Greek view Crete by Jeroen Somers

About "Greek view Crete"

by Jeroen Somers

About the artwork

During our tour of the island, I had the opportunity to take this beautiful photo.

The area of Crete is over 8300 square kilometers. Crete is located in the south of the Aegean Sea and forms the border with the Libyan Sea. The island is 260 kilometers long and its width varies from 12 kilometers (near Ierapetra) to 70 kilometers (between Heraklion and Lithinon).

Crete is very mountainous and from west to east three mountain ranges can be distinguished. In the west there is the Lefka Ori (White Mountains), of which at 2452 meters the Pachnes is the highest peak. These mountains are snow covered during the winter and even until the beginning of June the remaining snow can be seen from a great distance. The Samaria Gorge runs through this mountain range. In the central part of Crete is the Ida Mountains with the Ida Psiloritis as the highest mountain (2456 meters). In the east, near the Lassithi plateau, is the Dikti Mountains, of which the Dikti is the highest mountain at 2148 meters. The mountains are largely composed of limestone and are home to many caves and up to 50 gorges. Scattered across Crete are a number of small rivers, most of which are dry for much of the year.

The south coast of Crete is characterized by steep cliffs and strong erosion. The north coast is relatively flatter and on this side you will find most beaches. The few beaches on the south coast are usually in secluded bays. The distance between Crete and mainland Greece is about 100 km. About 300 km south of Crete lies the African country of Libya.