Crete
is Greece's largest and most southerly island.
It is also the fifth largest in the Mediterranean.
Crete is mostly mountainous, with a large mountain
chain running east to west. The distance between
Crete and the mainland, as well as the fertility
of its land,have made the Island independent
for many centuries. Over time Crete developed
a culture of its own, with distinct language
and traditions. The island separates the Aegean
from the Libyan Sea, marks the boundary between
Europe and Africa. Majestic mountains rise in
its center Its plateaus are split by deep gorges
and end up in fertile valleys. The scenery is
constantly changing. In one place harsh and barren,
in another wooded and gentle. Its villages smothered
in greenery: Olive trees, orange groves, vineyards,
and vegetable market gardens. Old stone farmhouses,
monasteries and villages perched on mountain
ridges, castles and chapels forgotten on steep
slopes. Shores lined with forbidding rocks, often
inaccessible, but also lots of endless sandy
or pebbly beaches!
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