| Informations about: | |
| Airports | Crete has two airports. Heraklion airport is the largest and is located about 5 kilometers to the east of Heraklion. The smaller Chania airport serves the west of Crete and is 14 kilometers from Chania. It is usually better to book a charter flight to avoid changing in Athens. |
| Banks | Open Monday to Friday 08.00 to 14.00. If cashing travellers cheques you will need to show your passport. |
| Churches | It is forbidden to enter churches if inappropriately dressed. |
| Credit cards | Generally accepted by larger shops and hotels but it is always best to check first. |
| Currency | The unit of currency is the Euro. There are ATM (cash) machines at both airports and in most of the larger places. |
| Drinking Water | Safe to drink. |
| Electricity | 220 voltage. Plugs are two pin and round so you will need an adapter for three pin British plugs. |
| English newspapers | Available in most tourist areas during the summer season. |
| Entry requirements | UK nationals require a passport valid for the intended period of stay (normally up to three months). Other citizens are advised to check their entry requirements with their Embassy or Consulate. |
| Infants | Infants under 2 years of age not requiring their own seat are usually carried by the airlines for a special price or free of charge. |
| Local Time | Eastern European Time (EET) which is two hours ahead. Standard Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +2 and Summer GMT + 3. |
| Medical Treatment | UK nationals are entitled to emergency medical treatment under a reciprocal arrangement between the UK and Greece and a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) should be taken on holiday for this purpose. However, the local processing of the paperwork can be difficult and all visitors are advised to take out additional private medical insurance. There are chemists in all larger areas. |
| Post Offices | Generally open 08.00 to 14.00 Monday to Friday with major ones also open some afternoons and Saturday mornings. You can also buy stamps at kiosks and shops selling post cards but you may have to pay 10% extra. |
| Roads | Thanks to European aid the road system is fairly extensive. Along the North coast an east-west highway connects all the big towns of Sitia, Agios Nikolaos, Heraklion, Rethimnon, Chania and Kastelli. |
| Shopping | Special souvenirs include: olive oil, embroidery, hand-carved wooden objects, pottery, jewellery, copies of Minoan and Byzantine ornaments. Equipment for the beach, sun cream etc. is sold in all the tourist areas. |
| Taxis | Taxis are available and good value but not cheap. In the towns they are usually equipped with meters. Both airports have lists of prices for the most common destinations displayed so take a look before getting in. Luggage can be charged extra and there is also a small airport levy. |
| Telephone | Public phone boxes are in all the larger localities and the requisite phone cards can be bought in kiosks and many shops. You can also phone from the Greek telephone company (OTE) and some kiosks also have metered telephone facilities. |
| Tipping | It is usual to tip waiters, taxi drivers and chamber maids if the service was satisfactory. Keep in mind that most people working in the service industry are paid low wages for very hard work and tips are not a luxury but a welcome addition to their wages. |
| Travel documents | Your travel tickets and accommodation vouchers will be sent to you by post. Please note that there may be last minute changes to flight times, the airline or the aircraft type. Please also note that it is possible for a direct flight to make an intermediate landing but that non stop does mean straight to your airport on Cete. |
| Weather | Crete has a temperate Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and mild quite rainy winters. July and August are the hottest and driest months with an average daytime temperature of 26 C (79 F). |
Crete
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