For anyone with a even a passing interest in European archaeology, the Greek island of Crete is certainly one of the best places to visit in Europe. The island has some of the iconic archaeological sites that will satisfy any passion for prehistory; the most well known of these is the ancient Palace of Knossos. But for anyone who would like to experience an island that is not thronging with bus/ferry-loads of tourists all jostling for the perfect picture against a backdrop of now questionable archaeological reconstructions, rediscovering just a few of the many hundred Byzantine churches should be on your Crete sightseeing itinerary.

At the beginning of the last century there were said to be over 800 Byzantine churches. These are small churches scattered about the island, some are located in very quaint and picturesque villages, others now out in open fields. They date from about 1000 years ago to the sixteenth century, therefore during the Venetian rule of Crete. And many still have some of the most amazing fresco-style wall paintings. Most of the Byzantine churches still standing today, that contain the wall paintings such as those photographed below, date to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

My Europe travel tip for anyone wishing to go off the beaten track on the island of Crete is to get yourself a good guidebook and head for the district of Rethymnon. The ancient Venetian port and fort of Rethymnon should not be missed either. But, head out from the city and explore the Cretan countryside. Most good guidebooks for Crete indicate the location of these churches, and once you have found one or two, you will then get a feel for what you are looking for and the others will come quickly. There are about 150 in the Rethymnon district alone. Some of the churches are out in the middle of fields (above), while others are in small villages. Here you will find some some great, local restaurants, where there is little or no English spoken, but some great authentic food.

Having visited Crete a number of times, and seeing all the major archaeological sites, during my last trip I spent a week staying at a self catering villa just north of Rethymnon and used that as a base to explore the area. I was quite surprised to find many of the churches left open and unattended. But these lovely Crete attractions do not see that many visitors, so perhaps it is not that surprising.

Some of the wall paintings are very fragile, well they are over 500 years old, so be mindful of the age of this artistic tradition and do not touch them as your fingers have acidic sweat that destroy the pigments.