Fantastic island of Crete

I welcome you, dear girls Eh, long ago I was not on vacation.
In the childhood and youth I went to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Stavropol, Sochi, Kiev, Lviv, Pyatigorsk, Volgograd, had a rest almost on all Black Sea coast, including Lazarevskaya, Sochi, Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik, Divnomorsk, Loo. Floated in the Sea of Azov and
But the brightest impressions remained with me after rest on the island of Crete in 2016.

A few historic facts about Crete.

Crete the biggest Greek island, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in 110 km from continental Europe, in 175 km from Asia and in 300 km from Africa. Geographically treats Europe. Crete is washed by the Cretan sea in the north, Libyan in the south and Ionic in the West. The administrative center — the city of Heraklion. Crete intersection of cultures and the people, the successor of Minoan, Greek and Byzantine civilizations who is on border of three parts of the world — Europe, Asia and Africa. In Crete, according to the Greek myths, Zeus was born, the lord of the Olympic gods, the Minotaur for whom labyrinth was constructed by Dedal lived, Theseus held an Ariadne's thread. These places belonged to Turks, Venetians, Arabs in due time: mosques, fortresses and monasteries of different eras on the island peacefully adjoin with each other. The area of the island - 8261 km?. Length from the West on the East – 260 km. The maximum width from the North on the South – 60 km. Coastline extent — 1046 km. The highest point of 2456 m.

I bought a tour in hotel in the Region of Georgiopulis. Rose at dawn and practiced yoga on the beach.

It is unusual Greek color and tasty Greek cuisine.
In the afternoon I did not lie on beaches because every day went to different excursions. Swept on an engine across Georgiopulis.


The first excursion was on the only fresh lake Kurnas on the island which is comfortably located at the foot of White mountains, near the village of Kurnas of the same name. From the opposite side of mountains the lake has the flat sandy coast on which small beaches with sun beds and umbrellas are equipped. It is possible to sweep on catamarans.

Locals very much are proud of them, consider the great place for a picnic and with pleasure spend days off here. The reservoir is under protection nature protection the Natura 2000 program. Special value also population of birds has a rare species freshwater skulls.

It is considered that the lake was formed in an extreme antiquity in a tectonic natural break. However, there is a version that its origin is connected with the collapse of the top part of a huge underground cave because of the dissolved limy breeds. The earliest mentions of a unique reservoir meet in works of the philosopher Stefan Vizantiyskogo. The lake had the name Korisiya, and on its coast there was an ancient temple devoted to Athena. Near the lake there is the oldest city on the island which had other name too — Korion. It was the developed policy which became the small settlement carrying the same name, as well as the lake now. At the time of the Arab dominion in Crete the name of a fresh reservoir changed on Kurnas that meant "lake" in Arab.

The lake has almost elliptic form with diameters of 1087 and 880 m. The area it about 58 hectares, and a surface above sea level on 20 m. Depth of the lake fluctuates depending on a season and is about 23 meters. The bottom is covered with silt and rare stones. In the summer water volume in it is about seven million cubic meters. From the lake Kurnas Almiros and Delfina who flow into the Cretan sea originate the river. Kurnas waters fill up two underground sources — one of them it is well visible to MATI (in translation from Greek "eye") in the summer when water falls down and the dark blue spot in the middle of the lake appears. Locals, looking at this blue "eye", consider the lake bottomless.

The second excursion was to the city of Hanyyu which is called an island pearl. It is the second in number of inhabitants the city of Crete (after the capital of the island — Heraklion), but unambiguously the first — on beauty and authenticity. It is considered that Venetians built up the Cretan cities just like the native Venice. Therefore Hanyyu is called by "the second Venice" or "the southern Venice". Something imperceptibly, of course, resembles. Especially Venetian embankment with restaurants, taverns and cafe where it is possible to have a good time and tasty to eat.

I still drove on horse crew. It was cool.


Hanya's symbol and the main attraction of Old port - the ancient Venetian Beacon. If to look from its height, the great view of the Old harbor opens.

His Venetians at the end of the 16th century constructed and it looked at all not as now. The beacon represented a torch with the burning fire. In 1645 Crete was taken by Turks and for 200 years of possession of the island used for the ships not this port, but port of Court. For two centuries which did not use the beacon it almost completely collapsed. At the end of the 19th century Egyptians came to Crete and built the new beacon on the old basis, added an external ladder and drainage systems. In 1962 the beacon in Hanye was announced by an architecture monument.

On Halidon Street connecting the Old City of Hanyi to its modern part there is a Cathedral of Three Martyrs (The cathedral of Introduction to Blessed Virgin Mary's temple) dated 1864 and built on the place of old church of the blessed Virgin dated presumably the 14th century:
Very narrow streets in the old city with unusual color.
To the west from Kastelli there is a Quarter of Sindrivani which heart Elefterios Venizelos Square is considered (it is Sindrivani Square) with the business card - the marble fountain of the same name.


In the next excursion I went to the city of Retimno which is located in the west of the island of Crete, between Heraklion and Hanya. It is the inimitable city with unique architecture, the character, the history, the charm.

Its main attraction, undoubtedly, the Venetian fortress of Fortezz with which stunning views of the boundless sea, the city and powerful massif Ida open is considered.

The modern port Retimno is located to the east from the Venetian harbor. The total area of port — 31,000 sq.m, at the same time it can accept up to 176 small vessels. Cruise liners and ferries are moored at the northern mooring. For yachts the marine is equipped. A row located the parking on 450 cars. The territory of port is arranged well and it is considered one of the most beautiful places of Retimno. A marine — the favourite place for evening walks at locals. On the embankment convenient benches from which the beautiful view of the sea, mountains, city quarters and snow-white yachts moored at the mooring opens are established.

The next excursion was on the Elafonisi beach which is in the Southwest part of Crete, in 76 km from the city of Hanya and in 43 km from the town of Kastelli. Took the name from the island Elafonisi (The cervine island) which is in 200-ah meters from the coast in the Ionian Sea. But to the island there is a tongue of sand on which it is possible to reach it on foot. This braid and all are also the huge beach with huge shallows around.
We went on the mountain serpentine up, stopped in mountains and I managed to photograph the top view.

This place, fantastic on beauty, gained improbable popularity thanks to the well-known beach with pink sand and to the sea shaking by the bright paints!

It is a nature protection zone as ashore grow, included in the Red List, sea narcissuses.

And the trip to the bay Balos which is located in the western part of the island was the finishing, most stunning excursion. It, without exaggeration, the unique place! Here three seas meet at once: Ionic, Aegean and Libyan. Mixture of water of different temperature and the chemical composition generates an unusual game of shades and tourists see such fascinating picture from the observation deck.
Thanks to small depth, transparent water of a lagoon well gets warm, and natural isolation from sea waves provides a constant calm in its water area. In combination with clean white sand of the beach it does a lagoon by the perfect place for bathing of children.

For maintaining natural uniqueness and purity of the bay Balos, it was given the status of the reserve. All adjacent territory including beaches, is under protection of the nature protection organizations therefore beach infrastructure here very modest.
The Balos beach any does not offer entertainments, but they also are not necessary. Here come to enjoy bathing in warm azure water of a lagoon, to imprint in memory and on a photo primitive beauty of the exotic nature. It is the best holiday for a relax and a pacification.
I felt on this trip harmony with the nature, was loaded with new positive, healthy energy. Also I will surely return on this fantastic island of Crete.