Crete, the southernmost region of Greece and the bottom tip of Europe, is located in the center of the eastern Aegean. The island, with a population of 600,000, is divided into four prefectures: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and Lassithi.

The island that has been sung about countless times, with its rich historical and cultural background, had the privilege of being the cradle of the famous Minoan civilization and the homeland of Zeus. The greatest of all gods, around whose persona a colorful mythology has been woven, featuring well-known figures such as Europa, Minos, Pasiphae, the Minotaur, and others, was born in the Dikti mountains and raised in the forests of Psiloritis.

Here, unique archaeological sites such as Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros have been uncovered, revealing the greatness of Minoan culture, which flourished not only in the Aegean but throughout the Mediterranean. It is remarkable that the culture in this limited geographical area never extinguished over the centuries, neither in the geometric, archaic, classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods, nor in Byzantine and Venetian times.

All epochs "left behind" impressive traces on the island and shaped a diverse cultural landscape - the magnificent, colorful, and vibrant scene of a continuous historical evolution, which resonates through the sounds of the lyre, the mantinades, and the pounding dance steps, the passion and pride of the people echoing to this day. A pride that has "matured" on the rugged mountain peaks, in the imposing gorges, and the inaccessible caves, similar to how olive trees and wildflowers "bloomed" in the most unlikely places, turning sentimental when gazing at the gentle coasts with golden sand and the turquoise sea.