Steeped in history and culture, scented by wild fennel and basil, Crete welcomes and overwhelms visitors with its wealth of myths, legends and history - inviting exploration, escorted by soaring raptors in the White Mountains or amidst the springtime abundance of wild flowers on the hillsides and mountain pastures.

Its dramatic landscape and historic cities are an extraordinary fusion of past and present, offering everything from ancient sites and Venetian and Ottoman architecture to the splendours of its hills, mountains and beaches.

Greece's largest island continues to hold endless appeal for discerning visitors seeking to escape the crowds that have spoilt parts of the coast. Its towering mountain ranges are dotted with caves and intersected by dramatic gorges, and its rugged interior is a mix of fertile plains and hillsides covered in olive groves, wild flowers and aromatic herbs.

The Apokoronas region is one of the greenest in Crete and contains the island's only freshwater lake, Lake Kournas. The traditional Cretan way of life continues in picturesque villages such as Fres, Tzitzifes, Melidoni and Vaphes, which lie in the foothills of the White Mountains, an area noted for its magnificent cypress trees.

Fres itself is a popular meeting place, with an imposing main square complete with tavernas, kafeneion and shops. From the main square an archway leads to the upper part of the village and the church of Madonna of the Two Rocks - perched on two large rocks and surrounded by well-tended terraced gardens. From there a path leads up to St. Antonius' cave, offering panoramic views to Souda Bay and the Akrotiri. More paths and old mule-tracks continue into the White Mountains.

The nearest large town, just 30 minutes away from Fres by car, is the bustling port of Xania. Although Xania is a modern city, offering all that is needed in the way of shops and amenities, the Splanzia area towards the harbour is a labyrinth of old Venetian houses, with only an occasional reminder of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The waterfront and harbour area is lined with restaurants and cafés, and hosts a lively nightlife. Further east along the north coast lies Rethimnon, Crete's third largest city and the site of a Venetian fortress, one of several in this part of Crete. The area is also rich in sites from antiquity, including a Roman villa in the ruins of the ancient city state of Aptera.

On the south coast, Xora Sfakion is a thriving community with its harbour, tavernas, diving centre and ferries to other south coast ports, including Agia Roumeli, which lies at the bottom of the Samaria Gorge.