The Serendipitous Shopper

All over Crete, local craftspeople produce attractive copies of folkloric treasures, whether Minoan jewelry in gold and silver or fabulous scarlet-embroidered blankets, bedspreads, and carpets that formed the basis of a traditional dowry chest (you can sense they were made in front of the stove during the cold months).

In point of fact, Crete has also become a magnet for craftspeople from all over Greece, and, in Hania and Rethymnon especially, shops display jewelry, ceramics, and small sculpture by excellent Greek artisans.

Some typically Cretan souvenirs would include a Cretan knife, whether plain steel or with a decorated blade and handle—a handy kitchen or camping implement (remember to pack it in your checked luggage when you fly home)—and a shepherd's bag, a woolen sack that's slung over the shoulder and is most handy as an extra carry-on for the trip home.

In the village of Thrapsano, potters make terra-cotta vases, candlesticks, and other objects, including pithoi, tall earthenware jars used by the Minoans for storing wine and oil that are popular as flowerpots.

Many shops in many villages will ship your purchases.