There is one element about Crete that makes it stand out from the other Greek islands – it’s myriad of gorges and ravines. Wildly ascending, descending, twisting and turning through the mountainous, varied and breath-taking landscapes, gorges in Crete are one of this island’s many tourist attractions and it is easy to understand why.

Being blessed with a natural backdrop of sheer ruggedness, precariousness and intrigue, Crete offers some of the most memorable hiking opportunities in Europe.

With such a vast array of gorges in Crete that have been dramatically established within Crete’s geographical makeup for centuries, knowing which gorge to head to for a day of sheer elation and exhilaration can prove to be a difficult decision.

If you are visiting this stunning island sometime soon then it is highly recommended that your holiday includes a visit – at least one – to the island’s innumerable gorges. To help you decide which Cretan ravine to explore, we have highlighted three of the most dramatic, stunning and photogenic gorges in Crete.

Samaria Gorge

Situated at the westernmost edge of the Omalos plateau in Sfakia, lies what is possibly the most famous gorge on Crete. Being a whopping 14 – 16 km in length, the Samaria Gorge is the longest gorge in Europe. To walk the whole length of this colossal canyon takes between six and seven hours and finishes at the coastal villages of Agia Roumeli, which is worthy of a visit in itself. Gorges don’t come much more picturesque and stunning than this geological marvel and it is hardly surprising that Samaria Gorge attracts thousands of tourists each year.

Aradaina Gorge

Having been described as looking like ‘someone cut with a knife through the mountains’, perilously demanding could be one way to describe Aradiana Gorge. Vividly positioned from Anopolis to Marmara Beach near the town of Loutro, to walk the whole length of this magnificent asset of nature will take approximately four to five hours and does require some hiking experience, if not to just handle the often startling astonishment of the sheer drops.

Preveli Gorge

With a river lined with palm trees that forms the mouth of the gorge, Preveli Gorge has to be among one of the prettiest gorges on Crete. Whether you intend to hike along the gorge’s winding paths, go for a refreshing swim in the many small pools formed by the river at the foot of the gorge, or relax on the nearby beach absorbing the surrounding beauty, Preveli Gorge is irrefutably worthy of a visit – just remember to take your camera!

The island of Crete, besides having a 1000 kilometre-long coastline, sporadically covered in coves, peninsulas and bays, boasting soft, yellow sand, certainly is no exception when it comes to celebrating in style the things that mean the most to the locals. One festival on Crete’s hectic events calendar that would never falter from Cretan’s dairy, is the 1821 Memorial Parade.

Taking place on 25 March each year, all of the officers from the Cretan army take to the main street in Heraklion to commemorate the Greek uprising against Ottoman rule in 1821. Both locals and visitors alike line Heraklion’s streets to applaud and cheer on the soldiers as a mark of respect for what happened here in 1821.

Heraklion is the capital of Crete and is the fourth largest city in Greece. Its vast size is matched with a vibrant culture and when one walks around this pulsating city, which, being the commercial and technology centre of the island, possesses a blend of traditionalism and cosmopolitanism that is absent from most of Greece, it is hard to believe that this fascinating nation is experiencing the financial troubles it is currently suffering.

The wealth of museums in Heraklion sheds light on the city’s and the rest of Crete’s enthralling history, as does its year-round devotion to hosting numerous social events, including a summer-long arts festival, music festivals, and of course events and celebrations dedicated to the city’s memorable historical feats, and none more so than the 1821 Memorial Parade, which is guaranteed to make a visit to Heraklion on March 25, a memorable one.

Great news for lovers of the Greek islands, the low-cost airline EasyJet has recently announced its 93^rd route from London Gatwick airport, which will take passengers to the island of Kefalonia.

The new service will start on 28^th April 2012, linking London to the stunning island of Kefalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands. The service will run three times a week and will be available until October 2012. Travellers will be able to fly direct from London Gatwick to Kefalonia from £35.99 one-way including all taxes. Tickets are now available to purchase from the EasyJet website.

Talking about how the new EasyJet route will enable passengers to reach one of the most popular European tourist destinations conveniently and economically, Paul Simons the UK director for EasyJet said:

“Our new route to Kefalonia from Gatwick adds even more choice for passengers seeking an easy and affordable getaway next year. Greece has long been a favourite for sun worshippers and Kefalonia is among the pick of the Mediterranean’s most desirable getaways.”

Kefalonia, with its mild year-round climate, beautiful long stretches of sandy beaches, diverse landscapes of mountains reaching 1640 feet, forests, meadows, and a vast underground water network of stalactite encrusted caverns and subterranean lakes, has long been considered to be a traveller’s paradise.

Despite its magnitude of natural charms, Kefalonia has always seemed to escape the concrete intrusion mass tourism usually brings. Although this said, since the island was used in the blockbuster film Captain Corelli’s Mandarin, which stars Nicholas Cage and was set in war-time Kefalonia, the biggest and arguably the most beautiful of the Ionian islands has been put firmly on the map of Greek marvels.

Why not take advantage of EasyJet’s inexpensive new service from Gatwick, which takes you to the heart of the stunningly picturesque island that, despite its popularity, has managed to escape the less favourable effects of mass tourism.

With such good value for flights to Kefalonia, Vintage Travel’s luxury villas in Kefalonia are now even more appealing!

Want to experience some true Greek traditions and culture in the most stunning of surroundings? Then why not head to the island of Crete on March 25 next year to witness Greece’s Independence Day.

Each year this date is a national holiday in Greece as the nation celebrates its revolution against the Turks. Across mainland Greece and its islands, a school flag parade is put on in every town and village, regardless of its size and population, whilst in Athens, an enormous military parade cavalcades the city’s streets.

March 25 has been a significant date in Greece since 1821when the Bishop of Patras, Germanos, raised the Greek flag to mark the beginning of the war of independence in the Aghia Lavra monastery in Peloponnese.

The war was fought for nine years until 1829 when Greece finally became liberated and was declared as an autonomous country. This highly important date coincides with the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary and the day is also known as the Day of Evangelos.

Crete is home to an abundance of festivals and celebrations and there is a barely a month that goes by with some kind of carnival being held. Independence Day, as you can imagine, is held with particular fervour and passion and is therefore one of the best festivals to be present in Crete for.

As well as experiencing traditional dancing, singing, costumes, cuisine and age-old activities, being held in late-March, visitors to the Independence Day celebrations on Crete also have the pleasure of witnessing a particularly picturesque season on the island, when the weather is warm, but not too warm, and the meadows, mountains, hillsides and valleys are becoming greener and are scattered by colour and fragrance from the flowers emerging from their winter’s sleep.

In short, if you are planning a late-winter getaway next year, it may prove prudent to take it on the beautiful island of Crete.

If all the Royal Wedding fever that gripped the nation made you feel slightly nauseated, you may be thinking of escaping and heading off to sunnier climes in the coming weeks. If soaking up some sea, sun and culture is high on your springtime getaway agenda, then jetting off to the island of Crete could be just the ticket.

With the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Crete being celebrated through May on the island this year, Crete may be just the destination to experience some legendary history and culture in an enviable climate and surroundings.

On 20 May, 1941, thousands of Nazi troops invaded Crete, and despite Hitler anticipating an easy and quick conquest of the island, the Cretans fought inspiringly, forcing the Nazis to encounter a vigorous resistance and lose a fleet of more than 4500 elite paratroopers.

So forceful was the Cretans resistance that Furher promised never to make a similar attack again.

The legacy of the 1941 invasion on the island is so intense, that even 70 years later many families still light candles in commemoration of the ones they lost during this bleak period of the island’s history.

Throughout May, the towns, cities and villages of Crete hold various celebrations to commemorate the Battle of Crete. Re-enactments of para-troops invading from the sky are put on, as the whole island is whipped into a frenzy of celebrations. The Battle of Crete’s 70th anniversary, like the 60th in 2001, is expected to be one huge party.

Reference to those who were lost during the Nazi invasion is notably prevalent on the island, such as at the caves of Agios Nikolaos, where the names of the brave men and women who were killed during the invasion, are inscribed into the cave’s walls, which has now become a popular bar.

Although the Battle of Crete commemorations are celebrated throughout the whole of May, it is on 22 May when the celebrations are particularly feverous, with a major party in Heraklion taking place.

If you are lucky enough to be heading to Crete this May, travel service disruptions are expected due to the huge influx of visitors expected on the island – A small price to pay for witnessing such a passionate and heart-rending event.

Vintage travel has a superb selection of the best villas in Crete with pools.

Although in latter years, the wine industry has undergone a high profile resurrection in Greece, and is beginning to produce some top-notch mouth-watering wines that could even rival the likes of Italy, France and New Zealand.

The island of Crete accounts for 20 percent of Greek wine production, and local winemakers are increasingly becoming recognized by the wine industry in Greece and beyond, as the island begins to stamp its mark on the premium wine market. Having set the contemporary Cretan wine production scene straight, you may not be as surprised when we inform you about the wine festival which takes place in Rethymno each year.

In mid-June the city of Rethymno, rich in ancient history and clinging on to its old aristocratic veneer, gears up for a two-week celebration of Cretan wine.

For a small entrance fee, visitors can drink as much wine as they desire and enjoy a hedonistic time dancing to music under the strong mid-June sun.

Although to bring relief from the heat the island of Crete occurs in the summer, the Cretan Wine Festival is held in the coolness of the Municipal Garden in Rethymno town. Local producers pitch their products under the shade of the many trees in the garden and flaunt their top quality wine, as well as other local products such as olives, cheese and herbs, bringing much needed absorption to the lashings of wine rushing through the systems of the festival attendees.

Although wine is naturally consumed in abundance at the festival, the event provides a rich programme, including a big emphasis on traditional Greek, and particularly Cretan folklore music, with local and international bands entertaining a crowd of ‘slightly’ intoxicated visitors.

Despite its emphasis on wine, the whole family is welcomed to the festival, with many educational and entertaining activities for children being put on.

This highly popular and extremely ‘merry’ event highlights Crete’s interdependence of tourism with tradition, culture and local cuisine and produce, and is well worth a visit.

For more information on the Cretan Wine Festival and other events in Rethmymno, click here.

This Greek Fest 2011 begins with a colourful and vibrant graffiti festival in which artists from every corner of Greece arrive to boast their graffiti skills. Treasure hunts, theatre, dance performances and fancy dress balls follow the graffiti fest, before a huge open-air party takes place on Shrove Tuesday. On the festival’s penultimate day, live sketches are performed in the streets of Rethymno and a rehearsal to the Grand Parade takes place.

On the day of the Grand Parade the whole of Rethymno explodes with music, costumes and mayhem. A procession consisting of beautifully ornate floats, extravagant costumes and masks, makes its way through the town. The celebrations are not confined to Rethymno itself and are spread into the surrounding villages, where traditional games and activities such as flying kites take place.

The Rethymno Carnival is a fantastic time to visit this beautifully old and quaint Cretan town, which is one of the best-preserved towns of the Renaissance. Combining Renaissance-style Venetician architecture, with the oriental features of the Turkish period, Rethymno is architecturally stunning. Its Venetician harbour is lined with fishing boats and pretty tavernas serving fresh and delicious seafood. Rethymno’s beaches are calm and clean, with many sandy coves to explore surrounded by wild landscapes and huge and dramatic cliffs.

Its hot and sunny climate, stunning scenery, sandy beaches, delicious and fresh cuisine and stunning architecture means the town of Rethymno is a popular tourist destination, especially in the summer months. Although with relatively mild winters, if you fancy escaping the appalling British weather, then take a trip to Rethymno in January or February to witness the town’s legendary carnival.

Visit www.carnival-in-rethymnon-crete-greece.com for more information and photographs of this vivacious Greek event.

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Experience the Palaiochora Music Festival in August 2011

Casi del Mezzo Music Festival – Thursday 23 June – Tuesday 28 June 2011

Since the 1960s when musicians such as Yiannis Markopoulos and Nikos Xylouris combined Cretan folk music with classical techniques, traditional and classical music has remained an important trait of Cretan culture. In the city of Chania classical music evenings are regularly held, whilst the town of Makrigialos, for the last seven years, has held the Casi dei Mezzo Music Festival. This six-day classical music bonanza sees the finest classical musicians from Europe and beyond ascend on this beautiful and unique Greek island.

The Casa dei Mezzo Music Festival never fails to attract a crowd of cool and savvy musicians covering every spectrum music has to offer. From classical aficionados to complete beginners, the festival’s varied programme caters for every taste and ability.

For a full programme for Casi del Mezzo 2011 visit: http://www.casadeimezzo-festival.com/

International Opera Workshop – Saturday 2 July – Tuesday 12 July 2011

Following the success of the 2010 International Opera Workshop ‘Lidal North goes South’, the event is scheduled to be repeated in 2011. Held also in the town of Makrigialos, the opera workshop offers nine days of coaching, voice lessons and master-classes.

For more information on ‘Lidal North goes South 2011’ visit: www.lidalnorth.com

Palaiochora Music Festival – August 2011

With its sizzling weather and scorching nightlife, August is a popular month to visit Crete. Although it is not just the long, lazy days and lively, vivacious nights that makes Crete in August a ‘hot spot’ for tourists. Situated on the south-western shoreline of the island, the small fishing town of Palaiochora holds a ten-day music festival. And for such a small, tranquil town, known as the “bride of the Libyan Sea”, Palaiochora sure knows how to hold a music festival.

Visit the Palaiochora website for more information: www.thepaleochorasite.com

Laura Mohre at the International Opera Workshop 2009

Crete is a fantastic place to spend Christmas

The word ‘carol’ comes from a Greek dance known as a choraulein, and traditionally was accompanied with flute music. The popularity of the choraulein quickly spread throughout Europe and during the 1600s it became traditional to sing carols at Christmas. On the island of Crete, and throughout the whole of Greece, children go from house to house singing Christmas carols and often playing small clay drums and metal triangles. The children are rewarded for their efforts with dried fruit and sweets.

Unlike Britain, Christmas trees are not the main symbol of the festive season in Greece. Instead the focal symbol of Christmas is a small wooden bowl which has a sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross. Each day throughout the festive season a member of the family dips the basil in the water in the bowl and sprinkles the water in a room in the house.

New Year’s Eve is on Crete is celebrated with a similar vigour and passion as most other tourist destinations. It is custom for people to gather in the town’s plaza on Crete, where the festive proceedings become quite maniacal. Children and teenagers pronounce a bloodless war on each other and use many “weapons”, including spray foam and plastic hammers, to bring the play to life. In latter years, some of the larger town’s squares on Crete put on elaborate firework displays.

Similar to Spain, it is Epiphany – 6 January – when Christmas is really celebrated on Crete, likewise the rest of Greece. It is on this day when the feast of Saint Nicholas, the Saint of the fishermen and sailors, is fêted and presents are exchanged.  In many towns and villages on Crete a long procession is formed, sometimes accompanied with music and military contingents and priests, which proceeds to the nearest body of water, where the priest throws a cross into the icy water. Those who dare – namely youngsters – then jump into the water in an underwater scramble to be the one who retrieves the cross.

If you fancy experiencing a Christmas and New Year with a difference this year, then jumping on a plane a heading to this magical and charming Greek island, could most definitely be the answer.

5 November 2010 – 7 November 2010

Any festival dedicated to an alcohol drink promises to be memorable, or perhaps unmemorable may be a more accurate word. Unlike many other holiday resorts, which are as ‘dead as a dodo’ come November, the island of Crete is buzzing, brimming with life and parties.

Tsikoudia Festival 2009

The first week in November is a particularly lively time to visit the stunning Greek island to help celebrate the Tsikoudia Festival, dedicated to the strong distilled spirit.

This famous Cretan spirit, sometimes also known as Raki, is 36 percent alcohol proof and is lovingly nurtured and produced by locals on the island in a winepress. The spirit is made out of the pieces of grapes, which were ‘left behind’ when they were pressed during the wine making process, such as the seeds and the stems. This ‘residue’ is distilled and then flavoured to give it the strong taste it is appreciated for. Similar to Ouzo, a short of Tsikoudia is often offered to tourists after a meal free of charge to help aid digestion.

In celebration of this deliciously digestible drink, the area of Voukolies to the west of the island, gears up for the Tsikoudia Festival. Throughout the two-day festival the spirit is usually served with honey as well as other local products.

Cretans are warm and friendly, welcoming visitors to the island with open arms at the best of times, but when the Tsikoudia Festival is taking place the locals, merrily intoxicated by the warming and smooth drink, will ensure visitors are happily dancing the warm November Cretan nights away. With the gentle breeze of the Mediterranean Ocean cooling down a highly joyous crowd, where could be a more uplifting and happy place to spend a usually drab and grey November weekend, than on the island of Crete?

Check out our stunning range of villas in Crete here.