STEEPED in myths and legends, Crete is the most southerly, and the largest, of the Greek Islands, basking in the warm Aegean and marking the boundary between Europe and Africa, writes Sylvia Kingsley.

Crete's history and culture date back to 3000BC, making it unique among the islands. Long and narrow, it is a land of great scenic beauty and contrast, with gorges and deep valleys filled with fig, almond and lemon orchards, vineyards, forests and harsh, inhospitable places. There are miles of wonderful coastline and the central plateau is filled with hundreds of windmills.

It's surprisingly lush, despite long hot summers from April to October. Winter rains and melting snow keep the soil moist, and spring is a riot of wild flowers such as orchids, buttercups and anemones, while in the summer bougainvillaea, jasmine and oleander trail over ruins and balconies. Ancient, knarly olive, chestnut and cypress trees dot the landscape, and orange and lemon groves add splashes of colour against dense foliage.

One of the island's four craggy mountain ranges, which are peppered with caves, is said to have been the birthplace of Zeus, king of the gods, and others were places of worship in ancient times. Many were used by the partisans during the Second World War.

Crete became a major tourist destination when it was used as the setting for several TV series and the film The Guns of Navarone in the '60s and '70s. Development of boisterous resorts followed, but this was later balanced by the construction of luxury hotels set in manicured gardens.

But there is still much of old, pastoral Crete left for those who want to know the real people and country. By car you can reach remote villages on steep, tortuous roads of dizzying heights where you will see ruins and churches with old frescos. In the villages, men still wear traditional black, baggy trousers, with kerchiefs round their heads, and women sport national dress. Smiles and a glass of raki, the local fire-water, greet visitors in local cafes, for Cretans believe in welcomes, especially for wartime allies. There's always someone who can speak English, a hangover from the war when secret transmitters for communicating with the allies were hidden in the mountains.

A day's guided tour is a must. It will take you through towns and villages where you can smell the herbs on the air and past farmers and peasants leading heavily laden donkeys along the roads. With stops at vine covered tavernas, you'll get a flavour of local life and see a few major sites.

Outside Chania, the major town of the east of the island, you'll visit Souda Bay where a war cemetery, overlooking the sparkling Aegean, bring tears to many eyes. Two thousand Allied soldiers are buried here, there average age just 20, Christians and Jews buried side by side. These boys were called on to fight the Germans in the ten-day Battle of Crete: many had no guns and had to use sticks and stones.

Chania town has much pastel Venetian and Turkish architecture, a reminder of past invaders, and a lovely horseshoe bay lined with restaurants which come to life at night. The narrow streets are crammed with art and craft shops, and the local blue pottery is an attractive buy to bring home.

Heraklion, Crete's capital is the monument of Crete's history. It's a lively, working town, with a fine harbour, good squares and throbbing shopping streets. More importantly, it's host to the famous archeological site of Knossos. Once the capital of the Minoan empire, from which European civilisation sprang, Knossos is an ancient city built around a central courtyard, which included the queen's residence. The palaces are superb, and had a drainage system and flushing toilets which rival modern plumbing. Sir Arthur Evans, the British archaeologist whose bust sits under a blue-flowering jacaranda at the entrance, was responsible for the reconstruction. Original Knossos artefacts can be seen at Heraklion Museum, revealing that the Minoans used crystal chiselled from rocks for eyeglasses.

For history buffs there are other ruins and sites everywhere, while for walkers there is the 11-mile Samaria gorge near Chania as well as mountain tracks.

Rethymnon, the island's third largest city, has a long, sandy beach, an old Turkish quarter, good hotels and an annual music and art festival. Elounda, an upmarket resort with low key hotels, is close to Spinalonga, an island where lepers once lived. A boat ride and tour takes you through dilapidated ruins, overgrown with flowers, and an ancient but still intact church.

Fact File

Sylvia travelled with Thomson Holidays. For brochures, call 08705 502 555. Greek Tourist Office: 4 Conduit Street, London, W1 (0207 734 5997).

Reading: Berlitz, Crete; Rough Guide, Crete.

Reproduced from Limited Edition magazine, exclusive guides to living in Hertfordshire, Middlesex and the London Borough of Barnet (01923 216295).

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