Pearl Beach

General Information about Crete

Crete is the island of surprises and contrasts. High mountains and deep gorges, archaeological sites alongside traditional villages -where life continues in a relaxed and friendly way- clear blue seas bordered by golden sandy beaches. Zeus, the king of Greek gods, was born in a cave on Mount Idi, the highest mountain of the Island. He represented hospitality and his spirit lives on today in the hearts of all Cretan people.
Geography

Crete is the largest Greek Island. It covers 8,336-sq. m with 1.100 klm of coastline. It is considered as one of the most prosperous areas in Greece. Its geographical location, climate, diverse natural beauty as well as its unique cultural and historical treasures have favored its development.

Crete is renowned for its breath-taking mountain ranges and long sandy beaches running down to emerald-blue seas. This particular geography allow the existence of a large number of rare flora and fauna species, such as the sea lily along the coastal zones, sea turtles Caretta-Caretta in Rethymno and Eleanor’s Falcon in Lassithi. In the valleys and semi-mountainous areas, one can find more than 100 different varieties of flowers and plants, while in the high mountains and deep Cretan gorges the visitor may encounter interesting flora and fauna including the wild goat Kri-kri, which is found only in Crete.

Climate
Crete enjoys perhaps one of the best subtropical Mediterranean climates with over 300 days and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine each year. The light rainy season is normally confined to the period between November and March. Mild temperatures prevail year round.

Population
The population of Crete currently is approximately 600.000 people. The majority of inhabitants live in the four main towns of the island, Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos and Heraklion, the capital. The remainder of the population is spread in smaller towns and scattered fishing and mountain villages.

Main Religion: Greek Orthodox

Language: Greek is the official language, but English and German are widely spoken.