Local knowledge

Taxis

Flagging down a taxi in the mountains might prove irksome; ask your hotel to book cabs for you.

Tipping culture

Add 10–12 per cent to your restaurant bill in change – if you use a card, the staff won't reap the benefit. Also, should a Cretan take you out, don't insist on paying the bill; what may seem polite may be perceived as rude.

Siesta and fiesta

Banks are open 8am–2.30pm Monday–Thursday; 8am–2pm on Friday. When the island heats up, Cretans take a siesta between 3–5pm, meaning lots of shops close then too.

Packing tips

An insatiable appetite for facing the tenacious taverna owners; a good map of Crete, binoculars and an Ariadne-style ball of string for navigating the rural roads.

Recommended reads

Go highbrow with a copy of Erotokritos by Vitsentzos Kornaros. This 17th-century romantic poem focuses on two lovers, and is widely viewed as a Cretan literary masterpiece. For a more modern (best selling) read try The Island by Victoria Hislop, in which a daughter’s quest to know more about her mother leads her to Crete and the island of Spinalonga, a former leper colony. From lepers to laughs – You are Here by Steven Horsfall features men behaving badly: four likely lads travel to Crete from Britain to try their luck with the ladies.

Cuisine

Expect the freshest of food and a hands-on approach (literally). To blend in when eating out, order a selection of dishes all at once, put everything in the centre of the table and eat your feast with your fingers.

Regional specialities

Try rabbit or beef stifado (stew), boiled goat, lamb chops and meat cooked on the ofto (barbecue); vegetarians should sample dakos (barley rusk soaked in olive oil and scattered with tomato, olives and feta cheese) and stamnagathi (wild greens). Plenty of restaurants serve succulent seafood; try kohli (snails) seasoned with vinegar and rosemary and fresh fish simply dressed with lemon and olive oil. The Cretans turn out delicious cheeses – graviera is mild and nutty, made from sheep’s milk (make like a local and eat it with a pinch of thyme and a drizzle of honey).

Currency

Euro (€).

Time zone

GMT+2.

Dialling codes

Greece: +30; Crete: +30

Do go/don't go

Crete has a long high season – from mid April to October. The island sizzles and simmers in June and July, with temperatures above 40 degrees, so avoid these months if you're no sun worshipper.