiloritis), the island's highest mountain. Children usually enjoy deciding which story they believe.
4. The Minotaur lived in a labyrinth
The legend of King Minos, the half-bull Minotaur and the hero Theseus is set on Crete. Many people link the maze of the story with the palace of Knossos, just outside Heraklion, whose sprawling rooms and corridors could easily confuse a visitor.
5. Icarus flew too close to the sun from here
In another famous myth, the inventor Daedalus and his son Icarus escaped from Crete on wings made of feathers and wax. Icarus ignored his father's warning, flew too high, and the wax melted. It is a handy story for any child who insists on going higher on the climbing frame.
6. It was home to one of Europe's earliest great civilisations
The Minoans built palaces, made beautiful pottery and painted bright wall frescoes on Crete thousands of years ago, long before ancient Rome. The archaeological museum in Heraklion and the site at Knossos give older children a real sense of how long ago that was.
7. It has one of Europe's longest gorges
The Samaria Gorge in the west of the island is around 16 kilometres long and sits within a national park. Walking it is a full, demanding day, best suited to fit teenagers, but shorter gorges elsewhere on the island make good family walks.
8. Some of its beaches are pink
At Elafonisi in the south-west, crushed shells give parts of the sand a pink tint, and the shallow lagoon is popular with families. Balos, in the north-west, is another famous turquoise lagoon. Both get very busy in high summer, so arrive early.
9. It has its own wild goat
The kri-kri, or Cretan wild goat, has long curved horns and lives in the mountains and on a few small islands off the coast. It has become something of a symbol of the island, so look out for it on souvenirs and signs.
10. There is an island with a famous story
Spinalonga, a small island off the north-east coast near Elounda, was a leper colony until the 1950s. Its story was made famous by Victoria Hislop's novel The Island. Boat trips run across from nearby harbours, and older children are often fascinated by the history.
Whether you spend your days on the beach or exploring ruins, a little background makes Crete more fun for everyone. For help planning the trip itself, read our family guide to Crete and our tips for flying with young children.