Destination

Crete

An extraordinary journey through a landscape steeped in history and natural beauty, Crete’s diverse terrain caters to cyclists and hikers of all levels. From coastal routes with stunning views of the deep blue Mediterranean to challenging mountain trails that wind through ancient olive groves and vineyards. Explore the charming villages and experience the warm hospitality of the locals. The historical richness is palpable as travellers encounter Minoan ruins, Byzantine churches, and Venetian castles along their routes. The rugged mountains and scenic coastal roads provide a perfect blend of challenges and rewards, making Crete an unforgettable adventure for enthusiasts seeking both physical adventure and cultural exploration.

“Some villages are still inhabited, breathtaking beauty, seeming like an empty movie set , high mountains, local way of life still present, diverse scenery, canyons, endless diverse places to explore including minoan ruins.”

March - December

Biking, Hiking, Sightseeing, Cuisine, Family

4-8 Days

HISTORY
LOCAL CUISINE
BIKING
HIKING
CULTURE

Witness the juxtaposition of snowy mountains behind sandy beaches

Cycle down the dramatic drop-offs of the southern coast

Hike to faraway villages inaccessible by road

Appreciate the Minoans’ impact on ancient culture

Enjoy endless sandy stretches of near-empty shore

Traverse one of the striking gorges that gash the island

Wander the quaint streets of Chania’s old town

Experience centuries-old traditions in Crete’s mountain villages

Sip raki with the locals in a village taverna

Spend an unforgettable night in award-winning Ringhouse Estate

History

Human settlement of the island began around 6500 BCE and a relatively short 3500 years later, the Minoan Civilization was already emerging. By 2000 BCE, a full 800 years before the onset of Greek Civilization, the Minoans had begun to build palaces on the sites of Knossos, Phaestus, and Mallia (the ruins of which are still visible today). The Minoans reached their peak in the 16th century BCE, prospering from trade and their production of frescoes, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, and metalwork. Their language during this time, Linear A, developed independently of Egyptian and Mesopotamian systems of writing, and has yet to be deciphered. The Mycenaeans, who gained control over Crete in about 1450 BCE, developed the language of Linear B based on the writing system of the Minoans. Linear B was the first attested form of the Greek language, so in a sense, the Cretans taught the Greeks to write. Like many civilizations in the region, Crete changed hands many times throughout history, eventually falling under control of the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans before a short period of independence. It became a part of Greece in 1913 and locals still think of themselves as Cretan first, Greek second.

Local Cuisine

Like the rest of Greece, and the Aegean region in general, the cuisine of Crete is based on large amounts of vegetables, greens, legumes, grains, handmade cheeses, fruit and olive oil, a classic Mediterranean diet. Crete’s large landmass is home to thousands of local shepherds, which means that meat is on the menu more often than in other fishing-based islands. And countless wild greens are collected from those same hillsides; no table is complete without a plate of ‘horta’ (boiled greens with lemon and olive oil).

In Crete, it seems like each village has its own local cheese, which are served in dakos (a bruschetta-like starter), salads, dips, and countless sweet and savory cheese pies. Copious amounts of olive oil are used in everything from cooking and salads to meze and pastries and enliven the taste of even the simplest vegetable dishes. Raki, Cretans’ answer to Tsipouro or Ouzo, is the drink of choice and is served neat in small shot glasses. Almost every meal you’ll enjoy on the island will be followed with a small carafe of homemade raki or a local dessert (often thick yogurt with jam or a syrupy sweet) all on the house, just one of the locals’ many displays of hospitality.

Biking

The singletracks of Crete are tough and rocky thanks to the landscape and active shepherding culture, meaning that only experienced mountain bikers dare to tackle them. However, the island is also home to endless dirt roads, providing enough challenge to keep you interested while remaining easy enough so you can enjoy the stunning views. This extensive network of roads runs deep into the remote mountains of the island, through the Cretan countryside, and all the way down to the coast, allowing bikers to enjoy a rugged landscape of mountains and the sea all in a single ride.

Many of Crete’s roads are perfectly paved, undeniably scenic, and relatively free of traffic (especially during the shoulder/off seasons) as well. What the island has to offer in terms of mountain biking is doubled when it comes to road cycling. Imagine world-class sea views, smooth coastal asphalt, and rewarding climbs into the highlands, all with barely a car in sight.

Hiking

The island of Crete is covered in incredible hiking trails. Perhaps the most famous is its section of the E4, a European Long Distance Path that traverses Spain and France, through the Alps to Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria, passing through Greece via Crete and finally coming to an end in Cyprus. While the trail in its entirety measures over 10,000 km, Crete’s portion of the trail is a total of 320 km and runs the length of the island from west to east.

In addition to the (mostly) marked paths of the E4, Crete boasts unimaginable trails running through its high mountain ranges. Some of the most dramatic of these are found in the western White Mountains, one of the only areas in the Aegean to receive snow in winter. On the southern coast under these dramatic peaks lie villages like Loutra, Agia Roumeli, Sougia, and Paleochora which are connected to each other not by road but by hiking trail or ferries.

Crete is also known for its gorges, over 400 of them in fact. And many of these striking gorges can be traversed on foot, with varying levels of difficulty, making for some of the best hiking on the island. All in all, with its extensive landmass and variety of climates, landscapes, and elevations, Crete is home to the most diverse and extensive network of hiking trails of any Greek island.

Culture

We start our explorations of Crete’s culture from the beginning: with the Minoans. We’ll get to know the earliest civilization of the Greek World with visits to sites like Knossos, Phaestos, and the Palace of Malia, along with lesser-visited areas like Agia Triada, Gournia, and the Palace of Zakros.

After the splendor of the powerful Minoans, Crete, with its important maritime location, was later controlled by the Romans, Venetians, Byzantines, and Ottomans. We’ll explore the diverse traces of these conquerors, from Venetian forts and harbors, to still active Byzantine monasteries, and even Ottoman mosques.

A highlight of Cretan culture is certainly its food and drink. We’ll explore the island’s many wineries, seek out the freshest handmade cheeses, head to its highland gardens and pastures, and taste the island’s liquid gold: olive oil, all the while enjoying local company and conversation at village tavernas and private homes.

Itineraries to Inspire

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Our tours are run by Adventure Roots Travel
a member of TURSAB (Association of Turkish Travel Agencies)
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