Located on the eastern side of Crete, opposite Elounda in Lasithi prefecture, the islet of Spinalonga is known all over the world due to the tragic historic events linked to it. In 1970, the island was designated as a protected archaeological site, where excavations, the demolition of the buildings and the maintenance of the walls began.

Europe's beaches are generally clean but France is lagging behind other tourist destinations in the south of the continent, a report from European Environment Agency (EEA) showed on Wednesday.

Our trip would not be complete without hiking the Samaria gorge, often called the longest gorge in Europe, though I'm not so sure about that.

This route follows the road from Heraklion to Messara plain, starting in the nodal point of Giofiros in Heraklion. Turn left on the nodal point and follow the road signs to Mires village.

A British holiday firm is helping to preserve the culture of the island's mountain villages, from organic food to traditional music. Catherine Mack reports

'The water isn't salty, Mum,' my five-year-old son shouts joyfully as we swim back to the deserted white soft sands of Kiani Akti. He is right: the water that flows into this section of Souda Bay, on the north-west corner of Crete, is from a mountain river that gushes past hillside olive and orange groves and culminates in a tumultuous surge at this tiny beach. The effect is not only the addition of yet one more shade to this already burgeoning palette of blues, but a rush of ice-cold mountain water into the temperate briny.

One of us is widowed, one is divorced and the other has a homebound partner. So while we're not exactly looking for a Shirley Valentine experience, we are wanting a holiday for singles.

Holidaying as a solo can be a challenging experience, leaving you feeling like the proverbial wallflower at the school dance.

When Easter arrives in Greece, one thing is for sure - summer’s on its way. In fact of all the Greek islands dotted around the Mediterranean and Aegean, Crete has some of the best average year-round temperatures but that’s not the only reason it’s a timeshare favourite. It really is an island with something for everyone, whatever your style of holiday.

"Monumental" olive tree of Kavousi village, Lassithi prefecture, east Crete.
Azorias - Kavousi, Municipality of Ierapetra
The olive tree and olive oil are closely connected to Cretan mythology, history, tradition, religion, and art, as well as the social and economic life of Cretan people dating back 9.000 years. Nowadays, olive groves cover about 1/4 of the total area of the island dominating its natural environment and creating employment for almost the entire local agricultural population.

Agia Fotini or Kerames beach (Triopetra beach area, southern coast).
Agia Fotini is located in a remote part of Crete, far from the crowds of holiday makers and resorts found elsewhere, but just an hours drive from the historic town of Rethymno with its Venetian streets and Fortress, handicraft and modern shops and the twice weekly market.

Driving from Paleochora to Elafonisi
A lovely scenic drive through the South West of Crete, Chania prefecture. We advise you take the road inland and then west as this is in good condition for driving.