TRAVEL INFORMATION
CRETE AT A GLANCE
TRAVEL INFORMATION ABOUT KATO GOUVES
- Facts & Figures about Kato Gouves
CRETE AT A GLANCE
Crete´s History in brief
Ancient Crete
Crete lies in a strategic position in the southern Aegean of the Mediterranean Sea. For this reason it has been a prime target of invaders since always. Crete was home to the Minoan civilization during the Bronze Age (3000 to 1100 BC) that is - due to its outstanding knowledge and inventions - known as the cradle of modern European Culture. Many myths and legends like King Minos, the Minotaur, Ariadnes red string out of the labyrinth date back to that time. After this great civilization was weakend and nearly wiped out by natural forces (earthquakes, tsunami), in 500 BC the island was occupied by Dorians and lateron until 330 AC by Romans.
The Middle Ages
During the first Byzantine Time (330 - 824 AC) many beautiful basilicas were erected which reflect the wealth of Crete at that time. During the Arab conquest until 961 AD the city of Heraklion ("Handak") was established but unlike in Spain or Sicily, little of lasting value was left from that aera in Crete.
The island was restored to Byzantium in 961 and the Christian ruling class was strengthened. Due to the decline of Byzantium in general, by 1204 Crete was sold to the Venetians who used the island as a source of grain, wine, and wood for shipbuilding. Venice understood the strategic importance of Crete and fortified already existent cities, castles and harbours or built new ones (e.g. Spinalonga, Rethymnon). The Venetian oppressors established a feudal administration which the Cretans answered with rebellion. But at the same time the foreign power supported arts so that it was possible for locals like famous painter El Greco (Domenico Theotocopoulos) to start a carreer. By the end of the Venetian rule in 1669 Crete was an amalgam of Cretan and Venetian influences.
Turkish Rule
With the decline of the Venetian power a new force entered Crete: the Ottoman Turks took Crete in 1669 and ruled until 1898. In the beginning of Turkish rule there was great hardship and deprivation. Later there was ruthless discrimination against Christians and conversions to Islam were frequent. Greek and Cretan cultural and culinary traditions were preserved and protected throughout this period by monasteries of the Greek Orthodox church, secret schools an in remote mountain villages that could resist occupation.
In 1897 the great politician Eleftherios Venizelos negotiated the independence of Crete. Crete was declared an autonomous state and finaly united with Greece in 1913. During World War II Crete played a major role in the war. The Germans invaded the island in May 1941 ("Operation Mercury") and answered the strong Cretan resistance with executions, in some place the hole village was wiped out.
Modern Crete
At the end of World War II, Crete began reconstruction while the rest of the country was embroiled in a civil war until 1949. When Greece joined the NATO in 1951 the US was given the right to operate sovereign bases on Crete (e.g. Souda, Gouves until 1996). Due to this period of peace and also due to its favourable climate, the island became one of the most prosperous areas of Greece with agricultural products becoming a mainstay of Cretan economy. From 1967 to 1974 army colonels stage a coup and impose martial law across Greece. In 1974 Monarchy is abolished and Democracy returns. On 1 January 1981 Greece becomes the tenth member of the EEC and joins the European Monetary Union on January 2002 - since then the EURO is national currency.
Crete´s amazingly rich history has left many imprints on the island which can still be seen. Click for sightseeing tips
Facts & Figures - Crete
Geography
Crete
is the biggest island of Greece and the 5th biggest and most southern island in the Mediterranean. The island has a lenght of 260 km (160 miles) and measures 56 km (35 miles) at its widest point and only 16 km (at its smallest point.
High mountains, plateaus, deep gorges and thousands of caves are characteristic for Crete. There are 4 massive mountainranges nestled together from the West to the East of the island: White Mountains with Pachnes (2453 m), its highest peak, in the west. Ida mountain with its highest peak Timios Stavros (2456 m) which is also the highest point of Crete. Dikti mountains which its peaks circling around the Lassithi Plateau. And in the East the Thripti mountains with Afentis (1476 m) as its highest peak.
Main cities and towns
The island counts about 600.000
inhabitants, who live, for the most part,
in the larger towns of the island which are: Heraklion (airport & ferry port), Chania (airport & ferry port), Rethymnon (ferry port), Agios Nikolaos (ferry port) and Sitia (airport & ferry port) on the north coast - Sitia, Mires, Timbaki and Paleochora on the sout coast.
Economy
The prime sector is the traditional income and still one of the main economic sources on the island. About 50 % of the population lives in and from agriculture. Since Minoan time the cultivation of the olive tree is the main source of wealth and Crete infact produces olive oil in outstanding quality. Additionaly oranges, grapes and vegetables are grown and exported to the mainland and within Europe.
The urban population is involved in commerce and cottage industries, in the developing industrial sector and in the second economic base, the tourist industry. The tourist sector influences very strong the economic development of the island in the last decade. The reasons for the increasing number of touristic arrivals are fascinating archaeological sites, mild climate, lovely and partly natural beaches and clean seas, together with the hospitality of its people and the variety of the landscape. Hand in hand with the growing tourism goes the development of the infrastructure, the improvment and new construction of hotels and tourist complexes.
Administration
Crete is one of the 13 administrative devisions of Greece. The island is devided into 4 nomoi (Perfectures) and many Dimoi (municipalities) like Gouves that consist again of various towns and villages.
Religion: Greek Orthodox, ca. 95 % of the population
Language & Currency: Greek. Since 2001 the EURO is the new currency in Crete/Greece.
TRAVEL INFO: HOLIDAY RESORT GOUVES
Facts & Figures Gouves
Local time is GMT+1hour for guests of Central Europe. For English and Irish guests: GMT+2hours (GMT+3 hours from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October). So, do not forget to set your watch upon arrival!
Electricity
Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. A variety of plugs are in use including the European-style two-pin and the round three-pin.
Location
The village of Gouves (greek: Γούβες) lies on the north-coast of Crete, about 20 km (12 miles) east of Heraklion, the capital of the perfecture Heraklion. The village consists of the tourist destination Kato Gouves right at the sea and the traditional village Pano Gouves about 2,5 km inland on the western flanks of the Ederi hill, surrounded by olive trees.
The international access code for Greece is +30. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Iit is generally cheaper to use public card phone booths and cards that can be bought from kiosks or minimarkets. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts and are cheaper than accessing the Internet from hotels.
History of Gouves
The name Gouves derives from the greek word Gouva, meaning
a hole in the earth, in which during the middle ages, people stored their wheat.
Gouves is also the birthplace of the greek poet Ioannis Konstantinidis.
Gouves Today
According to the census of 2001 there is a population of 7.761 residents (census 2001 [1] ) goverend by Mayor
Yiorgos Nikolakaki. Kato Gouves and Pano Gouves are part of the Township Gouves which covers a territory of ca. 95
km² and consists of the following 8 main villages/municipal districts and their settlements, the island of Dia and one monastery:
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Gouves (Γούβες): consisting of the old village Pano Gouves in the hills, the tourist resort Kato Gouves (Κάτω Γούβες) at the sea, Skoteino with its large cave, Ag. Pelagia, Pelekita
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Anopolis (Ανώπολις) with its Watercity, including the settlements of Gournes (Γούρνες), Kokkini Chani (Χάνι του Κοκκίνη) with its Minoan Villa and the Monastery of Ag. Ioannis Theologou
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Elias (Ελαία) including the settlements of Elia, the island of Dia - perfect for a sailing daytrip, Karteros with its mysterious caves of Eileithyia and Stavromeno.
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Epano Vathia (Επάνω Βάθεια) and the settlement Ag. Ioannis
- Kalo Chorio (Καλό Χωριό)
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Kato Vathia (Κάτω Βάθεια) also including the settlements of Vathianos Kampos and Vrachokipos.
- Koxari (Κόξαρη)
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Charaso (Χαρασό) and the settlement of Voros
Distances
300m from Crete Exhibition Center
500m from CretAquarium
800m from Gouves Beach
7km from Chersonissos
12km from the Crete Golf Club
14km from the Heraklion Airport
17km from the Heraklion Port
25km from Foundation for Research & Technology - Hellas
Destination Kato Gouves
Kato Gouves is a well-developed tourist resort with sandy beach coves, traditional villages and interesting archeological sites.
There is a variety of accommodation, from large and luxury hotels to basic boarding houses and self-catering apartments and also a campsite. Various restaurants, bars, cafes, nightclubs and shops along the shopping street, which is the mainstreet of Gouves, make sure that you won´t be bored. If this entertainment is not enough for you, hop in a cab and go to Hersonissos (8 km from Kato Gouves), THE partyzone of the island.
About 2,5 km inland or a good half-hour walk from the beach, you can reach the old village of Pano Gouves. In the traditional center around the church several tavernas and cafes invite you to have a good glass of wine or a fine meal in relaxed atmosphere.
Kato Gouves is the ideal base to discover Crete`s natural and archeological sites. Check out the section Things to do!
One of the many advantages of Kato Gouves is that you can easily find or avoid anything you wish. Whether it is a quiet holiday, a beach holiday, a laze-by-the-pool holiday, a walking or exploring holiday, or indeed nightlife, you can find or avoid anything here.
Holidays and Events in Gouves & on Crete
Holidays
Jan 1:
Feast of St Basil. This is associated with a good start for the new year. An old Byzantine custom of slicing the Vassilopita (New Year Cake) gives the person who finds the hidden coin in his slice, good luck for the year.
Jan 6: Epiphany (Epiphanías): Special ceremony at the little Church in Gouves where the sea and vessels are blessed.
Mar 25: Independence Day with military parades in larger towns and cities.
Apr 25 – 28: Greek Easter Holidays - the most important religious feast of the Greek Orthodox Church (Paska). This pageant culminates in a candle-lit procession and the burning of a Judas doll outside each Orthodox Church on Saturday night. Also in Gouves, on Saturday April 26, the are midnight services in the main church of Pano Gouves and in the little church right at the sea in Kato Gouves where a bonfire burning the Judas doll is lit. The following day is celebrated by localals with a feast of lamb cooked over open fires with local village wine.Orthodox Easter (Páska)
May 1: Labour Day and Flower Day (Protomaiá). Summer is welcomed with trips to the countryside for picknicks and you will see many kites in the air.
May 12: Pfingstmontag
July 1 - Sep 25: The Heraklion Festival is held and features some of Greece's and international popular musicians as well as theatrical performances. Over the years, the festival has welcomed the likes of the Kirov Opera and Bolshoi Ballet, the Vienna Opera, Alvin Ailey and other top performing arts groups from around the world.
Aug 15: Assumption Day. (Kímisis tou Theotókou)
Every year in September on the last Tuesday before school begins again, there is a local festival with live Cretan Music on the municipal sports ground. For a small entrence fee you can participate and get free drinks
Oct 26: Nameday of St. Dimitris and holiday in Heraklion
Oct 28: Ochi-Day;
commemorates Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas 's rejection of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Mussolini on October 28 , 1940 .
Nov: The first week of the month is the anniversary of the holocaust at the Arkadi Monastery in Rethymnon Crete.
Dec 6: Ag. Nikolaos, Saint Nikolaos Day is celebrated, patron of the city Ag. Nikolaos
Dec 25/26: Christmas (Christoújenna)
Dec 31: New Years Eve.
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