Bound on land by Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Albania to the north, to the east by Turkey and the waters of the Aegean Sea and to the west and south by the Ionian and Mediterranean Seas, Greece serves as a point where the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa meet. Serving as the junction of the major cultural currents, the country effectively became the crossroads for people of all regions, who themselves impacted the landscape. During the ancient period, the island of Crete was wracked by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and winter storms, resulting in craggy landscapes and rich, fertile soils.
Three mountain ranges form a sort of spine stretching across the island. The same geological forces that created the mountain ranges also created awe-inspiring gorges. Faragi Samarias (Samaria Gorge) is the most famous with a length of 16km, making it the longest gorge in Europe as well as one of the most impressive. Another less well-known gorge is the Faragi Imbrou (Imbros Gorge) that begins at the plain of Imbros and ends at the Libyan Sea beside Hora Sfakion. Crete is the home of a rich variety of plants that contain, among many hundreds of others, 130 species of wild flowers and herbs which are unique to it. Dry scrub predominates the landscape in the summer, and oleander and osier bloom in the ravines. During winter, anemones are abundant. Of course, olive trees are ubiquitous.
The mountains and ravines are home to griffon vultures, warblers swallows and the occasional goldfinch. Migratory birds make Crete a stopover each spring on their way from Africa to Europe and on the return trip each autumn.
