Opening hours are different in Crete, mainly because of the siesta which is approximately from 2.00pm and 5.30pm.
* Banks and offices close at 2.00pm.
* Supermarkets open from 8.00am until 8.00pm in winter and 9.00pm during the summer on Saturday they close at 6.00pm.
* Shops open around 9.00am and close around 1.30pm-2.00pm Monday to Saturday and on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday they open
again from 5.30pm-6.00pm to 9.00pm. (all year round)
* Local shops in the villages outside of Chania are basically "open all hours" a bit like our corner shops.
* In summer the tourist shops, bars and tavernas are open all day the shops will close at around 11.00pm and the bars and tavernas
late into the night, in winter of course there is very little in the way of entertainment as the majority are closed.
Shopping in Crete – Supermarkets
Suggested shops for shopping in Crete – There are three main supermarkets in the Chania area:
* INKA is a Greek chain of supermarkets with a wide range of local and imported products at a competetive prices. The shops are well laid out and easy to find specific items, but they are often a little understaffed and chaotic at the till.
* Champion formerly an Athens company Marinopoulos and now part of the French supermarkets chain Champion. They carry a good selection of local and imported products, their own-brand products can be cheap. The delicatessent is very impressive with a large selection of produce. A special counter offers fresh spit roasted chicken and a variety of ready food. There are always some special offers on electrical and household goods. Champion supermarkets have the advantage of large car parking areas.
* LIDL there are two on the outskirts of Chania with good car parking space. The LIDL supermarkets have their standard range of products plus local Cretan produce.
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In the towns of Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania and Agios Nikolaos and in all the big towns of the island and in many picturesque mountainous villages visitors will find a wide range of shops selling local products such as the excellent Cretan honey, the famous Cretan Wines and the tasty local cheeses (which are known all over Greece). Shops selling leather goods of high quality can also be found as well as shops proposing copper, bronze, terracotta and wooden items. Crete Shopping is an experience not to be missed.
Local embroideries and hand wooden articles can also be found in various shops and particularly in the villages of Zaro (prefecture of Heraklion), Kritsa (prefecture of Lassithi), Anogia and Zoniana (prefecture of Rethymno) which are specialised in the confectionary of those beautiful pieces of art.
Especially beautiful potteries can be bought from the village of Margarites (prefecture of Rethymno) as well as in other mountainous villages and in all the capital of the 4 prefectures. Wood carved objects of great beauty can also be found in those towns and in the many picturesque mountainous villages of Crete. Tourist shops selling various souvenirs and beach equipments are available in all the major towns and in the touristy resorts of Crete. This site is a guide about Crete Shopping.
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There are several other festivals during the year. They are used to celebrate special events like the new wine, the orange harvest, the chestnut-picking, or the sultana and raisin season. Festivals provide an opportunity to taste this year’s product, to see friends, hear music, dance, as well as to eat and drink.
Presently, there are several special events organized to present the older Cretan customs to visitors as well as to young Cretans. An elaborate traditional Cretan wedding is staged each year in Kritsa, near Agios Nikolaos, and in Rethimnon.
In the Spring the sheep are sheared by groups of men who co-operate to shear each others herds. The whole family helps and at the end there is a well-deserving hearty meal for all.
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Weddings and family celebrations in Crete
Whether you go for a holiday or want to have a celebration, make it extra special on the magical island of Crete.
The Cretans love to party, they excel in this due to their experience for thousands of years, your celebrations will take a different dimension and flavour. Why not celebrate in a taverna by the coast to the calming sounds of the rippling waves and gentle music in the background, or in a mountain village with the most fantastic views of the surrounding mountains, the horizon and the sea.
Treat the family to a tour of Knossos, or take a mountain walk and enjoy lunch In a faraway village, where you could sample Cretan food in a simple and humble taverna. Go to the beach; take a dip in the clean and clear sea, or sunbathe on the long and sandy beach. All this can be arranged in advance for you and your guests.
Dinner, drinks, cakes, desserts and flowers can all be in place at a very modest price compared to the UK, North Europe or US markets.
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Festivals, Celebrations & Holidays in Crete
This is a list of Holidays, Festivals and Celebrations held in Crete. I have tried to include all of them but I am sure I have missed some. Also some of the dates may be different from year to year so if an event sounds interesting to you, you may want to research it further so you don’t show up at a village to find the party was last week. I have not included all of the Saint’s days just because there are so many of them.
Each church is devoted to a particular saint and that saint’s name day is usually celebrated with a Panagiri (festival), and a religious service. On that day, people with the same name as the saint celebrate their name day in the same way as you celebrate your birthdays.
When you go to a village ask one of the locals when the panagiri for a particular church is and if it happens to be during your stay, join in the celebration. My favorite Saint’s day is for the Prophet Elias because it is held at a monastery or church on the highest point of an island which is usually on top of a mountain. Also many villages will have a particular patron saint that they celebrate more then the others. Find out who that Saint is and when the Panagiri is.
More about Crete Festival
Cretan Food, Wine, Spirits & Organics
Ahh Cretan food! Of course the locals don’t know it, but the Cretan diet is the best in the world, according to the World Health Organisation. The locals just know, instinctively and via strong traditions, how to live life, and this includes how to enjoy good food.
Proudly, Crete now has one of the highest registrations of organic produce in all of Greece, which is a wonderful way of continuing land practices unchanged over centuries and ensuring healthy eating and a healthy planet.
Whatever your tastes, you will find something wonderful about Cretan food. Is it the atmosphere? Is it the air? The mountains? The soil? The fresh water? The Mediterranean? Is it the farmer or the cook? This will take a few hours of diálogo dialogue… so let’s pour another wine and discuss… Dópio local, is a great Greek word to know if you are travelling. It can refer to just about any food or drink or preparation, and ensures your hosts know you want the real thing. Ask for dópio crassi local wine.
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History of Cretan Nutrition
The Mediterranean diet is currently considered by Nutritionists as a modus vivende that endows people with longevity and sound health, with Crete at its epicentre, as supported by research conducted on an international scale1. It was established that the inhabitants of Crete manifest the lowest mortality indices with respect to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Researchers then focused their attention on the particular aspects of nutrition responsible for such robust health.
The history of Cretan diet is very old; its roots lie deep in the Neolithic Age. Today science has no proof, only circumstantial evidence of the dietary habits of Cretans 5,000 years ago. However, a clear picture of those habits emerges from as far back as 4,000 years ago, when the Minoan civilization was at its peak. On the basis of archaeological findings, it seems that ancient Cretans, the Minoans, consumed pretty much the same products that are being consumed by modern Cretans today. Large clay jars (pithoi) were found in Minoan palaces that were used for the storage of olive oil, grain, legumes, and honey. In various pictorial representations2 we can also see the magnificent world of Cretan plants and herbs.
During the Byzantine period, the Cretans remained faithful to their dietary legacy and cooking habits. On the one hand, urban families were keen on preparing elaborate meals distinguished for their exceptional taste. On the other hand, the rural population subsisted strictly on products grown: greens, fruit, legumes, olives and olive oil. The Cretans, however, applied their accumulated knowledge and imagination to these lowly products producing delicious results. This practice sustained Cretans through adverse times, in periods of successive occupation by the Arabs (824-961), the Venetians (1204-1669) and the Turks (1669-1898). A turning point in the Cretan diet occurred with the introduction of new crops, particularly of the tomato, from the New World.
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On an international scale there is much discussion about, and deep interest in, finding the ideal diet, which will improve the health of human beings warding off illnesses. Ever since antiquity, the traditional diet of Cretans seems to be just such a one, including all the right ingredients. The Greek island of Crete has always been identified with healing and regeneration.
And once again, an ancient culture may offer lessons to the people of today!
Following scientific research and statistical analyses, the Cretan nutrition and diet has been proven to promote health and longevity. It consists almost exclusively of products that the people of Crete produce naturally. Products that only the island of Crete and its ideal climatic conditions can offer.
It is not only the unique in taste and quality Cretan products but also their combination, which gives an enormous nutritional value and can be found in every Cretan dish. A comparative study among several developed countries, which began in 1960 on behalf of seven countries, has a group of about 700 Cretan men from the countryside under medical observation, regularly checking the state of their health: so far this group has had the lowest percentage of deaths caused by heart attacks and different kinds of cancer.
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Red hot summers and mild to warm winters are typical characteristics of weather in Crete, which has a climate influenced by a Mediterranean weather system. The months of July and August are the hottest and rainfall is also at its lowest during this time.
Weather in Crete – find out about the weather in Crete Greece.
Summer in Crete
During the months of July and August, you can expect temperatures to be in the low to mid 30s, which many visitors may be inclined to find too hot. However, sun worshippers aren’t generally put off by this and the island’s beaches are typically full during these months. Things are somewhat cooler in June and September, and these are perhaps better months to visit if you intend on doing some sightseeing. Rainfall from June through to September is exceedingly low, if not non-existent, so you needn’t worry about storms curtailing your activities.
Winter in Crete
Temperatures in winter are very mild and you can expect daily highs of 15 ºC to 17ºC, which makes Crete the ideal place to head to if you are looking to escape the chills of a British winter. Rainfall is heaviest in the months from October to December, but even then, the rain is not significant enough to be a barrier to you enjoying your holiday.
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Crete weather is characterized by mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The climate in Crete is a temperate, Mediterranean climate
There are significant differences between the coastal zone and the mountainous areas, as well as between the west and the east part of Crete, when it comes to the weather conditions.
– Coastal zone: Dry summer, mild winter. The rainy season starts in late October and lasts till March or even April. Snowfalls are extremely rare in the coastal zone of Crete, especially so in the eastern part of the island.
– The east part of Crete (Sitia area) is drier and warmer than the west part (Chania district). This is obvious in the vegetation. Chania is a lot greener than the desert-like Sitia area. Crete Weather – Information on the summer & winter climate in Crete.
– The same difference applies between the north coast and the south coast of Crete, with the south coast being drier and warmer.
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