Some visitors of the site for Xerocambos have asked an idea on the prices they will find when on holiday in Crete.

We have then thought to open this page where we will try to make a list of some products and services of common use hoping you will find them useful.

Clearly these prices are merely an indication and are relative to supermarkets, restaurants, bar and selling points of the Lassithi Region up to the 29th of February 2008 and may vary slightly in other areas of the island.

Before viewing the price list and since we have been asked also for more general informations we add also some small indications useful to travel and stay in Crete:

- on the island there are no toll roads, on those where there are wider lanes the custom is to drive on the right, almost to straddle the white line which delimits the emergency lane, in order to allow and to help the overtake of the coming cars (even when there is the double continuos white stripe which prohibits it!), consequently please take care if you need to stop not to consider the emergency lane as a safe place, better if you try to reach a parking area, rather frequent, to make your stop even in emergency case

- the car headlights must be turned off during day time (high beam headlights are strictly forbidden) the trasgressor risks fines from 20 up to 700 euro (even if for tourists the Police is not so strict)

- it is not tolerated instead the lack of the safety belt for the driver and the passenger beside him, the fine amounts to 350 euro (the safety belts for the passengers on the rear seats are also required, while they are mandatory starting this year also on the regional buses of the KTEL), the amount of the fine is payed directly by the passenger and not charged to the driver

- expensive are also the fines for excess  speed (for 50 km/h over the limit the fine will amount to 1200 euro!) and the use of the multavelox is rather frequent and you will find them mostly on the rare straight roads which tempt the driver to increase the speed. Attention also to use the mobile phone while driving, in this case the fine will amount to 300 euro

- in the cities it is still practiced the collection of the car plates if parked in non parking areas; in this case you have to go to the nearest Police station or to the Town Hall to pay the fine, in order to get them back and to be able to continue the holiday

- on the smaller and on the mountain roads you must pay attention to the conditions of the road mantle; works in progress and small landslides generally are not marked in adequate way (for example you can meet a row of stones on the street edge that are there to indicate that in that point there is a landslide or a work in progress!), attention also to the insertions of the agricultural roads that are usually without asphalt and in the rain periods  carry insidious mud and dirt on the main track (material that is not removed and can be dangerous also in the summer period)

- pay attention also to asphalts that you will find in some villages, often made of a particular and very smooth mix (and the summer heat makes the situation worse), braking in these conditions is a real challenge and increases the necessity to well estimate the emergency distances; also, if you will visit Crete in November, pay attention to the roads boarded  by many olive trees (very easy to find!) since the harvest leaves a lot of olives on the asphalt which form in some parts a slippery layer not really suitable for a safe drive

- the picturesque small altars that you will often meet on the roads indicate that in that exact spot someone has risked or has lost his life, if you will want to take some pictures, be sure first to find a good parking spot because usually these areas are not really safe

- in Crete there are no self-service gasoline stations but, mainly in the small villages, it is not rare that the attendant lives in the same house that accommodates the service station (therefore don't be afraid to ask, if you are in need and the station is closed, the cretan people are very friendly and usually they never say no), but it is always better to travel with a full fuel tank also because of the distances on the island (you have to consider approximately 350 kilometers of length and a width between 70 and 15 kilometers, with a mountain range that crosses it horizontally, and many winding roads in the interior, for this reason here one does not speak in terms of how many kilometers there are between a place and another rather of how many hours you need to reach the final destination) and not always you will find gasoline stations when needed

- while driving on the cretan roads it is important also to hold in consideration the driving behaviors of the locals, in general terms you will meet a rather relaxed and calm driving style and a  circulating car range in discreet conditions, exception are the old agricultural pick-ups, often real "memories" from old times drived by elderly people with behaviors not exactly in rule with the minimal norms of the road, therefore please pay attention, a stop in a bend or an unexpected turn without any signal in order to enter a side road are the minimum that may occur

- please avoid to sound the horn if in some village a car driver stops to speak with a pedestrian and behind him a queue forms, it is perfectly normal and in rule with the Greek times and rhythms, it is rude instead to protest and to put haste; in the cities this use is no more practiced and  the larger the city is the more increases the traffic stress, therefore as an example in Heraklion you can expect that as soon as the traffict light goes green the horns of the cars behind you will start to speed you up

- the classics roadside cafe do not exist on the greek street net, anyway for any refreshment while travelling you will often find small kiosks (called “peripteri”) always well equipped of everything that can be useful and also when in the villages you will see taverne and restaurants please keep in mind that they work on “continuos hours”, practically from early morning  to late evening you can simply enter and dine or have supper, characteristic common in Crete like in all Greece and a lot appreciated from the traveller, therefore is practically impossible to hear the answer ........ “sorry the kitchen is closed"

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