Crete from West to East

Summary

Like all Mediterranean islands, Crete has a rich history defined by the number of different people who invaded it or came to dominate it. Inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic, it became a dominant power in the Mediterranean in the 3^rd millennium BC when the people we referred to as Minoans constructed palaces on a scale not known in Europe at the time, as we will see when we visit the Palaces at Knossos and Phaistos. Although the island never recovered this status after it was dominated by the Mycenaeans, it was prosperous enough to produce the impressive remains seen at Gortyn, which is unique important for the legal code which is preserved in an extant inscription. Much of the charm of the Crete we see today stems from the influence of the more 4 centuries of Venetian rule which saw a flourishing in the island’s architecture and arts as witnessed by the islands more famous artists, El Greco and the writer Kalliakis. This is a tour which has it all: stunning archaeology, romantic cities like Chania and dramatic landscapes accompanied by the island’s wonderful cuisine.

Tour highlights:

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• Travel to stunning Sissi to visit the excavations on Kephali Hill
• Discover the lesser known archaeological remains of Vathypetro and Mochlos as well as the famous Minoan Palaces
• Explore Aptera, the mythological setting for the battle between the Sirens and the Muses