Crete Vacation Travel Video Guide

[Music] cre island of light the Cradle of Zeus sundrenched coastlines picturesque Villages and Majestic mountains no wonder that even the gods felt comfortable [Music] here [Music] heracleon is the capital of the largest and most southernly Greek Islands on which a highly developed culture has existed for 4,000 years the venetians built massive fortresses to defend the island against the Turks connected by gangways the defensive Towers were equipped with Cannon [Music] located in an old and picturesque Harbor The Citadel of koues is proof of the hard fighting which once took place around heracleon the V Fortress appears even more powerful as it contrasts with the Snow White yachts in the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] foreground busy traffic and hectic life don't stop in the modern City visitors are surprised to be greeted with old buildings and ancient excavations right in the middle of the [Music] city [Music] at one time the Titus church was a domed mosque and today reflects the various epochs of cretian history after the Arabs came the Christians named after the city's governor and Rich decorated with Lion's heads the morosini fountain formed part of the water supply in the center of the Plaza [Music] venzel the iOS minus Cathedral is shaped in the style of Western European classicism of the 19th century with structures featuring Byzantine [Music] architecture the Aya e Catarina Church accommodates an interesting collection of some of the most important icons of cretian [Music] History [Music] canosos capital of greed at the time of King Minos son of the god Zeus and The Phoenician princess [Music] Europa [Music] abducted by Zeus and in the form of a white bull princess Europa was taken to cre where she gave birth to a son according to Greek mythology the culture of the Western World began with [Music] him in 1878 the wonderful frescos of the kosas palace were discovered by a rich crean businessman who was also an archaeology [Music] Enthusiast two sto rooms were excavated within which 10 storage vessels were [Music] discovered the kosas palace was a magnificent building with up to seven floors and around 1,400 rooms which served as living quarters Administration storage and courtly [Music] celebration most of the ruins are part of the new Palace as the first was built 2,000 years before the birth of Christ as fate would have it an earthquake destroyed it shortly after it was [Music] built the conical pillars of the Mino Palace were impressively reconstructed by Sir Arthur Evans A matter now disputed with concrete iron and striking color the idea was to portray a picture of Palace life and [Music] culture air Wells pillared halls and a sewage system were already known this huge 21,000 s m area is a gigantic Monument of the past [Music] [Applause] [Music] from here cit's king ruled over 100 towns of special note is the well-maintained throne room which contains the original Throne of King [Music] Minos [Music] [Applause] [Music] laii is the name of Northern C's fertile Plateau there were once thousands of windmills with white sails pumping water onto the fields today's farmer prefers diesel driven [Music] pumps [Music] thanks to the fertile ground and natural underground water reserves agriculture has flourished for centuries on the plateau's 60 square [Music] kilm special grapes and olives Thrive here as well as wheat potatoes and other [Music] vegetables as this roadless natural Fortress was so secure at the beginning of Venetian rule in the 13th century many of the Island's inhabitants came to retire [Music] here [Music] [Music] here the fatherly God Zeus was born here bathed his daughter atheni odyusa and here the painter El Greco saw the light of the world [Laughter] [Music] [Music] the gtis ruins are reminders of the moving history of an old Town initial Prosperity came at the time of Dora in the fifth century BC when gtis became the most powerful town of the masara plain as it subjugated festos and [Music] matala the first written law in ancient Europe was discovered here written on stone tablets in Doric [Music] dialect and when the Romans came they made gorus the capital of the province of creit and Kena which included Egypt and parts of North [Music] Africa gorus was once a prosperous city everywhere in the olive Groves between the hills can be found the scattered remnants of its past cultural [Music] riches [Music] [Applause] of the Titus Basilica All That Remains is the old area the three naves of this Monumental early Christian Bishop's church are still recognizable over its huge pillars curves a crossed Dome the alar room is adorned with [Music] icons icons religious paintings which are woried by the faithful must be created to the most strict and precise [Music] requirements [Music] reminders of Roman rule these excavated statues indicate the great influence of a well disciplined [Music] culture [Music] [Music] the ruin town of a triada is an archaeological Enigma was this the country seat of an aristocrat or a prince or was it of religious [Music] significance ayat triada means holy trinity and was named after a nearby Church [Music] compared to other Palace grounds a central Courtyard is missing after the demise of the minoi culture the mckines built on its [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] ruins to the north of the palace are the remains of a residential area and eight ancient shops the only known example of a minoy [Music] market [Music] but whatever existed here the finds of a triada are especially magnificent and extensive clay pots vases mugs as well as the sarcophagus the residential rooms of this culture are still recognizable today plus store rooms and a paved street with a small river which once flowed to the Sea [Music] on this legendary Sun blessed Island the minoy culture reigned over 4,000 years ago and the many fascinating relics of this era can still be admired [Music] today [Music] [Laughter] [Music] with its beautiful sandy beaches the horseshoe shaped Bay of matala is a popular Coastal Resort after viewing the archaeology a swim in the surf is a refreshing [Music] experience [Music] at the northern edge of the bay the caves in the Sandstone Cliffs were hand dug and probably served as early Christian or Roman Graves [Music] in the 1960s hippie settled here but time has outgrown them and they've long since disappeared today the busy Beach mainly attracts the younger [Music] element [Music] many visitors come here to enjoy the brilliant sunsets the waves gently caress the craggy rocks in the [Music] bay [Music] due to the minoy Palaces festos enjoys the most impressive location on the plateau with a view over the distant masara plane an imposing open stairway leads to the Western entrance of the palace its 12 steps measure 14 M wide and have been partially carved out of the rock [Music] [Laughter] [Music] face [Music] [Laughter] after kosas C's second largest Palace has many similarities in terms of its basic structure and architecture rather than make fanciful reconstructions Italian archaeologists chose to keep to the original foundations and walls [Music] [Music] huge Pottery jugs which most likely served as storage containers for olive oil and other natural products were retrieved in good condition from the ruins of the store [Music] room festos was first built in 1900 BC but was destroyed 200 years later however a new Palace was built on its original [Music] location [Music] with a beautiful panoramic view on its West Side the undulations of The Magnificent Central Courtyard Ena the proportions of the old Palace to be [Music] seen [Music] the signs of minoy Palace architecture was the opposite of classical Greek Aesthetics narrow angled passageways and interconnecting [Music] rooms [Music] A galini is often described as a quiet fishing Village but during the summer months it's the most Lively bathing Resort on C's South Coast [Music] young pleasure-seeking tourists favor the beach and night life which guarantees them a good [Music] [Music] time but I AG has managed to maintain its original atmosphere fishing boats in the harbor and Crystal Clear Water lapping the [Music] shoreline Taveras and restaurants invite refreshment the aroma of food tempting the hungry and the promise of local wine too good to [Music] ignore [Music] spy a small town with a Bishop's residence and priest Seminary is situated in Lush [Music] surroundings [Music] throughout the year cool fresh sparkling spring water flows from a fountain decorated with Lion's [Music] [Music] heads [Music] the beautiful home of the father of the Gods Zeus is the setting for many Greek sagas the minor Icarus dionisis each one of these legendary names is here there are fertile valleys picturesque Mountain Villages ancient Treasures small fishing villages and sunny beaches an island to suit any [Music] taste [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the AR cardi Monastery lies isolated on a small plateau in the midst of Hills at the foot of the silarius mountains at the end of a Winding Road even though it has no magnificent artworks or spectacular sites a visit to this Northern Mountain area is well worth the [Music] effort [Music] 1587 during the time of the chishtian Renaissance a monastic church was built here built like a fortress with high external walls which are only interrupted by tiny discrete [Music] windows [Music] around 1700 ad aadii was by now a wealthy Monastery and with more than 300 monks in Residence set a fine example for the rest of the [Music] [Applause] country [Music] [Music] during the Turkish rebellion of 1866 the monastery was besieged and hundreds of men women and children rather than flee divided chose to die here [Music] together as the Turks began the attack the besieged crean Set Fire to the gunpowder [Music] store [Music] today the monastery is surrounded by by Vineyards and Olive Groves since those tumultuous events only peace and Solitude invade this holy [Music] [Applause] [Music] place the welcoming Central Courtyard invites relaxation and reflection how much courage and sorrow must these old walls have witnessed in Times Gone [Music] by divided into sections the well-kept Western European style outer facade extends boldly into the [Music] [Applause] [Music] distance [Music] [Applause] the Recon creats Rocky South Coast by boat majestically the plli monastery stands proudly on a [Music] clifftop several hundred meters under the monry lies The plli Oasis a small freshwater lake lined with palm trees and fed by a mountain [Music] stream [Music] the shimmering green water flows over small waterfalls past well-formed rocks and into the mini [Music] Oasis [Music] [Music] a beautiful place to swim in Crystal Clear water and to relax under Shady [Music] Palms [Music] [Applause] [Music] money prelli was one of the richest monasteries in cre today however only a few monks live in the much visited johann's [Music] [Applause] [Music] monastery [Music] the monastery acquired most of its wealth during the Turkish occupation because the uncompromising freedom-loving creats did not want to lose the monastery to the Turks they simply gave it to them the monks ruled over extensive Olive Groves Lush grazing fields and fertile agricultural land churches schools and hospitals were financed with the resulting profits even today the monastery is a pilgrimage destination and it's most important icon is said to have a healing effect on eye [Music] maladies [Music] a Rell is best reached by ship as it also lies on a rocky Coast towards the Libyan sea only much further west than [Music] prelli even in bright Sunshine the breathtakingly dramatic Rocky Cliffs give an impression of the harshness of the autumn and winter [Music] [Music] storms fishing villages are few and far between most Act activity takes place in the mountains which seem to Rise Up from the aan the precipitous Rocky Coastline of Aya relli is also the starting point to the Samaria Gorge which is regarded as the largest in [Music] Europe [Music] 18 km long and in places up to 150 M wide The Gorge stretches from the Libyan sea up to the Heights of lefka Ori or the White [Music] Mountains although it takes several hours retiring walk through the gorge is regarded as an exciting natural adventure and each summer 400,000 people bravely take up the [Music] challenge until a few centuries ago the White Mountains were passable only by mule and therefore offered a safe Retreat to wartime partisans and its unique vegetation has been [Music] [Music] preserved [Music] this Crystal Clear Mountain stream of rain and melting snow and ice has carved its way through here over thousands of years from the omalos plateau in the heart of lefa Ori down to the [Music] Sea [Music] in order to conserve its flora and fora in 1962 the Sam Maria Gorge was declared a national park thus the residents of its one and only inhabited Village had to [Music] leave the ruins of the old Stone houses can still be seen today these date back to the first settlement in the [Music] Gorge [Music] the most well-known inhabitant of the gorge is the shy crean wild goat known as the [Music] cre here too there was a remote Mountain Village for which the Tranquil way of life of its occupants inevitably ran [Music] out in the shadow of threateningly precipitous rocks are extremely rare flowering plants and up to 30 endangered birdlife species breed in the rock walls of the [Music] Gorge [Music] caria Creek's third largest Harbor Town in which Venetian architecture and Turkish remains have left their Mark situated on the north side of the island at the foot of the White Mountains on the shores of the crean sea the well-maintained former Church of San Francisco is an ideal setting for the remarkable collection of objects in the town's archaeological [Music] Museum idilic narrow streets Venetian palaces romantic inac Courtyards and the longest Harbor prominade in cre encapsulate this picturesque [Music] town the old town is full of small and cozy Tas which offer a relaxing and Shady retreat [Music] a trip along the harbor prominade in horse and carriage is a popular way to take in the [Music] sights the Harbor's entrance is controlled by a fortress wall built by the venetians the dates from the Middle Ages and which protected the castelli [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] hills Kanye is known as C's most beautiful town the Romantic atmosphere of the town's old houses and a reinforced Fort which looks down onto a picturesque Labyrinth of small [Music] Alleyways in reimon in the northwest of the island are reminders of creep Venetian and Turkish conquerors invitingly its narrow streets are perfect for a [Music] stroll a Venetian logia once a meeting place for the town's Elite still adorns the old town [Music] today [Music] within the Venetian fortification The Citadel was an additional Fortress to which in times of danger the town's population fled for Sanctuary however the Turks left the Fortress unscathed and conquered the town Within [Music] today with its old houses Turkish minettes and romantic tavernas the Town Center Nestles like a pearl on the enchanting small [Music] Harbor in the center of the foretta Fortress once stood a Venetian Cathedral on the same location on which in 1646 the Turks built the sultan Ibrahim [Music] mosque today an impressive mive domed building remains plus the base of a few minettes which following the town's Liberation by the Turks were hacked down megalin Big Island picturesque Harbors ancient Treasures Greek Hospitality here the gods spread Beauty on the Sunshine island of creit on which Alexis Zorba dances the fiery siraki everyone finds their perfect [Music] Paradise [Music]

Channel: Expoza Travel

Views: 38,649

Keywords: Landmark, videos, discovery, travelguide, guide, cityguide, Nature, visit, Tourism (Interest), world, Destination, channel, Video, highlights, Tourist, tavel, tips, trip, Crete (Administrative Division), yt:stretch=16:9, arcadiaentertainment, video, expoza, Culture, tour, vacation, Adventure, holiday, Guide Book (Media Genre), essentials, guided, Greece (Country), travel, guides, Tourist Destination, documentary, adventure

Id: diut-YwZy0Y

Length: 51min 34sec (3094 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 14 2013