Enjoy a Natural Crete Holiday

To many, thanks to the rise of package holidays and all inclusive breaks to this wonderful Greek island, Crete is viewed as a ‘manufactured’ holiday destination with resorts surrounding its coast catering for holidaymakers looking for nothing more than just sand, sea and sun. But to do so would be a huge oversight, especially as Crete has some natural wonders which should be appreciated by all those who decide to visit.

Mighty Mountains

You may not know this due to the number of beaches found on Crete, but there are impressive mountains found throughout the island, running from the east to the west. The White Mountains are perhaps the most well known, seeing as the famous Samaria Gorge runs through it, attracting thousands of hikers and walkers throughout the year. In the south west of the island lays Sfakia, another mountainous region which consists of rugged mountains, steep hills and valleys.

Crete Mountain HolidaysChristos Tsoumplekas (Back again!) / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Relaxing Rivers

Although Crete is fairly narrow, it does have a several rivers which can be explored. The longest is Anapodaris River, which is known as the river ‘that flows towards the opposite direction’, so called because when windy, the water appears to be travelling in the opposite direction. Another important river is Geropotamos River, which is home to many different species of plants and wildlife – perfect for nature lovers.

Crete River HolidayTheophilos / Nature Photos / CC BY-NC-ND

Fantastic Forestry

You may be surprised to learn that Crete is not just made up of dry, arid plains. In fact once upon a time large parts of Crete were covered in forest and some still remains to this day. Kato Symi Wood is a forested village which lies in the heart of a pine tree forest and offers some truly remarkable views – ones which you would never previously have associated or thought possible on this sunshine rich island.

Crete Forest Holidayagelakis / Nature Photos / CC BY-NC-SA

Crete really can throw up some surprises. Sure it has man made attractions which will always draw in the crowds. But if you visit on a holiday and want to see a different side of Crete, make sure you take in some of its natural attractions – you will still get just as good a tan hiking the gorges as you will on the beach as they enjoy the same fantastic weather too!