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Useful phone numbers in Crete

The phone numbers for Police and Medical Emergencies are: Police 100 , Medical Emergencies 166 . You may use these phone numbers all over Greece. The police station phone numbers mentioned in the list below apply only to the local police stations.

Other emergency phone numbers are:

• 108 for Port Authorities
• 199 for Fire Department
• 112 for any emergency

Here is a list of useful telephone numbers in Crete. If you are calling from abroad, dial 0030 and then the number.

Heraklion 2810

Tourist Police: 2810- 283 190 Traffic Police: 2810- 282 031 Airport of Iraklion: 2810- 228 402 Olympic Airways: 2810- 229-191, 244-802 Port Authorities: 2810- 244 912 Hellenic Organization of Tourism: 2810-228 225 Archaeological Museum of Heraklion: 2810-226 092 Archaeological Site of Knossos: 2810- 231 940 Archaeological Site of Festos: 28920-42315 History Museum of Crete: 2810-283 219

Bus Station

a. to Rethymno and Hania: 2810-221 765 b. to Hersonissos, Malia, Stalida, Agios Nikolaos, Siteia: 2810- 245 017(-9) c. to Messara (Tympaki, Agia Galini, Moires, Lentas, Kaloi Limenes, Festos): 2810-255 965

Consulates:

Consulate of Britain: 2810- 224 012. Address : Candia Tower, Thalita Street No 17, Agios Dimitrios Square Consulate of Belgium: 2810-221 098 Consulate of Germany: 2810-226 288 Consulate of Denmark: 2810-240 580 Consulate of Italy: 2810-342 561 Consulate of Norway: 2810-341 872 Consulate of Holland: 2810-346 202 Consulate of Russia: 2810-281 456 Consulate of Sweden: 2810-226 254

Hersonissos: 28970

Tourist Police: 28970-21000 Police Station: 28970-22100, 22222 Port Authorities: 28970-23111

Agios Nikolaos 28940

Tourist Police: 28940-26900 Police Station: 28940-22251 Port Authorities: 28940-22312 Archaeological museum of Agios Nikolaos: 28940-24943

Ierapetra 28420

Police Station: 28420-22560 Port Authorities: 28420-22294

Siteia 28430

Police Station: 28430- 22259, 22266 Port Authorities: 28430-22310 Airport of Siteia: 28430-24424 Archaeological museum of Siteia: 28430-23917 Toplou Monastery: 28430-61266

Rethymno 28310

Tourist Police: 28310-53450, 28156 Port Authorities: 28310-22276 Archaeological museum of Rethymno: 28310-29975 Arcadi Monastery: 28310-83076

Tourist Police: 28210-73333 Port Authorities: 28210-98888 Archaeological museum of Hania: 28210-90334 Naval museum: 28210-74484 Bus Station: 28210-91288

Kissamos (Kasteli) 28220

Police Station: 28220-22115 Port Authorities: 28220-22024

Chora Sfakion 28250

Police Station: 28250-91205 Port Authorities: 28250-91292

Palaiohora 28230

Police Station: 28230-41111 Port Authorities: 28230-41214

Link : vrisko.gr , find almost any phone number in Greece

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Greek Tourist Police Stations and Contact Numbers

The Tourist Police is a Service of the Greek Police Force staffed with specially trained, foreign-language speaking personnel. Within the framework of its duties and functions, it provides the following services:

• It provides information to Greek and foreign visitors and offers them assistance in settling any issues arising with tourist businesses.
• It cooperates with locally competent Directorates of Tourism and local authorities in order to deal with tourism issues.
• It ensures that the tourist legislation in force is applied in all tourist areas, businesses and media, such as hotels, apartments and rooms to let, tourist shops, tourist agencies and coaches, car and motorcycle rental agencies, archaeological sites, tourist guides, ski resorts, spa towns, mass arrival/departure stations, sanitary facilities operating in tourist businesses and sites of free camping, etc.
• It carries out inspections of tourist businesses with the aim to provide better services and higher protection to visitors. The distinctive insignia of the Greek Tourist Police officers are the following:
• White band on the cap
• White gloves
• The distinctive insignia "TOURIST POLICE" worn on the front of the shirt.
• The Greek Tourist Police can be reached around-the-clock by dialing "171".
• This line provides all kind of information and instructions in Greek, English, French and German, thus helping tourists to deal directly with any arising problem.
• In case you need any help, do not hesitate to contact the staff members of the Greek Tourist Police by dialing "171".

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Emergency Contacts in Heraklion Prefecture

• Useful Contacts in Crete

Last page update 11/10/2013

VisitCrete.com

15 Arkoleon Str, GR-71202 Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Phone: (+30) 2810341560 Fax: (+30) 2810343740 Skype: visitcrete

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Police in Crete: Keeping the Island Safe

The Greek island of Crete is a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year. With its beautiful beaches, rich history, and vibrant culture, it's no wonder that so many people choose to vacation here. However, like any popular tourist destination, there are certain safety concerns that need to be addressed. That's where the police in Crete come in.

The role of police in Crete is to maintain law and order, prevent crime, and ensure the safety of both residents and tourists alike. There are several different types of police on the island, each with their own specific responsibilities.

The Hellenic Police is the national police force of Greece, and they have a presence in Crete. They are responsible for dealing with serious crimes, such as murder, theft, and drug trafficking. They also work closely with other law enforcement agencies, such as the Coast Guard and the Border Guard, to prevent illegal immigration and smuggling.

In addition to the Hellenic Police, each municipality on the island has its own police force. These local police departments are responsible for dealing with more minor crimes, such as vandalism and petty theft. They also work closely with the community to promote safety and prevent crime.

Tourism police are another important component of the police in Crete. They are specifically trained to deal with issues that are unique to the tourism industry, such as scams and theft targeting tourists. They can often be found patrolling popular tourist areas, providing assistance and information to visitors.

Overall, the police in Crete play a vital role in keeping the island safe for both locals and tourists. By working together with other law enforcement agencies and the community, they are able to prevent crime and ensure that everyone can enjoy all that this beautiful island has to offer. And if you're ever in need of assistance during your visit to Crete, don't hesitate to seek out one of the dedicated police officers who work tirelessly to keep the island safe.

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Can anyone give me the correct number to contact the Tourist police?

We are a number of families stranded at a hotel that uses false advertising to lure us here and they don’t exist.

Try this https://visitcrete.com/info/useful-contacts-in-crete/emergency-contacts-in-heraklion-prefecture/

and let us know how you get on. Good luck!

This post has been removed at the author's request.

Fereniki Resort and Spa.

Hi thank you - I’ve tried that and the number the Greek tourist board have give me 1572 and 1571.

Fereniki certainly exists, it is the group name for several smaller hotels in Georgioupolis, which they have bought up over the last few years. Unfortunately is gets many very poor reviews.

If you think the hotel is unacceptable I think you need to ask to see a Manager, try to get a refund in order to book in somewhere else. But if it's really a police matter, then I suggest you go to the police station in Vrysses.

Good luck, I hope your holiday improves soon.

Who did you book it through?

The Excellent reviews are fake.

Hello yes we are.

On the beach - they don’t care. They are no longer ABTA so a complete waste of time.

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 Fire Brigade        ΠΥΡΟΒΕΣΤΙΚΟ ΣΩΜΑ ΕΛΛΑΔΑΣ     ( Pyrovestiko Soma Elladas )

 Ambulance Service        ΕΚΑΒ = ΚΕΝΤΡΟ ΑΜΕΣΗΣ ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑΣ     ( Kentro Amesis Voithias )      

General phone number:   166

In Crete there since 2001 in Chania- Mournies one of the most modern hospitals in the entire Mediterranean with highly qualified doctors and well trained , friendly personnel. English is understood everywhere, some also speak German . In addition, there are also several private emergency clinics in the city.

                                                         ( photo of  'Agios Georgios' - hospital   and  map to see where is Mournies )

Hospitals      ΝΟΣΟΚΟΜΕΙΑ       ( Nossokomia )    +

Health Centers      ΚΕΝΤΡΑ ΥΓΕΙΑΣ       ( Kentra Ygias )

AGIOS NIKOLAOS

IKA      ΙΔΡΥΜΑ  ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΩΝ  ΑΣΦΑΛΙΣΕΩΝ     ( Idrima Koinonikon Asfaliseon )      

                                                                                                        Social Insurance Institution

General phone number:   184 

Doctors      ΙΑΤΡΟΙ       ( Jatri )

The medical care is well secured on Crete, tourists are in emergencies in hospitals ( Nossokomia ) and treated free of charge at the health centers ( Kentra Ygias ). In the cities also sufficient private practice doctors and specialists are available that can be visited as EU citizens with the new chip card of health insurance or even the old claim ID ( E111) as well. However, the German , Austrian or Swiss health insurance certificate must be submitted in advance with the identity card or passport at the office of the Greek health insurance IKA and replaced by a Greek medical certificate . The IKA then appoint their panel doctors . Since the procedure is somewhat lengthy , it is advisable to complete before your arrival international health insurance to choose the doctor freely , to pay cash and submit the invoice after your return to the insurance company for reimbursement . Please ask for it in advance exactly when your health insurance.

Addresses of English speaken doctors you can get at the embassy or consulates , but mostly all doctors speak English.

Pharmacies      ΦΑΡΜΑΚΕΙΟ       ( Farmakio )   +

Pharmacies can be seen in Greece on the green cross and the inscription " ΦΑΡΜΑΚΕΙΟ " or " PHARMACY", some also have a red cross or the German pharmacy sign with the "A". Mostly also have Brithish drug products in stock or Greek products from Swiss or German pharmaceutical companies such as B AYER in f Athens . At each closed pharmacy are also lists to the nearest pharmacy who are open for emergency services outside normal opening times ( Mon - Sat 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Tue, Thu , Fri also 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ), also at night and on Sundays and public holidays.   Here is the Pharmacy - emergency service Chania today!

In Chania there are over 50 pharmacies in the downtown area nearly at each corner and in the larger towns and tourist areas is at least one . Greek pharmacists are highly qualified and also make certain medical services , while the pharmacies are a kind of public ambulance, in the most common ailments are diagnosed and equal to the corresponding drug is recommended. Many pharmaceutical products in Greece are also significantly cheaper than in the UK or other countries. So , for example, costs a pack of 20 tablets ASPIRIN only 50 cents.

( Below you will find the locations of the pharmacies in the city of Chania , with a mouse click on the map to see an enlarged view of the map in a new window , another mouse click there on the corresponding green pharmacy cross shows you a photo of the pharmacy there . )

Locations of the pharmacies in the city center ( click on the map for a larger view )

List of some pharmacies in the city and the prefecture of Chania  (Source: Yellow Pages 2012 )

This list is not complete, because not all pharmacies are registered inside the "Yellow Pages". There are much more pharmacies.

ELPA - Breakdown Service            ΕΛΠΑ

General number:   104     

The Automobile and Touring Club of Greece  "ELPA"  (Elliniki Leschi Periigiseon kai Aytokinitou) has the important touristic roads over a transport service ( OVELPA) with yellow car and the inscription : " Assistance Routiere ". Event of a breakdown to make carefully keeping open the hood or by placing a yellow cloth in a prominent place and by waving up. The roadside assistance is chargeable , AA members receive special rates and for holders of euro - breakdown-cover the spot breakdown service and towing to the nearest workshop is free .

With the nationwide number 174 ELPA has a special telephone service for tourists , operating from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day of information may be obtained in English, German and French .

Other companies (service will be charged) are:

EXPRESS-SERVICE - Breakdown service

General number:   1154

INTERAMERICAN - Breakdown service

General number:   1168

AA - Emergency calls in UK          AA

If you're abroad, we can still help you (AA-service France):   0033 825 09 88 76 or  0033 472 17 12 00

Further information you can find here: www.theAA.com

Sperrung of EC- und Kreditkarten   (24-Stunden-Service)

Sperrung of Reiseschecks   (24-Stunden-Service)

Erkundigen Sie sich bitte vor Antritt der Reise bei Ihrer Bank oder Ihrem Kreditinstitut nach Ihrer speziellen Telefonnummer für die Sperrung of EC-Karten, Kreditkarten oder Reiseschecks, da viele einen eigenen Kundenservice für Notfälle betreiben.

Notrufe in ÖSTERREICH

ÖAMTC - Notruf     Wien

Notrufzentrale in Wien:   0043 1 251 2000

Notrufe in der SCHWEIZ

Schweizerische Rettungsflugwacht    Zürich

Notrufzentrale in Wien:   0041 333 333 333

Botschaften & Konsulate

Die Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland befindet sich in Athen, ebenso wie die Botschaft Österreichs und der Schweiz. Auf der Insel Kreta gibt es je ein deutsches Honorarkonsulat in der Nähe of Chania und eines in Iraklion, ebenfalls gibt es ein österreichisches Honorarkonsulat in Iraklion.

Im Falle eines Dokumentenverlustes wenden Sie sich bitte umgehend an die Touristenpolizei ( Tel. 171 ) und an Ihr zuständiges Konsulat oder die Botschaft.

Deutsche Botschaft - Athen

Karaoli & Dimitriou 3

GR - 10675  Athen ( Kolonaki )

Nächste U-Bahn-Haltestelle: Evangelismos (METRO-Linie M3 (blau) Monastiraki-Aerodromio)

Telefon:  (0030)  210  72 85 111

Telefax:  (0030)  210  72 29 311   (Konsularabteilung)

Hotline:   (0030)  210  72 85 214   (Konsularangelegenheiten)

Internet: www.athen.diplo.de

eMail-Adresse: [email protected],  [email protected] 

Honorarkonsul der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Chania:

Paraliaki Stassi 13

GR - 73014  Chania   ( Agia Marina )

An der Küstenstrasse zwischen den Beach-Bars  "Ammos & Ilios"  und  "Costa Costa"

Tel. / Fax:  (0030)  28210  68 876  

Honorarkonsulin der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Iraklion:

Dikaiosynis 77

GR - 71202  Iraklion

Im Stadtzentrum in der Nähe des Morossini-Brunnens

Telefon :  (0030)   2810 22 62 88

Telef ax :  (0030)   2810 22 21 41

eMail-Adresse: [email protected]

( Griechische Botschaft in Deutschland )

Österreichi sche Botschaft - Athen

Leoforos Alexandras 26

GR - 10683  Athen ( Exaycheia )

Nächste U-Bahn-Haltestelle: Viktorias (METRO-Linie M1 (grün) Piraeus-Kifissia)

Telefon:  (0030)  210  82 57 243

Telefax:  (0030)  210  82 19 823

Hotline:   (0030)  210  82 16 800

Honorarkonsul der Republik Österreich in Irakion:

Platia Elefterias & Dedalou  36

GR - 71201  Iraklion

Im Stadtzentrum in der Nähe des Archäologischen Museums

Tel. / Fax:  (0030)   2810  22 33 79

( Griechische Botschaft in Österreich )

Schweizer Botschaft - Athen

GR - 11521  Athen ( Kolonaki )

Telefon:  (0030)  210  72 30 364

Telefax:  (0030)  210  72 49 209

Hotline:   (0030)  210  72 99 471

Internet: www.eda.admin.ch/athens

eMail-Adresse: [email protected]

Keine diplomatische Vertretung auf Kreta.

( Griechische Botschaft in der Schweiz ) 

Wichtige Telefonnummern

bei Störungen (nur für Personen mit Eigentum in Griechenland)

Urlauber wenden sich bitte an die Hotelrezeption oder an ihren Vermieter

Elektrizitätswerk - Δ . Ε . Η .    Chania       Sof. Venizelou 25  (südlich der Anagn.Gogoni )

Landesweite Rufnummer:   10 50   oder auch:

Chania:            28220   70 8 81

Kissamos:      28220   22 0 95 ,    23 1 25

Kandanos:      28230   22 2 07

Vamos:             28250   51 2 40

Die Stromrechnung, die mehrmals im Jahr per Post zugestellt wird, ist in den Δ . Ε . Η . -Geschäftsstellen dort an der Kasse zu bezahlen. Sie kann gegen geringen Aufpreis auch an jedem mit dem Δ . Ε . Η .-Zeichen gekennzeichneten Geschäft bezahlt werden.

Wasserwerk   -   Δ . Ε . Υ . Α . Χ .    Chania        Kydonias 29  ( neben dem Rathaus ΔΗΜΑΡΧΕΙΟ )

Chania:         28210  36 2 50

Die Wasserrechnung, die mehrmals im Jahr per Post zugestellt wird, ist dort an der Kasse zu bezahlen.

Telekommunikation - ΟΤΕ    Chania     Tzanakaki 3-5

Landesweite Rufnummer:   1 21

Die Telefonrechnung, die monatlich per Post zugestellt wird, ist dort an der Kasse zu bezahlen.

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Can anyone give me the correct number to contact the Tourist police?

We are a number of families stranded at a hotel that uses false advertising to lure us here and they don’t exist.

Hello - I have already done so.

I 'm not sure that in your case tourist police can help you.

I think that you need to relax and start from the beginning a conversation with Maria or your tour operator.

Just looked at T A reviews….. a number of people have posted 5/6 reviews recently for the same places….including the names accommodatioN. Wording looks pretty similar (May even be the same)…..

Hope you managed to sort out your problem with Fereneki Resort/On the Beach and can now relax. Had On the Beach not actually booked your holiday with Fereniki? Or were you unhappy with the hotel?

Thank you for your replies everyone ~ I really just wanted the number for the tourist police .

Kalimera, I am sorry for this experience and the need of Tourist police

+302821025933

+302821025930

+302821025931

Hope your situation soon improves MEC.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Retreat to Crete: why the Greek island is a perfect escape

The unspoilt northeast of Greece’s largest island offers a restorative mix of uncrowded beaches, authentic tavernas and extraordinary views

S ometimes, when you travel, you arrive somewhere so ridiculously picturesque, so dictionary-definition of how you expect the country to look, that you half suspect it was built as a film set, or has been “Disneyfied” specifically for tourists.

I get this feeling when I walk on to the small, horseshoe-shaped bay at Mochlos, Crete. Half a dozen restaurants, all cobalt wooden chairs, whitewashed tables and blackboards offer gyros and freshly caught fish. On the slim strip of stones that fringes the low sea wall, a handful of locals is towelling off after a late dip, the last two heads bobbing in the metallic blue water, the small, humpy island behind them backlit by the apricot-gold light of the sun, slowly dipping beneath the horizon.

I settle in with a cold Mythos and order up a plate of crispy gyros, fresh pitta and tzatziki. As I gaze out over the slowly darkening Gulf of Mirabello, I feel sure that a week here, doing nothing but pottering the 10-minute walk between my hotel, the Mochlos Blue, and this ramshackle clutch of tavernas, would be more restorative than a luxurious spa hotel.

But this quiet corner of Crete is well worth exploring. The northeast, home to the Dikti mountains, is one of the island’s last unspoilt stretches of coastline, and a world away from the luxury resorts that scatter the coast around Elounda, and the 1980s sprawling hotels and apartments that characterise places such as Agios Nikolaos.

After a lazy first day, I set out to discover a good local beach (the one thing Mochlos doesn’t have), and follow a recommendation to Tholos, hidden away 3km from the main road.

It turns out to be an absolute treat of a beach: a long strip of sand that is free of sun loungers and parasols, the only shade thrown by a cluster of tamarind trees sheltering a handful of cars. As I step into the water, only one other couple is swimming. The water is sparklingly clear, shoals of tiny fish whisking through the shallows. The mountains loom to the southern end of the beach past one whitewashed house on the small road that leads over the headland to the north.

The swimming is really only an excuse for over-indulgence. Cretan food is arguably the best in Greece, the island’s diverse landscapes producing everything from mountain herbs, greens and tangy cheese to grassily delicious olive oils, freshly caught fish and crispy pastry snacks, such as spanakopita – golden flaky pastry, stuffed with salty feta and herbs. Best of all, because this area of Crete is off the mainstream tourist trail, even the most spectacularly situated taverna rarely gets overrun.

I head to the village of Mirsini, where a huddle of whitewashed houses clambers up the mountainside and Mochlos is little more than a vague white fringe along a small strip of sea, hundreds of metres below. As I climb the steps of the Taverna Kathodon , I pass circular trays of tomatoes, slowly drying in the sunshine. I emerge on to a series of small terraces, crammed with terracotta pots and mismatched chairs and tables. The bright yellow walls are covered with everything from straw hats to fake flowers and old cooking implements.

The view is so spectacular – great, scrub-faced mountains, the distant outline of Crete’s jagged northern coast like a huge sleeping alligator beside the sea – that it wouldn’t matter if the food was average. Instead, I eat crispy mizithropita – a flatbread stuffed with cheese, hot off the pan and drizzled with honey, and dolmadakia – the most succulent vine leaves I’ve ever tasted.

At the table next to me, an elderly couple is making their way through a carafe of wine, taking pictures to send to their grandchildren. On the other side of the terrace, a Greek family is squabbling over vast plates of meatballs and calamari. Beneath it all, the cicadas keep up their rhythmic chorus. It strikes me I may have reached peak Greek.

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All the eating pushes me into deciding to tackle the Richtis Gorge , a short half-hour drive from Mochlos. I take the easy option (although it’s all relative) and drive the steep, twisting road from the upper car park down to the beach, reducing the hike from two hours to about 40 minutes (and cutting out most of the uphill stretches). Even so, it’s quite a clamber and more like a rainforest walk than a gorge. Small waterfalls rush through gashes in the rock, understudies for the main event – a shimmering, aquamarine pool with kinetic tendrils of water hurling down over the rock face above.

The Richtis proves to be quite the adventure, justifying my last day of doing little except lazing by the Mochlos Blue’s tranquil pool. The hotel is adults-only (apart from summer school holidays), and with just six rooms it feels more like a spacious villa; the honesty bar is well stocked with snacks, cold beers and local wine, and the small breakfast buffet is complimented each morning by a traditional, homemade treat – scrambled eggs with tomato, spanakopita and, my absolute favourite, loukoumades – deep-fried dough balls, drenched in honey and nuts.

On my last evening, I drive up from the village for supper at the Taverna Natural , where tables are set out in a charming, tree-dotted garden. The view across the Gulf of Mirabello is perhaps one of the most stunning on the whole island. I time it just right for the sunset and watch, transfixed, as the sky flames through an extraordinary palette of colours, the sun burning slowly down towards the purple-auburn mountains. I order a tomato salad and moussaka, the aubergines lying across the dish like silk. The view is extraordinary, the food delicious, the beer perfectly chilled… Would it be wrong to stay another week?

A week at the Mochlos Blue costs from £899, including car hire and B&B accommodation, through Simpson Travel. For more details, go to simpsontravel.com

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Can anyone give me the correct number to contact the Tourist police?

We are a number of families stranded at a hotel that uses false advertising to lure us here and they don’t exist.

Try this https://visitcrete.com/info/useful-contacts-in-crete/emergency-contacts-in-heraklion-prefecture/

and let us know how you get on. Good luck!

This post has been removed at the author's request.

Fereniki Resort and Spa.

Hi thank you - I’ve tried that and the number the Greek tourist board have give me 1572 and 1571.

Fereniki certainly exists, it is the group name for several smaller hotels in Georgioupolis, which they have bought up over the last few years. Unfortunately is gets many very poor reviews.

If you think the hotel is unacceptable I think you need to ask to see a Manager, try to get a refund in order to book in somewhere else. But if it's really a police matter, then I suggest you go to the police station in Vrysses.

Good luck, I hope your holiday improves soon.

Who did you book it through?

The Excellent reviews are fake.

Hello yes we are.

On the beach - they don’t care. They are no longer ABTA so a complete waste of time.

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22°C / 71°F Rethymno

#incredible_crete, sense the authentic, welcome to our island.

The mountains and sea, the nature all around you, adventures awaiting you, the overabundant gastronomy, a culture which is expressed in many different ways, the music and art forms.

Crete is the largest Greek island and a landmark in the maritime crossroads between the West and the East, Europe and Africa, a unique and fascinating place full of transitions and surprises.

With its infinite coastline and mountain tops, a history that spans back to the end of times and a distinctive identity that bears its mark on every corner of the Cretan land, it is a one of a kind destination for every type of traveller.

Whether coming to the island for the first time or as a regular visitor, the endless beauty of Crete, either visible or out of sight, is unparalleled and yearns to be discovered.

From one side of the island to the next and from dawn to dusk, let yourself be swept away by its alluring nature and you will uncover YOUR OWN and Authentic Crete!

Necropolis of Armeni

Explore seasons.

Crete is an ideal place to visit all year round. Its mild climate and its unique mountainous features attract visitors before and after the established touristy summer season. Crete’s stunning natural beauty awakens in visitors an imperative need to discover its mountains, its gorges, its paths.

Nothing is repeated in Crete. Enormous geological contradictions and special weather conditions have formed unique landscapes, surprising the visitors and keeping senses constantly alert. Each route in Crete is unique. Variant sensations, pictures, colors, flavors, sounds accompany visitors at every step.

From the dunes of Lafonissi and Xerokambos to the tropical shores of Kedrodasos and Chrissi, from the hidden beaches in the wild gorges of Sfakia and Asteroussia to the emerald bays of Triopetra and Plakias, from Balos and Elounda lagoons to the palm groves of Preveli and Vai, from piney beaches of Ierapetra to the long organized strands of the northern coasts, Crete offers the ultimate combination of carefree holidays and natural beauty.

Crete is a heaven for nature lovers and those combining adventure and fun on their vacation. The island offers a variety of activities and opportunities for exploring nature and promises a unique and unforgettable experience for those who decide to explore it.

Explore Crete

Select an area to learn more about it., explore tastes.

The unique Cretan Diet is a healthy and tasty diet with centuries-old recipes and modern creative versions, which are always cooked, of course, with the same top quality pure products of the blessed Cretan earth. This diet is not just a variety of dishes presented on the table; it embodies a whole philosophy of life, the quality way of life of the Cretan people. The lucky ones that will visit the modern restaurants in the cities or the small taverns and cafes in the country will have wonderful experiences, participating in the life of the local people.

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Certified companies & products, traditional cretan recipes, latest news, keep what you love.

Create your own personalised experience using our guide. Log in to our website and add your loved posts and locations to your personal favourites page. Create your personal travel guide for your upcoming visit. it’s your Crete, your Experiences!

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Race of sitia 2022, korissia international regatta canoe kayak sprint & sup in kournas lake, 6ο sitia geopark trail.

Can anyone give me the correct number to contact the Tourist police?

We are a number of families stranded at a hotel that uses false advertising to lure us here and they don’t exist.

This post has been removed at the author's request.

That should read - The Manager does not care.

What do you mean it doesn’t exist?

I would eat the loss for now, book somewhere else and salvage your vaca. The police won’t do anything.

If you think the TA reviews are fake please contact TA and let them know. Three reviews of late are saying the opposite of another that goes into great detail rather than the three that tell you nothing

If people wrote reasonable reviews it would help. One of the most recent ones says that people at the bar kept them awake until 11:30pm. That the pool was freezing (its April). That the island is “very very hilly” and not health and safety friendly like in the UK. Things like this detract from facts that really matter.

I wouldn't trust a review posted by someone who wrote only one review on TA. I am sorry but does seem fake.

‘ I wouldn't trust a review posted by someone who wrote only one review on TA.’

We all started with one review on TA at some point.

[email protected]

Reviews aren't great was it a cheap deal ?, athena hotel for me as i've stayed there twice

• High flight prices May 29-31? 22:35
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Our tourist maps

Crete is an excellent destination if you want a holiday that combines culture and the beach. It is also a destination for outdoor activities such as mountain-biking, cave diving and canyoning. To help you plan and prepare for your trip, we have put together a range of tourist maps. First is the guide to the regions of Crete. With our map of the essential Crete, you will discover the island’s main places of interest, so you’re sure not to miss anything. Our journey map allows you to plan your tour of the island, showing times and distances between the major towns. And don’t forget our map of Crete's beaches to help you find the most beautiful beaches on the island. Now you have everything you need for a trouble free stay on the peaceful, charming island of Crete. From the palace at Knossos to the Samaria Gorge and the old Venetian ports, Crete has a range of remarkable places to visit. Check out our maps to make the most of your stay. You now have all the elements to plan a hassle free stay on the charming island of Crete. From the Knossos Palace, to the old Venetian port of Chania and the Samaria Gorge, Crete offers a range of remarkable places to discover. Take a look at all our maps to plan your trip. Discover our maps to plan your trip in the best possible way.

Crete is the largest island in Greece and full of natural and cultural treasures: ancient ruins, idyllic beaches, beautiful countryside and impressive mountains. Eastern Crete is the quieter and more arid part of the island. The Lassithi Plateau’s fields, orchards and windmills is spectacular countryside to discover. Around Agios Nikolaos are pretty bays and the magnificent Spinalonga peninsula where you can enjoy long lazy days. In the north, the Heraklion area is very busy with its famous Temple of Knossos and archaeological museum. Opt for the south of this region if you want to the calm of its vineyards and traditional little villages. The fortress and minarets dominate the bay of Rethymnon, a pretty and historic town. Picturesque villages can be found on the Messara Plain, a fertile area to the south. Western Crete is the greener and more mountainous part of the island. There are beautiful beaches and the Balos Lagoon in the north-west. Chania has retained its historic charm and is one of the most attractive towns on the island. At the island’s centre are the Samaria Gorge and the majestic White Mountains which rise to 2,450 metres. Both are essential for keen hikers.

Overview of 4 tourist regions

The west coast is an area of exceptional countryside, with numerous canyons and the famous Samaria gorge, where you can walk in a magnificent setting. To the south, don’t miss the picturesque little villages from Paleochera to Chora Skafion, passing through Loutro. In places, the mountains plunge sharply into the sea, making some of these villages accessible only by boat. As for beaches, you will find the most beautiful on the island of Elafonissi, a tropical paradise. Chania itself is said to be one of the most beautiful towns on the island. It has a rich cultural history and the town is full of resplendent monuments in the Venetian and Ottoman styles. Take the time to wander through its backstreets where you can see traditional craft stalls and stately villas. Stroll through the old Venetian port and visit the lighthouse.

Not as picturesque as Chania or Rethymnon, Crete’s largest town and its hotel complexes which line the coast also has less of interest to the tourist. The archaeological museum houses objects excavated around the island and has an international reputation. Just a few miles from Heraklion is the archaeologically impressive palace of Knossos. One of the most important in Greece, it was built around 1,900 BC and should not be missed. If you’re looking for a little peace and quiet, head further south through the Massara Plane along roads lined with olive groves, to Agio Farago. And don’t miss the Palace of Phaistos which has an exceptional view of Mount Psiloritis, the islands highest point.

Head east to the islands most untamed area. Are you the sporting type? You can walk or cycle through the Lassithi Plateau amid the windmills and the magnificent views of Mount Dikti and Mount Selena. Or is it beaches you’re looking for? There are lovely seaside resorts towards Agios Nikolaos and superb views from Mirabello Bay. Want to go exploring? There’s the Toplou Monastery, one of the oldest and most imposing in Greece, and the beautiful paintings in Panagia Kera church.

This is a region that demands time to admire it. Between Rethymnon, one of Crete’s loveliest towns of colourful backstreets and its Venetian port, to the wild beauty of the southern beaches, to the traditional villages and Mount Psiloritis, the islands highest point, you won’t have time to be bored. Visiting the monastery of Moni Arkadi is a must. Founded in the 13 th century, a few monks still go about their business there.

Attractions maps

Crete is an island filled with places to visit. From magnificent historic villages to glorious archaeological sites and the breathtaking countryside of mountains and sea. Among the essential places to visit are the Temple of Knossos, the most visited archaeological site on the island, the monasteries of Arkadi, Toplou and Preveli, and the wonderful towns of Chania and Rethymnon with their steeples and minarets. Do you want idyllic beaches? Crete has them the length of its coast. Elafanossi with its swathe of fine sand shouldn’t be missed and nor should the Balos Lagoon with its turquoise water. Discover Crete's most beautiful beaches with our map. Crete is a paradise for the sporting, especially hikers who can enjoy the many trails around the island. The Samaria Gorge, known throughout Europe, promises an unforgettable and spectacular 10 mile walk. Its narrowest point is less than 3 metres wide and is known as the “Iron Gate.” Aradena, Karanou and Irini gorges are smaller but lesser known and wilder. We have created an activity map for what to do in Crete .

Routes and distances maps

Welcome to Crete, largest island of the Greek archipelago. Its elongated shape is about 160 miles wide but less than 35 miles from north to south. So distances from one place to another are reasonably short. Getting around by car : It takes around 3 and a half hours to get from Chania (west coast) to Sitia (east coast) using the New Road, the islands main road. If you are hiring a car in Crete , you may be a little surprised by Cretan driving which is not always respectful of the rules of the road. It’s common to use the hard shoulder for overtaking, white lines are ignored, corners are cut and cars are parked anywhere at all! It’s best you know in advance. Even if Cretan driving is undisciplined, you should respect the rules of the road, especially the speed limit and wearing a seatbelt. Driving offences can be heavily penalised by the local police who have increased the number of patrols in order to reduce the frequency of accidents. Be careful of your alcohol consumption. There is a tendency to drink a little more than usual on holiday, but any more than 0.5 per litre (bac) and you’re over the limit. The roads are generally well maintained. In the less touristic areas, especially in the south, its not unusual to find roads that are deteriorating. That’s the case, for example, when visiting the magnificent Balos, where you have to drive for nearly five miles along a gravel surface. It’s the same towards Agio Farago Gorge where the gravel stretches for over two miles. It’s best to hire a vehicle which is suitable for that sort of terrain. Getting around by bus: There are no trains on Crete. The bus network run by KTEL is reasonably extensive and all the major towns are served as are the principal tourist attractions. On the other hand, it helps if your not in a hurry, as it’s not very rapid. Getting around by ferry : In the south-west, it’s possible to get from one village to another by ferry. As the mountains descend into the sea, it has not always been possible to build roads to certain places. Paleochora and Chora Skafion are two villages served by ferries.

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Can anyone give me the correct number to contact the Tourist police?

We are a number of families stranded at a hotel that uses false advertising to lure us here and they don’t exist.

Try this https://visitcrete.com/info/useful-contacts-in-crete/emergency-contacts-in-heraklion-prefecture/

and let us know how you get on. Good luck!

This post has been removed at the author's request.

Fereniki Resort and Spa.

Hi thank you - I’ve tried that and the number the Greek tourist board have give me 1572 and 1571.

Fereniki certainly exists, it is the group name for several smaller hotels in Georgioupolis, which they have bought up over the last few years. Unfortunately is gets many very poor reviews.

If you think the hotel is unacceptable I think you need to ask to see a Manager, try to get a refund in order to book in somewhere else. But if it's really a police matter, then I suggest you go to the police station in Vrysses.

Good luck, I hope your holiday improves soon.

Who did you book it through?

The Excellent reviews are fake.

Hello yes we are.

On the beach - they don’t care. They are no longer ABTA so a complete waste of time.

• High flight prices May 29-31? 17:35
• Elounda, Agios Nickolos, Koutouloufari or Piskopiano 17:28
• Quiet town by beach - April 2024 17:20
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• Insurance for Car hire 14:33
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Daily Southtown | Southland crime: Robberies in Steger, Tinley…

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Daily southtown | southland crime: robberies in steger, tinley park and oak lawn.

The following items were taken from police and court reports and news releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.

BURGLARY: A former Beecher man accused of breaking into two homes on consecutive days is charged with one count of residential burglary and one count of simple burglary, according to Will County court records online. Officers arrested Justin Melia, 26, Marion, Illinois, March 31 after he allegedly broke into a home in the 200 block of West Church Road, police said. Melia was released, but was re-arrested April 1 after allegedly entering a different home in that block, police said.

DUI CRASH: Michael D. Grieshaber, 64, 8100 block of Marion Drive, Justice, is scheduled to appear in Cook County court in Bridgeview April 25 on charges of aggravated drunken driving, driving without insurance and driving too fast for conditions after driving his car over the sidewalk and into a Water Reclamation District fence in the 6500 block of 87th Street April 4, police said.

AGGRAVATED BATTERY: Matthew B. Chatman, 32, 1400 block of Vincennes Street, Crete, was arraigned April 9 on charges of aggravated battery to a first responder or a judge performing their duties July 25, according to Will County court records online. Chatman, booked into the Will County jail April 8, was conditionally released April 9, court records show.

RECKLESS CONDUCT: A Lockport man has been charged with reckless conduct and assault after nearly hitting a 10-year-old boy on a scooter while backing out of his driveway March 16 at a high rate of speed, according to police and Will County records online. Jerry A. Bacino, 67, 1800 block of Hamilton Street, is scheduled to appear at a May 2 fitness hearing, court records show. The juvenile and a witness told police Bacino’s action endangered the youngster, police said.

SHOTS FIRED: A 16-year-old boy was taken into custody April 4 for reckless discharge of a firearm by officers investigating a shots fired call in the 14700 block of Homan Avenue that drew assistance from Markham, Posen, Dixmoor and the Cook County sheriff’s police, police said. Investigators recovered a projectile, fired from a gun, that entered an apartment from an adjacent apartment occupied by the teen, police said.

DOMESTIC BATTERY: A Mokena man accused of attacking a relative and grappling with two responding officers was arraigned Tuesday on one count of aggravated battery to a police officer and five counts of aggravated domestic battery, according to Will County records online. Paul R. Osipoff, 43, 10300 block of Lindsay Avenue, grabbed at a sergeant’s arm while being taken into custody March 23 in that block and later repeatedly attempted to contact the victim, police said.

PORNOGRAPHY: Edward R. Regan, 75, 11000 block of Daniel Trail, Mokena, is scheduled to appear at an April 26 preliminary hearing on a three-count charge of possessing pornographic photos of children younger than 13, according to Will County court records online. Illinois State Police, in a statement, said the arrest occurred April 11 at Regan’s residence, where agents recovered evidence after executing a search warrant. He remains in the Will County jail, according to sheriff’s records online.

SWATTING HOAX: An officer investigating an April 5 accidental shooting in the 600 block of Walker Way determined the call to police was a “swatting” incident, or hoax, with no one injured, police said.

DOMESTIC BATTERY: Madison A. Hinton, 22, first block of Timberlane Road, Matteson, is scheduled to appear in Will County court April 23, charged with one count of aggravated domestic battery/strangulation and three counts of aggravated domestic battery/public place, according to court records online.

INDECENT EXPOSURE: Police say an unidentified man posing as a shopper exposed himself to an employee at the 1 Happy Girl Boutique, 1421 E. Lincoln Highway, April 8. The man attempted to ask the employee about a clothing item, then unzipped his pants and “flashed” the employee who yelled at him, prompting him to exit and flee on a bicycle, police said.

BURGLARY: An unoccupied home in an undisclosed block of Kenneth Avenue was reported ransacked April 1, with jewelry stolen.

ARMED ROBBERY: A man posing as a customer at Tobacco Island, 11051 Cicero Ave., April 2 browsed merchandise on the shelves and then displayed a handgun to the lone clerk, demanding he accompany him behind the counter to gather boxes of cigarettes, collectively selling for $4,200, into a bag, police said. The man also left with money from the safe and lottery tickets collectively worth at least $500, police said.

BURGLARY: A homeowner in an undisclosed block of 87th Place awoke to find a stranger standing at the foot of his spouse’s bed April 6, police said. Joseph Smith, 41, took a cellphone after entering through an attached garage door left ajar and a connecting door left ajar, and was charged with burglary, theft and trespassing, police said.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT: Vondale Q. Frazier, 32, undisclosed block of 51st Avenue, Oak Lawn, was arrested April 8 and accused of aggravated assault after displaying a 9 mm handgun to a family member during an argument, police said.

Orland Park

DUI CRASH: Ryann R. Scanlan, 25, 16100 block of Justin Court, Tinley Park, was arrested and accused of drunken driving March 30 after backing out of a parking lot into a vehicle stopped for a red light at 167th Street and La Grange Road, police said.

RETAIL THEFT: Police say it took only 12 minutes for a pair of female shoplifters from Indiana to steal merchandise selling for more than $4,270 from the Gucci section of Sephora, 730 Orland Square Drive, on April 6. Raquel L. Steward, 45, Michigan City, who took merchandise selling for $2,062, and Rian N. Coleman, 25, South Bend, who took merchandise selling for $2,209, were charged with felony retail theft.

Palos Hills

BURGLARY: A building in the 8100 block of 111th Street was discovered broken into April 12. Complainants found the mailbox destroyed, the front door ajar and the interior entered with cash and several computer laptops missing.

Park Forest

DUI CRASH: Adrian A. Martinez, 41, first block of east 25th Street, Chicago Heights, was arrested March 24 and accused of aggravated drunken driving, driving on a license revoked for drunken driving and failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision, police said. Officers located Martinez on West 15th Street, Chicago Heights, after he side-swiped another vehicle while both were eastbound on an undisclosed stretch of Lincoln Highway, police said.

ILLEGAL GUN: A Crete man found asleep at the wheel April 7 with a loaded 9 mm handgun next to him at 26th Street and Western Avenue, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, police said. Kreon J. Roberts, 46, 3000 block of Bending Creek Trail, was also accused of drunken driving, disregarding a traffic control device and parking in the roadway, police said.

ARMED ROBBERY: A Steger man accused of armed robbery surrendered to officers April 10  after law enforcement officers and members of the South Suburban Emergency Response Team surrounded and evacuated the apartment building where he lives, police said. Damarius T. Hargrave, 18, 300 block of West 34th Street, Steger was also served with a warrant charging him with nine counts of domestic battery including two counts of domestic battery/strangulation, stemming from a March 23 report, police said.

Tinley Park

ROBBERY: A man accused of robbing a busy gas station while unaware customers waited in line behind him Sept. 10 was arraigned April 3 on a two-count charge of armed robbery and aggravated robbery, according to Will County court records. Alexander P. Garcia, 31, 1600 block of Oak Street, Chicago Heights, displayed a handgun and quietly told the cashier “Don’t be stupid” at the Speedway gas station, 7201 183rd St., police said. Garcia was taken into custody Oct. 13 by deputies who are also members of the United States Marshals Service, Great Lakes Regional Task Force, sheriff’s police said.

THEFT: Two southwest suburban men are scheduled to return to Cook County court in Markham May 1, accused of theft of property valued between $100,000 and $500,000, Cook County Sheriff’s Police said. Adnan Turshan, 27, Tinley Park, and Hasan Tarshan, 28, Bridgeview, made their first court appearance Friday, for allegedly shoplifting, and fencing online, retail merchandise selling for thousands of dollars stolen from Illinois and nearby states, police said in a statement. The duo was formally charged April 11 two days after police recovered about $150,766 worth of stolen merchandise while executing a search on a Tinley Park home in the 17600 block of 71st Avenue, police said. Investigators also recovered about $233,580 worth of stolen merchandise from a storage unit in the 9800 block of South Harlem Avenue, police said.

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Daily Southtown | A forgotten time capsule in Midlothian revives memories of defunct Scout troop

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Only 70 people lived on the island of Gavdos. Then migrant boats started to arrive.

• Deep Read ( 4 Min. )
• By Nick Squires Contributor @NickSquires1

April 17, 2024 | Gavdos, Greece

The tiny Greek island of Gavdos, which lies to the south of Crete, is home to just 70 people. But since the beginning of the year, around 1,200 migrants have arrived here by boat. In the same period last year, there were no arrivals at all.

The numbers may be modest, at least compared with the tens of thousands who arrive each year in neighboring Italy, but the impact on such a small island is huge. On one occasion recently, islanders were outnumbered by the 91 migrants who arrived on a single boat from the Libyan coast.

Why We Wrote This

Most migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe have arrived in populated areas that, even if not fully prepared, could handle newcomers. But what happens when they land someplace truly isolated?

Most of the arrivals are economic migrants from Egypt. They are fleeing poverty and political tensions.

Gavdos has no reception center, no soup kitchen, no nongovernmental organizations. Islanders do what they can to care for the migrants, and many feel empathy for them.

“It’s a crisis,” says Lefteris Lougiakis, the deputy mayor. “We have the responsibility of providing them with shelter and food. During the winter, we cut wood to keep them warm. It’s a very difficult situation.”

A tawny smudge on the blue horizon of the Mediterranean, it is the southernmost point of Europe, a sun-baked outpost of deserted beaches, gnarled juniper trees, and flocks of shaggy goats.

The tiny Greek island of Gavdos, which lies to the south of Crete, has until now been distinguished as the place where Odysseus was shipwrecked and held captive by the nymph Calypso, and as a destination for sun-seekers during the summer holidays.

Now, however, the island finds itself thrust to the forefront of Europe’s migration crisis, which erupted in 2015 when more than 1 million asylum-seekers reached the Continent.

Since the beginning of the year, around 1,200 migrants have arrived on Gavdos by boat, with most of them setting out from Tobruk on the coast of Libya. In the same period last year, there were no arrivals at all.

The numbers may be modest, at least compared with the tens of thousands who arrive each year in neighboring Italy, but the impact on such a small island is huge. The population of Gavdos is just 70 – on one occasion recently, islanders were outnumbered by the 91 migrants who arrived on a single boat from the Libyan coast.

Most of the arrivals are economic migrants from Egypt. They are fleeing poverty and political tensions. There is a smattering of other nationalities, including Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Syrians, and Sudanese.

It is an influx that Gavdos is totally unprepared for. There are no facilities for the migrants – no reception center, no soup kitchen, no nongovernmental organizations. Unlike Greek islands in the Aegean such as Lesbos and Samos, which have been dealing with migrant arrivals from nearby Turkey for years, there are no personnel from charities such as the Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders.

“A very small island with very few people”

The task of dealing with the migrants is left to just three men – the deputy mayor, his twin brother, and the island’s sole police officer.

“It’s a crisis. Gavdos is a very small island with very few people,” says Lefteris Lougiakis, the deputy mayor. “We have the responsibility of providing them with shelter and food. During the winter, we cut wood to keep them warm. It’s a very difficult situation.”

Islanders do what they can to care for the migrants and many feel empathy for them.

“They travel for 20 hours in very small boats with no life jackets. It’s just by luck that we are not in their position. I feel sorry for them,” says Stella Stefanaki, who runs a small bakery on the island. She provides sandwiches for the new arrivals, for which she is reimbursed by the council.

Islanders may be sympathetic, but they want the migrant arrivals to stop as soon as possible, especially as the summer tourist season approaches.

“People are worried,” says Yorgos Lougiakis, the brother of the deputy mayor. “If tourists hear about the migrants, they will be scared to come to Gavdos.”

The migrants have to cross 170 nautical miles of open sea to reach the island from North Africa. It is highly dangerous, but that has not stopped smugglers from promoting it as an effective way of getting into Europe by the back door. Each migrant pays up to $5,000 for the crossing.

The inhabitants of Gavdos, which covers barely 11 square miles, fear their unique way of life is under threat.

The “capital” of the island is the village of Kastri, a cluster of about a dozen houses on a ridge. The other main settlement, Sarakiniko, consists of a few cottages and tavernas hidden among sand dunes and facing a huge sweep of beach.

There are just four children living on the island. Three of them belong to Efi Georgaka, who sells honey; keeps sheep, pigs, and goats; and, during the summer, works in the ferry ticket office in the island’s minuscule harbor.

“If things keep going like this then the island will change,” she says, sitting on the harbor wall. “There will be a need for police and coast guard officers and the navy, like on other Greek islands. We don’t want them [the authorities] here. We treasure the freedom and tranquillity that we have,” says Ms. Georgaka, who has lived on the island for 16 years.

Help on the way?

Gavdos has emerged as a new migrant destination because of pressures elsewhere: a crackdown on migrant boats by Greek authorities and the EU border agency Frontex in the Aegean, twinned with the hard-line policies pursued in Italy by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has staked much political capital on stopping the boats coming from North Africa.

Earlier this month, Greece’s government promised to provide money and personnel to help Gavdos and its much larger neighbor, Crete, deal with the dramatic rise in migrant arrivals.

“Crete will not be left alone, and even more so Gavdos,” said Dimitris Kairidis, the migration minister, after paying a visit to both islands. “We are here to help the local community. The resources and the means are there.”

For the people of Gavdos, help cannot come quickly enough. The approaching summer months will bring warmer weather and calmer seas, which could encourage more migrant crossings from Libya.

“It is easy for them to come here because out at sea there is no navy, no coast guard, no Frontex to stop them,” says Mr. Lougiakis, the deputy mayor. “We hear that there are thousands of migrants in Libya, waiting to cross. I think there will be many more boats this summer. People on the island are worried that we are going to be overrun.”

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A Billion Cameras, Two Billion Eyes: How China's Mass Surveillance Fuses Tech And Citizen Buy-In

Updated April 11, 2024 at 11:30 p.m.*

BEIJING — In 2021, a local police bureau in Beijing published an initiative on the Sharp Eyes project. Its description offers a chilling taste of how China's future of mass surveillance will be.

“Security cameras automatically capture the people’s faces, and match with house rental information, records in hospitals, hotels, and school, and summarize an activity log of different groups of people. With all information and data collected, an alarm model would be created to automatically identify abnormal activities."

Just exactly how the model will be implemented is not yet known. But combined with China's existing surveillance system , the Sharp Eyes project could allow community workers to proactively go to individuals' doors to investigate a crime that has not even been committed yet.

Its goal is to create a system that is literally meant to "prevent crime before it happens."

But how do the security cameras create such a huge digital Leviathan system? It is the result of a surveillance system that China has been building for more than 25 years.

Birth of a security camera nation

In 1998, China's Ministry of Public Security started the "Golden Shield Project", which focused on building a basic database and technology platform, as well as an initial network firewall to realize "Technology for a Stronger Police". The "Safe City" public video surveillance project took the 2008 Olympic Games as an opportunity to roll out the project to all major and medium-sized cities.

At this stage, China was still learning on its feet. In the wake of terrorist attacks such as the Sep. 11 attacks in 2001 and the London Underground bombings in 2005, police departments around the world had been installing cameras in public places in major cities to help with law and order.

China soon surpassed the West in surveillance technology. After 2016, it became the world's largest surveillance market, with government purchases accounting for 60% of the nearly trillion dollar Chinese market. According to analysts, of the nearly one billion cameras in the world today, more than half are Chinese.

By this reckoning, every four cameras in the world has a Chinese government procurement. In 2017, a BBC journalist was allowed to challenge the Sky Eye system and make a documentary in Guizhou in southwest China, where in less than seven minutes, his face was flagged by a database and then intercepted by police in the city.

Society to monitor society

In 2016, the Chinese government began a new round of large-scale video camera construction known as the "Sharp Eyes Project". While video surveillance in major countries around the world is only limited to key public areas in cities, the Chinese government wants to achieve "no dead ends and full coverage". "Full coverage, full network sharing, full-time availability and full control" were to be achieved at county, township and village levels. The core of this project in urban residential areas is the Chinese special "grid-based management".

Every place and every individual will eventually be in a specific grid

Grid-based management, as it indicates, involves community workers being in charge of a grid of residential areas, speculating over security concerns and nipping troubles in the bud. Surveillance is no longer only used to monitor specific groups of people or to uncover specific criminal offenses, but it was given a sense of social service functioning and preventing security risks.

What is notable is that the users of the surveillance system have expanded from police to ordinary people, playing the role of "the residents' housekeeper", and they might just be a familiar grandma next door. The government is no longer in direct confrontation with society everywhere, but uses society to monitor society.

A dense network of social surveillance is spread over 9.6 million square kilometers and a population of 1.4 billion . Every place and every individual will eventually be in a specific grid, and each grid has enough cameras that collect data, and there are corresponding grid personnel to collect information and resolve risks.

Who Benefits from Mass Surveillance in China?

www.youtube.com

Alternative to a police state

The implicit "surveillance state" represented by the "Sharp Eyes Project" and grid management embody a clear choice of the Chinese government in social governance, which differs from other explicit "police state" authoritarian states. On the one hand, Beijing does everything it can to collect social information, on the other, it is fully vigilant against the excessive development of police power . Both trends have become more and more obvious in the past decade.

With the development of the market economy since the 1980s, constraints on mobility since the Mao era could not be continued with the flow of work force and the growth of the population. Since the mid-80s till now, China's population has grown from 1 billion to 1.4 billion, while criminal offense cases increased to 4.7 million in the year of 2020, nine times more than 40 years before. With the growing concern about criminal offenses, case clearance rate has dropped from 70% to less than 40%. This indicates the pressure in maintaining security Beijing is facing with China's rapid economic growth.

But what is unique is that China is always conscious in restricting an over-powerful police force. Even in the 1990s, when China's crime rate issues had reached its peak, the police/population ratio was 7.4 per 10 thousand, significantly lower than the world average of 35 police per 10 thousand. At the core of Beijing's politics, there has been concerns over the "political credibility" of the police force, the head of which, for example, had been recently fired for being politically "unreliable" rather than being corrupt.

Sacrificing freedom for "safety"

Paradoxically, a monitoring system that implies strong control may not necessarily be opposed by the population under surveillance. In many official propaganda films, the people interviewed are happy to see the Sharp Eyes project implemented, and even neighboring communities would compete with each other for who could install the equipment first. China has packaged this whole social surveillance system as "welfare" because "safety" itself is the greatest benefit to the people.

Without its role in "revolution", the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has claimed its legitimacy in China's rapid economic growth. But when economic growth slows down, "security" would be another benefit it provides. "Safety" and "security" are clearly narratives that Beijing is proud of, while the two concepts have became an overwhelming priority. In its propaganda , Western countries — particularly, the United States — are portrayed as having endless disasters and crimes, while China is "the safest country in the world".

The flexibility that a normal society should have has now become unacceptable in Beijing's logic.

The cultural psychology of Chinese society is another key to understanding Beijing's success in implementing its surveillance projects without obstacles. Some surveys have shown that many people actually hold a fairly supportive attitude towards surveillance programs, believing that sacrificing freedom for "safety" is a pretty good deal. The cultural obsession with "safety" and the government's manipulation in the name of it have created a mutually reinforcing cycle.

A return to the "mass line"

Today's pandemic prevention policy in China is very different from that of the rest of the world, which may be the result of the ultimate interpretation of the logic of "safety". No matter whether the virus has changed or not, the behaviors of officials are dominated by the excuse of "security," and the public is persuaded by fear to fall in line. The flexibility and adjustments that a normal society should have is now unacceptable in Beijing's logic.

The CCP has always stressed Mao's concept of “ returning to the mass line," to achieve social control by giving the people a sense of agency in decisions. Relying on the so-called "mass" is the fundamental idea of the CCP's governance.

The recent advances in technology have made large-scale digital surveillance possible. And so now with the long-standing "mass line" governance, China can combine it with the tech advances to build a sophisticated social surveillance system.

The "Sharp Eyes Project" and "grid-based management" show Beijing's system is efficient in identifying and diminishing security risks, perfectly avoiding the "dictator paradox" in being less dependent on violent agencies.

*Originally published November 1, 2022, this article was updated April 11, 2024 with enriched media and audio file.

Like our content? Follow us for more. This article first appeared on Worldcrunch.com It was translated and adapted by Worldcrunch in partnership with THE INITIUM . For the latest news & views from every corner of the world, Worldcrunch Today is the only truly international newsletter. Sign up here .

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Kerala police book female tourists for tearing pro-Palestine posters

The tourists have been booked under section 153 for deliberate provocation with intent to cause a riot..

The Kerala Police have registered a case against two female foreign tourists for destroying pro-Palestine posters erected by members of an Islamist student outfit in Kochi. The posters allegedly contained protest messages against Israel for its attack on Palestinian territory. Police said the incident was reported from the Fort Kochi police station limit on Monday evening.

According to a senior police officer, there were two female foreign tourists. One of the tourists allegedly destroyed the pro-Palestine boards erected by the Students Islamic Organisation in front of the Jankar Jetty in Kochi. The tourists have been booked under section 153 for deliberate provocation with intent to cause a riot.

A video shared on social media depicted a female tourist involved in an intense argument with SIO activists after tearing down banners. Reacting to the video, an X user wrote, “Many are fighting battles for Palestine here in Kerala. That's why they were feeling so hurt. I want all these volunteers to visit Gaza and volunteer at the ground level. It will be more effective!” Another user commented, “Kerala overwhelmingly stands with Palestine…”

Last year, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal virtually participated in a pro-Palestine rally in Kerala's Malappuram district. The rally was organised by Solidarity Youth Movement, the youth wing of Jamaat-Islami in Kerala. The rally triggered a political slugfest as the BJP cornered the Opposition alliance INDIA over 'anti-national' and 'anti-Sanatan' activities in the state.

Kerala BJP president K Surendran said it was alarming that under the guise of 'Save Palestine', a terrorist organisation was being glorified. "Hamas leader Khaled Mashel's virtual address at the solidarity event in Malappuram is alarming. Where's Pinarayi Vijayan's Kerala Police? Under the guise of 'Save Palestine,' they're glorifying Hamas, a terrorist organization, and its leaders as 'warriors.' This is unacceptable! HMO India," K Surendran wrote on X.

Meanwhile, the state president of the Solidarity Youth Movement, Suhaib CT, said his participation was not a crime under the law as Hamas was not an organisation operating in India. "He took part in our programme organised to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and to condemn the onslaught by Israel. No need to see anything unusual in that," Suhaib said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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