+31 (0)6-83773220
+30 6977175045
+31 (0)6-83773220
+30 6977175045
Crete is a magical island that appeals to holidaymakers, holiday home buyers and property investors. It is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world, and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean. Crete plays a vital role in the Greek economy and its rich cultural heritage. They proudly preserve their unique local traditions, such as their own poetry and music. In TripAdvisor’s Traveller’s Choice Awards, Crete was ranked fifth as one of the most popular destinations in the world, after cities such as Paris, London and Rome. This makes it a popular location for buying a house in Greece.
Let’s take a look at what makes Crete so special for tourists and real estate investors.
Crete has a rich history that dates back 5,000 years. The Minoan civilization, considered the first civilization in Europe, built the impressive Palace of Knossos with advanced architectural techniques and an ingenious water system. After the fall of the Minoan civilization in the Thera eruption, the island developed a network of city-states that were strongly influenced by Ancient Greece. Crete has been part of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Venetian Republic, the Ottoman Empire, and is now part of the modern Greek state. With a home in Crete, you have the chance to experience this ancient history every day.
Crete has a mild Mediterranean climate, which is an important reason to buy a house here. The mountainous areas also have continental climatic characteristics. The average annual temperatures range between 14 and 45 degrees Celsius. In winter, the southern coasts are often warmer than the northern coasts. The island enjoys sunshine almost all year round, especially from April to October. The warmest months are July and August, but thanks to the sea breezes, the summer is generally pleasantly cool. Rainfall varies greatly, with more precipitation from east to west and from coast to inland. On average, the sun shines for around 310 days a year, which is an important reason for many people to buy a villa or holiday home in Crete.
In the heart of Crete you will find majestic mountains such as the White Mountains, Psiloritis and Dikti, which are crossed by deep gorges and fertile valleys. The landscape is constantly changing. The villages where you can buy a house are surrounded by lush olive groves, orange groves and vineyards. Old stone farmhouses and monasteries are perched on hills, next to castles and chapels. The bays are often surrounded by inaccessible rocks, but there are also endless sandy and pebble beaches. Crete is known for its rich biodiversity, with chestnut, oak and cypress forests, as well as palm trees at Vai and Preveli. Medicinal herbs and fragrant plants such as marjoram and thyme flourish in the rugged mountainous areas, where the Cretan goat can also be found. Discover all this beauty and buy your own house in Crete.
Crete has a unique culture that stands out from the rest of Greece. The island has its own music, cuisine, clothing and dialect. The inhabitants are proud of their Cretan identity. The hospitality is impressive, not only towards tourists, but comes from the heart. In addition, the health care facilities in Crete are of high quality. The staff, cleanliness and modern amenities are sometimes better than in other European countries. The crime rate is relatively low compared to other popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. Enough reasons to buy a house on this beautiful island!
The local cuisine has been of great importance since ancient times and recent studies have shown the many health benefits of the Cretan diet. Research by the Rockefeller Foundation in the 1940s and the Seven Countries Study in the 1950s emphasized that the Cretan diet is not only delicious, but also mainly plant-based and very different from Western diets.