The Mediterranean island of Crete is a favorite for Europeans who are looking for a second home, vacation spot or retirement haven. It has year round sunshine and beautiful scenery, and is currently undergoing a development boom. Crete has over 1,000 kilometers of coastline, is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean, and is important historically as the home of the Minoan Civilization and has many archaeological remains for visitors to see and explore.