The Greeks (despite their current financial worries) love a party. They'll take any opportunity to celebrate their identity and to finish it off with a firework display that lights up the entire Mediterranean. On November 17th, it's the kids' turn to party on Polytechneio Day - a celebration and a chance to remember the students who died during the Greek resistance to German occupation in the 1940s. Polytechneio day was founded in 1973 after a tank was driven in to the gates of the Polytechneio Polytechnic during the Greek military junta of 1967-1974. So although it does have a more sombre side, the Greek people hate being too serious about anything, so the day is now celebrated throughout the country as a public holiday.

Continue reading... Polytechneio Day in Greece

On the 28th of October every year Greece celebrates the power of the negative. Military parades, coastal celebrations and special Greek Orthodox Services commemorate the day, in 1940, that Greek President Yanni Mextaxas declared 'Ochi!', 'No!' in Greek, and rejected Benito Mussolini's ultimatum that Greece be occupied by Axis forces or face war. Against all odds, and to their own amazement, the Greeks defeated advancing Italian troops, driving them back into Albania. Although Greece went on to be occupied by Germany, Greeks still celebrate Mextaxas' tenacity, their fierce resistance and unlikely victory with great pride.

Continue reading... Greeks Say 'No Way' on Ochi Day

Greece is becoming increasingly popular with internationally acclaimed bands and groups. With flights to Crete and other destinations across the country now easily available from most UK airports, music fans can combine a holiday with the gig of a lifetime in some of the most dramatic backdrops in the world. See stars under the stars at open-air concerts across the country, and thanks to the current exchange rate, tickets and flights to Thessaloniki and other locations are now better value than ever.

Continue reading... Anathema Touring

The first ever Olympic Games were held in 776 BC in the Greek village Olympia. The classical games included running, boxing, wrestling, jumping and discus throwing. If you're into sports, you'll certainly appreciate a pilgrimage to the birth country of this strong tradition. For amateur athletes, one of the most impressive Greek islands is Crete because the mountains, planes and beaches are ideal for a wide variety of sports. The best time of the year for flights to Crete is autumn, as the hordes of tourists have left the island and the temperatures are more suitable for an active holiday than during the summer.

Continue reading... If you are an inspiring athlete all you need is holiday in Crete

If you need to escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life, leave yourself behind during your vacation and experience Greece like a local. As well as cheap flights to Zante, Corfu, Heraklion and many other Greek airports, Flythomascook can now offer you the inside information you need to really get away from everything.

Continue reading... Locals about Greece: When people make plans, God laughs

Crete is the largest of all the Greek islands, and arguably the most important and exciting. With two international airports, there are more flights to Crete each year than to any other place in Greece.

Continue reading... Between History and beachside relaxation discover Crete

One of the fruitiest, juiciest festivals of the world is about to take off again, so if you've got a sweet tooth and don't have any plans yet, check out our last minute flights to Crete now! Every year in August, the inhabitants of the seaside city Sitia host the traditional Sultana Festival.

Continue reading... Off the beaten track: a Fruity Festival

The Monastery known as Saint Maria de Miracoli is actually one of the most popular destinations within Crete. Crete is a very tourist attraction and there are regular flights to Crete, which makes it a popular tourist resort. The popular resort of Crete is offers tourists serenity and aura and this reflects the grandeur and heritage of the area. This monastery dates back to the fifteenth century and it was originally built for the Roman Catholics.

Continue reading... Santa Maria De Miracoli Monastery in Crete

Crete is one of the lively places in Greece and people here very joyfully celebrate a lot of festivals throughout the year. They are a lot into celebrating festivals concerned with the harvest of crops and fruits, hence the names of many of its festivals as the orange harvest, sultana and raisin season and the chestnut picking. Festivals here will provide even the visitors from other countries an opportunity to have the taste of this years harvest. Traveling to Crete at this time of the year is even better as Christmas is here. There are regular flights to Crete as well. But if you are not able to reach Crete in December or January, be sure to be in Crete in February for the Shrove Monday.

Continue reading... Shrove Monday in Crete

Crete is the largest island of Greece and provides a lot of options for tourists in form of its quiet coves, resort hotels, fabulous mountain villages, hidden beaches and beautiful plateaus that truly rewards a perceptive world traveler. Enticing moments and memorable combinations of place and time that offer truly enriching experiences is what Crete is all about. The most visited time at Crete is from April to October and you can book your flights to Crete in advance, if planning your vacation during these months.

Continue reading... Rocca Al Mare Fortress in Crete

Crete happens to be the southernmost island in entire Europe and it sure has everything you want! Whether it is the mountain villages that refresh you or the long sandy beaches that relax you, you can just reach Crete without a worry in your mind to simply enjoy every bit of the city. Traveling with friends or family is easy as there are daily flights to Crete from all over the world.

Continue reading... Chania in Crete

Crete is the largest in area among all the Greek islands. It is situated towards the southeastern edge of Greece. This picturesque Mediterranean island is 260 km in length and 12 to 60 km in width. The island sits cozily between Africa, Europe and Asia. You can book flights to Crete to enjoy the antiquity in form of its churches, palaces and museums as well as the modern locations such as its vast golf courses.

Continue reading... Knossos in Crete

Rethymno beautifully unites the charm of an old town with the enthusiasm of a soft sandy beach. This brings your vacation to a point where it is loaded with great surprises of the past and the present. There are flights to Crete and Rethymno can be reached by a ferry that will leave you right in the middle of the quaint town.

Continue reading... Rethymno in Crete

Cretan weddings are great fun for both the families and they are definitely lavish compared to any of the other weddings. If you get an opportunity to witness a Cretan wedding, you will definitely get to see several ancient, mostly pre Christian traditions being followed in the wedding rituals. For instance, you will find tradition of the serving of braided cinnamon bread sprinkled with some candied fruits. The dough is usually cut in the shape of stars and moons. The amazing aroma of the dough is believed to represent the hopes and joys of togetherness after marriage.

Continue reading... Traditional Cretan Wedding

As summers approach you can get ready to expect a world of art and culture at Heraklion. Starting in July till late September each year, the city of Heraklion situated on a Greek island Crete hosts a small arts festival. Although it is a small scale festival but people involved in art are attracted to places that are not too loud or too noisy. If you are one of those art lovers then Crete is worth visiting at least once in your lifetime. Flights to Heraklion can be taken from any part of the world and can even be booked online. Apart from the summer arts festival, there are many places you will find interesting.

Continue reading... Heraklion Summer Festival

Apokrias Carnival in Crete is celebrated to appease Dionysos, the God of Feast and Wine. Traditionally it is supposed to prepare the people for the 40 day fast or Lent, during which there is are no parties, weddings or celebrations of any kind. The carnival is held as a form of last time of celebration before Lent begins, when people are not allowed to have meat or drink wine. It is held over a period of three weeks filled with fun and festivities, more to compensate for the abstinence to be held during the 40 day fast.

Continue reading... Crete Apokrias Carnival

Rethymno Carnival, which is the largest and surely the grandest carnival in the Rethymno town will happen anywhere in January-February 2011. It is an annual carnival which happens in this town somewhere around the same time. The entry to this carnival is absolutely free though the carnival provides you with ample opportunities to have fun and frolic at this event.

Continue reading... Rethymno Carnival in Crete

The biggest of all the Greek islands, you could be forgiven for thinking that Crete was in fact a whole country. Steeped in ancient history and home to the infamous Minotaur, Crete retains a mythical quality that many other countries have since lost. Book flights to Crete and experience the timeless traditions of this island while you catch one of the intimate celebrations that take place over the summer and autumn months.

Continue reading... St. Minas Parade in Heraklion

An island which is very much the epitome of Greek history, Crete offers nothing short of a continual succession of seasonal festivals and things to do over the summer months. For those who want to sample these festivals, book your flights to Crete now to catch the highly anticipated annual Music Festival in Paleohora, which takes place over the first ten days of August.

Continue reading... The Paleohora Music Festival

The Yakinthia festival is one festival you shouldn't miss if you are planning a holiday in Crete this summer. And in order to be a part of this year's festival, the best time to start booking your flights to Crete is now! This cultural and artistic festival will be held from the 21st to the 25th of July in Anogia, a small village in Crete.

Continue reading... Yakinthia Festival, the place to be this summer in Crete

The best way to discover Crete may just be on foot. The island is ideal for walks, with mountains, valleys, villages, plains and an expansive coastline to explore. Crete has over 200 gorges which are accessible by walking

Continue reading... Discover Crete

From July 12th to 27th the town of Rethymnon in Crete will come to life in celebration of a unique period of history. The Renaissance Festival was created in 1987 as a way for Cretans to reconnect with an era that rejuvenated the island both culturally and spiritually, and the event is still going strong over two decades later.

Continue reading... Crete Renaissance Festival

The usual influx of visitors to Crete over the Easter period took place as expected but there were some subtle changes to normal behaviour that has got local tourism authorities thinking hard.

Continue reading... Crete Holiday Season Kicks Off

The celebrations of Easter, or Paska, are some of the most important of the year in Greece and for anyone on the island of Crete for a break during early April, the events will add a dash of local colour to their stay.

Continue reading... Easter In Crete

Here are some more details about this year's Carnival that was held in the town of Rethymnon between the end of January and 15th February. This Crete carnival is slightly unusual in that the event programme was made possible due to the participation of several "teams". These teams were made up of locals who either belong to a sporting or social club, or are perhaps a group of friends or family. In addition to the usual street parades and musical performances, there were also lots of "team" parties held in different venues across the town. The dates and locations of these parties were published and everyone was invited to come along.

Continue reading... Rethymnon Celebrations

We've already posted information about several of the big carnival events planned for the Canary Islands and the Balearics but Greece is another country that celebrates at this time of year.

Continue reading... Greek Carnival in Crete

Tree blossom brings a welcome boost of colour to UK trees in spring, but for Mediterranean islands like Mallorca and Menorca, as well as the islands of the Canaries, spring blossom arrives a little earlier in February thanks to the almond trees.

Continue reading... Almond Blossom In February

The Spanish islands of Mallorca, Menorca and the Canaries are not the only places to hold their carnivals in the early part of the year. The town of Rethymno in Crete also stages a spectacular carnival programme that runs throughout the whole of February.

Continue reading... February Carnival in Crete

New plans for upgrading the airport at Chania on Crete are being made public at last. The Chania airport in western Crete is one of two operational charter flight airports at the moment. The other is at Heraklion, on the central northern coast and is the larger of the two, although there are plans to upgrade the airport at Sitia in eastern Crete to provide a third airport in the future.

Continue reading... Crete Airport Upgrade Plans

Visitors to Crete during September will not only have the fabulous autumn weather to enjoy. A selection of cultural events continues throughout the month.

Continue reading... Crete During September

The beaches of Eastern Crete are often referred to as some of the more secluded on the island, but when windsurfers discover perfect conditions, things tend to get livelier.

Continue reading... Go Freestyle on Crete

For a real Greek village experience try Vamos. The town is situated between Chania and Rethymnon, in the rolling foothills of the White Mountains. The sea is less than four miles away, with sandy beaches complete with water-sports facilities at both Kalives and Georgioupoli.

Continue reading... Crete - Part 2

In a move that appears to be bucking the trend experienced in other parts of Europe, the Greek Islands are seeing improved tourist figures for the first four months of the year.

Continue reading... Greeks Islands Proving Popular

Deciding on a new destination for your next holiday is both exciting and difficult. The prospect of discovering new and wonderful places is set against the worry of potentially being disappointed with your choice of location. Travel brochures have pages of tempting pictures of beautiful scenery and attractive descriptions and the resorts themselves use all kinds of marketing strategies to attract as many visitors as possible. As part of this promotion you may have heard some resorts describe their beaches as "blue flag", but what does that actually mean?

Continue reading... Blue Flag Beaches

July and August are busy months in Crete as towns and villages all over the island celebrate with different types of festivals. For visitors to Crete the local festivals present an ideal opportunity to experience some local culture and learn a little about the history and traditions of the island.

Continue reading... Festival Time in Crete

The annual summer festival in Chania, Crete showcases all kinds of traditional Cretan theatre and music, but international bands will rock the festival into life on 11th July, when rock band Scorpians headline an outdoor concert in the town.

Continue reading... Summer Festival Rocks into life in Crete

Rediscover the true Crete: Beyond the noisy, crowded resorts lies the true heart of Crete which encompasses stunning regional flavours, exceptional land and sea scapes, and the hustle and bustle of traditional village life.

Continue reading... Crete Part 1

The wilder parts of Crete are already well known for Gorge trekking and even some skiing high in the mountains, but places like the beach at Plakias are home to some challenging climbing locations. At Plakais, a sheer limestone wall rises directly off the beach, making it a great spot for some recreational climbing. The location is becoming more popular and additional routes are being documented.

Continue reading... Paradise for Climbers

Anyone holidaying on the island of Crete has the choice of many wonderful beaches on which to while away their days, but if the lure of the sea and sand starts to wane then the inland areas of Crete have much to offer. The countryside seems littered with ancient ruins, some from Minoan times and dating back over 3000 years. They may now be nothing more than a crumbling muddle of block shaped stones but when you consider when and why they were built, they become all the more remarkable. A good guide or an informative book is very useful.

Continue reading... Caves of Crete

The Greek islands of Rhodes, Crete and Zante are among many holiday destinations in Greece that will benefit from the smoking ban that is being brought forward to July 1st 2009 from its original introduction date of January 1st 2010. With smoking banned in public places across much of Europe already, Greece is one of a few countries yet to introduce the legislation that bans smoking in public places like restaurants, hotels and cafes. The fact that smoking is still allowed in these places at the moment comes as a surprise to many visitors of holiday destinations in Greece and has been seen as a significant disadvantage by tourist authorities.

Continue reading... Smoking Ban in Greece brought forward

The largest of the Greek islands is not merely a place for beach holidays. The landscape here is both varied and challenging once you move inland. Crete is also the location one of Greece's Biosphere Reserves. UNESCO's World Network of 553 Biosphere Reserves are recognised as places which innovate and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development. There are only two Biosphere Reserves in Greece, the other being Mount Olympus on the mainland and the highest mountain in Greece. Both sites became part of the scheme in 1981.

Continue reading... Samaria Gorge Crete

Described as a walker's paradise by many, the island combines a mild, dry climate with spectacular high mountains, coastal paths and, in places, wonderful isolation. A huge network of ancient walkways and traditional trails used by shepherds links together hundreds of small villages which provide places to stop and gather refreshments as well as places to stay overnight.

Continue reading... Walking and Climbing in Crete

On May 23rd this year the skies over the Port of Hania (Chania) in Crete will roar to sound of fast jets as the RAF Red Arrows come to town to put on their flying display to help mark the 68th anniversary of the Battle of Crete that took place in 1941.

Continue reading... Veterans to See Red in Crete