Aquis Crete

The island of Crete is equipped with more tourist facilities than any other Greek island, which is fair enough because it is the largest. The reason why thousands of foreigners visit Crete each year, however, is not so much for the traditional Greek island experience, as for investigating the remains of the archaic Minoan culture that flourished here thousands of years before Christ. Some parts of the island have been overpowered by tourist resorts and massive hotels, but fortunately Crete does still allow for exploring endless beaches, numerous villages, remote mountains and some natural curiosities like caves and gorges for those who take pains to avoid the 'madding crowds'. The famed Minoan archaeological sites, particularly the palace of Knossos and Phaistos, are vast and can take a great deal of time and effort to fully explore and appreciate. There are numerousother sites of interest as well, and not all related to the Minoan era. Crete has experienced thousands of years of habitation and has a complicated and diverse heritage, including years of Roman, Venetian and Turkish rule, that have all left their mark. As one experienced traveller reportedly said: 'there is lots tosee on Crete, and a lot not to see.' The best of Crete for those who do not want an in-and-out package style visit can be found on the east and west tips of the island, areas that have retained most of the island's traditions and natural beauty, as opposed to the northern coast that has been harshly overdeveloped. Gateway to theisland is the large, modern city of Heraklion, which is anything but an island idyll, but a vital commercial centre.

Currency

Greece's monetary unit is the Euro. No other currency is accepted and it is best to exchange dollars or other currency at a bank. The exchange rates are all the same throughout the country and you exchange money at a bank or official exchange shop where you will get the best running rates. Banks are open from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM. At the new airport near the luggage pickup you can find machines that can exchange foreign currency and return Euro.

Time

Local time is GMT +2

Language

The vast majority of the 10.7m population of Greece speak Greek, which is the country's official language. The other languages spoken there are Macedonian (called "Slav-Macedonian" in Greece), Albanian, spoken in the centre and the south, Turkish, spoken by Muslim communities around the Aegean, Arumanian and Bulgarian. None of these minority languages has official status.

Electricty

Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz.
European-style two-pin plugs are standard.

Crete Climate

Red hot summers and mild to warm winters are typical characteristics of weather in Crete, which has a climate influenced by a Mediterranean weather system. The months of July and August are the hottest and rainfall is also at its lowest during this time. 

Tipping

There is no rule or norm for tipping in Greece. People do not expect you to tip in anywhere else than in coffee houses, taverns, restaurants and maybe room service in the hotels. But still it is not compulsory. You can tip as much as you want or you can still no tip at all.

Communications

The international access code for Egypt is +30. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code.

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