ISLANDS

Crete (Island)

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The largest and most populous Greek island, anchoring the southern Aegean Sea.

Geography

Crete is roughly 260 km long with a mountainous spine. The White Mountains, the Idi range, and the Dikti range cross the island, with Mount Ida rising to 2,456 m. The Samaria Gorge in the southwest, at 16 km, is one of Europe’s longest gorges.

History

The Minoan civilization, Europe’s first advanced society, flourished on Crete from roughly 3000 to 1450 BCE, with palaces at Knossos, Phaistos, and Malia. The island later passed through Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman rule.

Culture

Heraklion is the capital, with Chania and Rethymno as historic Venetian-era ports. Cretan cuisine, built on olive oil, vegetables, and herbs, is regarded as one of the healthiest in the Mediterranean.

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Crete (Island) starts with C and ends with D. Browse other islands along the same letter.

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