Crete is Greece's largest and most southerly island. It is also the fifth largest in the Mediterranean. Crete is mostly mountainous, with a large mountain chain running east to west. The distance between Crete and the mainland, as well as the fertility of its land,have made the Island independent for many centuries. Over time Crete developed a culture of its own, with distinct language and traditions. The island separates the Aegean from the Libyan Sea, marks the boundary between Europe and Africa. Majestic mountains rise in its center Its plateaus are split by deep gorges and end up in fertile valleys. The scenery is constantly changing. In one place harsh and barren, in another wooded and gentle. Its villages smothered in greenery: Olive trees, orange groves, vineyards, and vegetable market gardens. Old stone farmhouses, monasteries and villages perched on mountain ridges, castles and chapels forgotten on steep slopes. Shores lined with forbidding rocks, often inaccessible, but also lots of endless sandy or pebbly beaches!