What are some cultural differences between Crete and the rest of Greece?

Question

i heard Cretan culture is a bit different.. in what wayy ??

@ Steve C - what do u exactly mean ? =)

Answer 1

The main difference is that Cretans are more traditional in their ways than most Greeks.Especially people from the rural areas stick close to the old ways.
One more characteristic is the continuance of the local verbal idiom which makes them distinct from the rest Greeks.
The only possible negative, IMHO, is the free use of arms and the custom of "mpalothies".

Answer 2

Crete has lately been pictured as a backward island compared to mainland Greece. In fact, the situation is quite the contrary in more than one instances.

Cretans have the highest income per person (>24000 $/year) in Greece and the lowest unemployment in Greece (<4%). Internet is used extensively and more than anywhere else in Greece (Forthnet is Cretan). Research institutes and the university of Crete stands really high not just in Greece but for some Institutes also at the European level. How many people do know that the Institute for the safety of telecommunications in the whole European union is in Crete? Whereas anywhere else in Greece, public bodies communicate still with the phone...in Crete they use optic fibers. My appreciation is that the majority of Cretans are open-minded and business oriented people.

That being said, there are several exceptions like those villages in Crete where things are being done differently. As also in Nea Liosia, few areas in Peraeus or Egaleo or elsewhere in the greater area of Athens.

Answer 3

Crete hasn't got many cultural differences with the rest of Greece!Sure,we use a different dialect(which is also happening in a lot of other places of Greece) and yes,in the villages people tend to be more traditional but I guess that's the same difference between villages and cities everywhere.Crete is very tourist oriented so she couldn't stay behind when it comes to the important things.People are openminded most of the times(not in villages) and very friendly.I guess that's the biggest difference,in a big city like Heraklion(which is the 4th biggest city of Greece after Athens,Thessaloniki and Patra) you still have friendly people,people don't act like in a big city,I mean you don't have to be afraid if you are a girl and walk alone on the streets after 12 o clock.It's more....to use a Greek word:oikogeneiaka there.i'm from Crete and I don't really picture myself living there for the rest of my life,but I do realise how lucky i was to be able to grow up on a very big island like Crete,with big cities that still hadn't lose that traditional,family feeling.How many kids growing up in a big city can say that they were able to play on the streets(with no danger from cars etc) till late in the night and how many 18-19 year old girls can say they were able to walk from the centre of the city to their homes(a distance of 20+ minutes through some relative empty streets) without having to face any problem?I rarely feel unsafe when I'm in Crete,which I can't say when I'm in any other big city(in Greece or any other country)

Answer 4

No really simply Cretans tend to be a bit more traditional in their ways than let's say the inhabitans of Athens...

Answer 5

Much more worried about the situation with Turkey. Politically, post-war Crete remains a place deeply mistrustful of outside control, even from Athens- At the local level above all, loyalties are divided along clan and patronage lines rather than party political ones, and leaders are judged on how well they provide for their areas and their followers.

Answer 6

An incredibly deepseated hatred of germans!...

and the dialect is diffrent....eg sinitta....this evening..
and konserva....for gouti.....
and home made raki and tsipero....