From Athens to Chania (airport 1.2 km. from town) to Athens (daily).

Tel. 28210/58005,57701-3

An Olympic Airways (O.A.) bus is on hand to transport Olympic passengers from Chania airport to Rethimno.

• From Athens to Iraklio (airport, 4.8 km km from town) to Athens (daily).

• From Thessaloniki to Iraklio and vice versa.

• From Rhodes to Iraklio and vice versa.

• From Santorini to Iraklio (summer only) and vice versa.

• From Mykonos to Iraklio (summer only) and vice versa

• From Paros to Iraklio (summer only) and vice versa.

• From Paros to Iraklio (summer only) and vice versa.

Call 2810/229.191 for information about O.A. flights to and from Iraklio and 2810.224802 for reservations. Airport , tel: 2810/245644

• From Athens to Sitia to Athens

• From Karpathos to Sitia and vice versa

• From Kassos to Sitia and vice versa

• From Rhodes to Sitia and vice versa.

Call 28430/22270 for information about O.A. flights to and from Sitia..

For information on all the above flights and reservations, the O.A. offices in Athens are also at your service.

Tel.210/9666666

Iraklio and Chania are also directly by charter flights from most major European cities.

From Piraeus to Chania and vice versa (daily).

(9-10 hours, tel. 28210/89240, Souda Harbour Police).

Kastelli (Chania)-Kythera-Antikythera-Monemvasia-Neapolis-Agia Pelagia-Gythio-Piraeus and vice versa (four times a week, tel. 0822/22024, Kastelli Harbour Police)

Piraeus- Rethimno-Piraeus

(Shipping office¨Tel 28310/29221, Harbour Police: Tel 28310/22276

From Piraeus to Iraklio and vice versa (daily)

(about 12 hours, tel 2810/226073, 244934, 244956, Iraklio Harbour Police).

Iraklio, Rethimno, Agios Nikolaos and Sitia are linked by ship (year round) with the Dodecanese and Cyclades. For Information, call the Harbour Police of Iraklio, Agios Nikolaos, (tel. 28410/22312) and Sitia (tel.: 28430/22310).

Information on all the above ship schedules can also be obtained from the Piraeus Harbour Police, tel. 210/4172657, 4114785.

Crete has an extensive network of good roads and regularly scheduled buses serving.:

1. city-wide transportation in district capitals

2. travel from the capital of each district to the other district capitals

3. travel between the towns and villages in each district.

Rent-a-car offices exist in almost every corner of the island.

The principal ones have branches at the airports.

Travel agents abount many of which operate organized 1 day, 2 day, etc tours to the sights in each district and of the island as a whole.

There are tours for example to:

District of Chania: Akrotiri, Agia Triada monastery, Gonia monastery , Kastelli, the Samaria Gorge, Agia Roumeli, Sfakia , Paleohora.

District of Rethimno: Arkadi monastery, Axos, Anogia.

District of Iraklio: Knossos, Gortyn, Phaistos, Agia Trias, Metala, Fodele, Tilissos , Malia

District of Lassithi: Gournia, Agios Nikolaos, the plain of Lassithi, Kritsa, Sitia, Vai, Zakros.

Many of the tour agencies organize special Cretan evenings in various villages: these include locals dances and music played on traditional instruments.

They also offer one-day cruises to Santorini with a guided tour of the archaeological sites.

Many travel agents organize tours which include mountaineering, hiking and mountain cycling.

• Ports of entry at Chania and Iraklio

• Port Authority of Chania, tel. 28210/28888

• Port Authority of Iraklio, tel. 28210/226073, 244934, 24456. These ports have harbour, customs and health officials as well as a passport and foreign exchange control service.

Fuel, water and provisions can be obtained here, and transit logs must be stamped upon entry and departure. There is a yacht repair and maintenance workshop at Iraklio and Chania.There are also offices renting yachts.

The variety and extent of Crete’s coastline make it possible for bathers to enjoy an infinite number of different places to swim, all of them lapped by warm, crystal clear water.

On the north coast, west of Chania one beach in particular stands out; it stretches from the town to just outside Kolimbari. On the west coast of the district, on has the sandy beach of Falassarna and, further south, Lafonissi (the road is asphalted as far as Elos). Other beaches are: Stavros at Akrotiri, Almirida east of Souda and the long sandy coast form Georgiopoulos all the way to Rethimno, Panormos, Bali, Agia Pelagia.

The coast form Agios Nikolaos to Plaka, the beach at Sitia and the eastern beach with the famous palm grove at Vai, and Kato Zakros.

On the South side of the island are the fine beaches of: Sourgia, Paleohora, Loutro and Frangokastello in the district of Chania, and Plaka, Prevelli (dirt road up to a point, then a path to the sea), and Agia Galini in the district of Rethimno. Then are the superb beaches of Matala, kali Limeres and Lendas (dirt road) in the district of Iraklio and Mirtos, Ierapetra and Agia Foria in the district of Lassithi.

The bigger resort areas and the Naval School of the Chania yacht Club have the equipment for water skiing.

One can play tennis at the Chania and Iraklio tennis clubs.

The Iraklio Yacht Club organizes sea sport programs such as “MINOCUP” and operates sailing schools.

Besides sailing , Crete is ideal for windsurfing

Recently on the island one can also do sports such as Delta, Parachute and Parapente.

The Iraklio Aeroclub operates schools of this kind.

The mountainous part of Crete in combination with the virgin environment and the rare flora and fauna is a challenge for nature lovers to go in mountain climbing, hiking and cycling.

The European path E4 ends to the Cretan mountains.

Relevant international activities are organised by equivalent clubs such as “MINOA KELEFTHOS”, “CYCLING ROUND OF CRETE”, etc.

The Greek Mountaineering association operates refuges in the White Mountains (at Kallergi and Volika, tel 28210/54560) and Psiloritis (Prino and Assites),

Camping in the open is not permitted. Nudism is permitted only in nudist colonies.