Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark

Getting around

Crete journey times and distances

In Crete, a journey across the island from the Mesara plain to Heraklion, a distance of approximately 60 km, took 24 hours with a brief overnight stop.

At the table

Cost of Bread and Beef

During this period, a loaf of bread typically cost between 55 and 65 lepta, while beef cost between 1.20 and 2.60 drachmas per unit of weight.

What people wore

Festive attire with gold and coins

On feast days, well-to-do men wore crimson velvet jackets embroidered with gold, while women often accessorized with strings of coins and silver chains.

Music

Singing heroic ballads at table feasts

Heroic songs, or klephtic ballads, were often sung by soloists at banquets while seated around tables filled with food and wine. Singers and their audience used these songs to emotionally relive stories of bravery and life's challenges.

Daily life

Widespread Public Schooling

Education was highly valued and accessible, with free primary schools available to children of all social classes, including the children of cab drivers and government officials sitting together. While many villages maintained schools for boys, girls' schooling was less common, though a growing interest in female education was gradually overcoming old prejudices.