Friday, May 18, 2007

Crete (Greece) - Home to Europe’s oldest civilization


One of the 13 administrative regions of Greece, the island of Crete is also its nation’s largest island.

Apart from being one of the major tourists attraction, the elongated shaped island, which is the second largest of all islands in East Mediterranean Sea area is home to Europe’s oldest civilization, Minoan Civilization.

This civilization which existed from 2600 – 1400 BC, was one of the major civilizations that existed during the Bronze Age, and is literally, credited as being the ‘parent’ culture of various current-day national cultures of the Mediterranean region.

Geographically, the island is situated some 160 kms south of the mainland, at the end of the Greek archipelago. Various seas on all sides surround it: Sea of Crete is to the north, while at the south; the Libyan Sea borders it. To the east is the Karpathion Sea, and Myrtoon Sea joins it from the west.

Apart from being the home to the oldest European civilization, Crete is also a very popular tourist destination. So much so, that fifteen percent of all arrivals to Greece comes from the islands’ main port city of Heraklion and that includes both the airport and the seaport.

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