Living in Crete, Greece -
A Comprehensive Guide for British and Irish Expats on
Day-to-Day Life on the Island

Herete! (Welcome)

Lifestyle Information:
You will find Articles and Professional Advice for Expatriate Living on the Island of Crete, Greece. Diverse topics include: jobs and working, retiring to Crete, shopping, English speaking schools; importing a car to Crete; buying a home in the sun, renting and much more.

Reality of Expat Living in Greece
The BritsinCrete.Net slogan is: the reality of living in Crete (we have no connection with britsincrete.com). That means "REAL LIFE" experiences by expatriot residents who have already relocated to establish a new home in Greece.

BritsinCrete Forum. Visit our vibrant Online Community. Exchange Comments, Ideas and Ask Questions. It contains relevant and up-to-date factual notes from an active and growing membership of 1650+ Members (as of August 15, 2008). It is free to join. Gain a valuable insight. Benefit from the extensive and up-to-date knowledge base and information. Become a member.

Flights or Overland Ground Transport to Crete
Flying to Crete is the choice for most, although it is getting more expensive with the rising cost of jet fuel. You arrive at either Chania, Heraklion or Sitia International Airports. But, when you need to relocate to set up your new island home. then it is both practical and popular to drive from UK to Crete. You can load up your car with personal belongings, the family and pets and after three days motoring along the auto routes of France, Italy, Switzerland and Greece you are in the sunshine of Crete to start a new life. More at the Getting Here page.

From Crete to UK - Motoring Northbound Across Europe
You will be surprised at how many British residents in Crete like to take the car for the overland return journey to Britain, driving leisurely via Italy and France. Two Brit retirees recall their car driving and ferry experiences in late 2007 with details of the transport costs (petrol, tickets, road tolls, carnets) and timings of each leg of the journey. They explain the route chosen and the roads they navigated.

Cretan Lifetyle - The Dilemma
Our locally resourced information helps you to know the best way to achieve results and get things done. Remember, the modis operandi is very different in Crete compared to the British Isles. Learn the Crete way to handle the bureaucracy to avoid any Catch-22 situation that may open a can of worms at the tax office, or a predicament in IKA social security payments, perhaps even confusion on pension rights, or an unexplained difficulty in a new car purchase. We offer many tips. Our first TIP: when in Crete, talk with as many neighbours and professionals as you can, regardless of whether you plan a short term stay, or you are taking up Permanent Residence.

Real Estate Market - Buying a Property
Probably the biggest single decision you will be making in a move to Crete is to purchase a property along with the related money matters, legal affairs, house and land searches, then which premises to choose, and which realtor, lawyer, accountant and architect to appoint. This is well covered in our Guidance on Buying Property page.

BritsinCrete.Net Disclaimer
This is to acknowlege that BritsInCrete is an impartial web portal. We are not an Estate Agency nor Real Estate Broker, but we recommend reputable licensed estate agents for the four prefectures (counties) on the island - Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi in our Real Estate Directory.

Crete is Full of Surprises
It should never be dull or boring living in Crete, Yes, it is living abroad but Crete and Greece have many reminders and compensations of what life used to be like in generations past "back home" - low crime, a community spirit where everyone knows everyone else, that "back to living in a comfortable grass roots existence" feeling. You will be amazed how each season brings its own unique change in day-to-day routines. This is something we cover in an ecclectic mix of subjects from time to time in our BritsinCrete Blog.

If you have not read our "Come on Over" Wannabes' page, check it out. Another starter section is based on FAQ's. From Prokat Homes, to 'which side of the road does Crete drive on' and 'weather in Crete' are just some of the questions asked.
Whether it is about the daily routine of Life, Jobs/Working, Retiring, or Buying a Property in Crete, Greece - BritsinCrete.Net does its best to provide answers for the British, Irish and other expats looking to start a new life on the sunny island.

Gerald
for and on behalf of
the BritsinCrete team
September, 2008

Articles of Interest by Professionals Contributed to BritsinCrete as Reliable Sources of Information ++Most Recent++ "Buying Property in Crete, Greece: Eight Not-So-Obvious Tips" ++NEW++ - Rethymno-based, property real estate agent, Manolis Psomas Lists his 'Must Do' Tips When Buying Property in Greece. - Special Article for BiC on Capital Gains Tax Changes 2008 in Greece, By Christos Iliopoulos, Supreme Court Lawyer! - Get into Gear with Retirees Bob and Carole's Crete-UK-Crete Driving Experiences! - Crete: True of False Quiz, No 2 - Test Your Knowledge on Crete! - When Foreign Residents Need to Pay the Greek Tax Man. - Crete: True of False Quiz, No 1 - Test Your Knowledge on Crete! - Farewell to the QE2 - Final Visit to Crete Before 2008 Retirement. - Be Aware when Buying Property in Greece of the Squatter Law. - Βοηθώ για την ανεύρεση της Madeleine | Campaign to Find Maddy. - Now You Can Get SKY TV Packages Officially, Across Europe. - Before Buying Properties or Land in Crete - Do Your Homework! - Insight into Inheritance Tax Liaibilities for Expatriate Residents in Greece. - The Do's and Dont's of Importing a Classic MGB Sports Car to Crete. - Celebrating "saint" Valentine's In Crete. - Bereavement and What to Do in Crete/Greece in the event of sudden death. - Why you must know of Ktimatologio - Greece's New Land Administration. - Take KTEL, the Long Distance Bus Network in Crete, for a change! - All about Animal Welfare on Crete. - Just Leave UK, and Leave Tax liabilities Behind. - Which is best, Buy a house or Build one in Crete? - To Build or Not to Build a Swimming Pool In Crete - Pro's and Con's. - Quick Overview to the EOT License for Rental Accommodation in Crete. Submit Your Authorative Article to BritsinCrete