Cretan music
Cretan music is wild and untamed. It is quite different from the more sedate bouzouki music of mainland Greece! The main instrument is the lyra, a traditional three-stringed stringed instrument made from mulberry wood.

Cretan dances
The Cretans express their feelings and state of mind through dance. But it is not only joy that comes to the surface, but also sadness, anger and pain.

Cretan festivals
The Cretans love to celebrate, and they do so extensively – you are sure to have the opportunity to experience one of the countless festivals, usually on a saint's day or for political reasons.

Traditional costumes
The traditional costumes of the past varied from village to village and were often influenced by Turkish or North African styles. Today, only the old men in the mountainous regions occasionally wear the wraka, wide black bloomers worn with shaft boots (stivania) or wrap-around gaiters, along with a fringed cloth wrapped around the head, known as a sariki or mandili. The magnificent Cretan waistcoats with their intricate embroidery and the wide red sash in which the bounialo, a silver knife, was tucked, are hardly ever seen anymore. However, shepherds still often use the sakouli, a colourful, hand-woven rucksack.

The richly decorated women's costumes (sakkos and phousta) have almost completely disappeared today.

Church
The Cretan Church is a true folk church and follows the traditions of early Christianity. Church, faith and life are very closely connected in Crete. Church services are informal gatherings without stiff formalities and remain natural even in moments of great solemnity. People in Crete enjoy going to church, which is an important meeting place and the centre of village life.

The Cretan Orthodox Church is directly subordinate to the Patriarch of Istanbul.