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Agia
Fotia.
One of the largest necropoleis excavated in Crete was discovered in 1971 close
to the village. It contained 250 tombs dating back to 3000-2500 BC. Many of
the objects found are exhibited in the museums of Sitia and Agios Nikolaos.
Vaï.
A very beautiful beach of fine, slightly pink sand stretching for 2 km in an
exotic site at the edge of a palm tree forest. An exceptional site, but avoid
the rush hours during the peak tourist season.
Paleokastro.
A small town which
is quite busy in summer, located on a magnificent, natural site, surrounded
by olive groves. Beautiful landscapes and splendid beaches, highly appreciated
by windsurfers.
Kato
Zakros. This is
the largest and most significant Minoan site in eastern Crete. In 1961, a monumental
palace was discovered here, its size surpassed only by that of Knossos. The
two-storey palace is almost 6500 m2 in size, and contains about 300 rooms. Kato
Zakros is a mini paradise with its bay, banana trees, beach and tavernas. A
beautiful hike takes you through the gorge from Ano Zakros to Kato Zakros (about
1 ½ hours’ walk on a footpath marked out with arrows). This path
is called “Valley of the dead”, a name which refers to the tombs
dug out in the rocks faces which date back to the early Minoan period (2 600-2
000 BC).
Xerokampos.
Ano
Zakros - Xerokambos. Not a very well-known
track, but accessible by car, which takes you through pretty landscapes, wild
gorges and beautiful creeks before reaching Ambelos beach, located below Xerokambos.
One of the most beautiful beaches in Crete.
Makrigialos.
A site inhabited
since Minoan times, it now mainly attracts sightseers who want to take the boat
to Koufonissi island, which is known for its beautiful waters and sandy beaches.
Etia.
From Sitia, take the road leading south. Many pleasant surprises await you in
the countryside, especially in spring when the vegetation is luxuriant and the
fragrance of wild flowers fills the air. One of our favourite spots is the village
of Etia, now abandoned, but which, in Venetian times, had its moments of glory.
On site is a beautiful Venetian villa.
Moni
Toplou.
A 13th century monastery whose history is closely linked with the resistance
of the Cretans against the occupying forces. Its architecture is quite original,
making it look somewhat like a fortress. The monastery has been very well restored,
and one can now admire the elegant Venetian-styled buildings, its sculptures,
the octagonal domed bell-tower, the collection of icons (genuine masterpieces
of Cretan art), frescoes of the Nativity and the Last Supper, as well as a collection
of lithographs and engravings.
Malia.
The third largest
Minoan site in Crete, discovered by the French Archaeological School of Athens.
Very interesting from an architectural point of view. Today, Malia is a tourist
resort situated near the bay of Chersonissos, which is known for its fine sandy
beaches.
Elounda.
A site appreciated
for its charm, beaches and luxury hotels. From here a visit can be made to Spinalonga
island, with its beautiful fortress, erected in ancient times and rebuilt by
the Venetians in the 17th century. It was the last fortress to resist the Turks,
who would finally conquer it 50 years after the occupation of Crete (1669).
Lato.
A Dorian city,
Lato was founded in the 7th century BC and flourished in the classical and Hellenistic
periods. An interesting site to visit, with remains of an agora and prytaneum.
Panagia
Kera. A remarkable
white Byzantine church amidst olive groves. Dedicated to the Assumption of the
Holy Virgin, it was founded in the 13th century. Originally, it was made up
of a single aisle and a cupola. Two side aisles were added in the 14th century.
Kritsa.
A
village well-known for its traditional woven cloths, colourful little streets,
folklore, and its four Byzantine churches, adorned with frescoes from the 16th
century. Jules Dassin shot some of the scenes for his film “He who must
die” in this village, a film adapted from Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel
“Christ recrucified”.
Lassithi
(plateau). Over
800 m above sea level, nestled in the mountains, the Lassithi plateau was once
famous for its 10,000 windmills, which were used to irrigate plantations and
supply water. Nowadays, with a little help from progress, they have been replaced
by motor pumps, but the plateau still offers peaceful and pastoral scenes of
daily life. The cave of Trapeza shows signs of human presence dating back to
1850 BC. South of the plateau, the village of Psichro is a point of departure
for hikes to the famous cave where, according to Greek mythology, Zeus was born.
Arvi.
A tiny fishing village with a few tavernas on the water’s edge and rooms
to rent. Ideal for those who enjoy quiet surroundings and simple pleasures.
Arvi is located on the site of a Greco-Roman city bearing the same name. Pieces
of pottery and a remarkable marble sarcophagus were discovered there.
Sissi.
A small village with a bright future in tourism due to its situation and closeness
to Malia. Tavernas and hotels have begun to blossom.
Istro
The village has
developed rapidly over the last few years thanks to tourism. Because of its
location, Istro is a point of departure for many excursions in the eastern part
of the island.
Hersonisos.
Originally a charming little village, it is now very busy in summer, with lots
of tavernas and hotels overlooking a beautiful bay.
Sitia.
It is a two hours car journey from Heraklion to the softly curving great bay
of Sitia, and the harbour town of the same name. The white buildings of Sitia
sit in tiers like an amphitheatre, with little streets and steps taking one
all the way up to the Venetian Castle. The beautiful sweeping beach at Sitia
has been awarded the Blue European Flag. The town is built on the slopes of
two hills, which rise up from the sea around one end of the bay. It was known
as La Sitia by the Venetians, who built a fortified wall and castle, and the
walk towards the harbour has all of the charm one hopes to find in a Greek waterfront.
The steep climb up wards from the harbour front leads to the fort with views
down over the esplanade and ferryboat quay. The beach, with its fine white sand,
sun loungers, umbrellas and invitingly safe clear waters, is ideal for beach
lovers and children alike. The most interesting day excursions from Sitia are
to the Minoan ruins at Zakros, Vai beach, Palekastro and Topolou monastery,
or the Valley of the Dead. Our holiday accommodation is situated on the outskirts
and surrounding area of Sitia, and is chosen to offer visitors a delightfully
restful holiday.
Mochlos.
Petit village de pecheurs, avec une architecture, confuse (à
la crétoise ...), mais où il fait bon s'installer sur une terasse
de café ou de restaurant et contempler la mer, apprécier le calme,
la lumière et le charme du site. Des connaisseurs y ont déjà
élu domicile pendant la saison touristique. Point de départ de
nombreuses randonnées.
Agios
Nikolaos.
This charming little town, which for many years has attracted ever greater numbers
of visitors, is situated right in the heart of the glorious Bay of Mirabello
with its breath taking vistas, azure blue seas and very pleasant climate. Agios
Nikolaos sits on the ancient site of the town of Lato-Etera. Both towns were
administrative centres and reached their pinnacle in the 3rd Century A.D. Today,
Agios Nikolaos is an important centre for Administration, for the Arts and for
Transport Service, and has become one of the most advanced regions for these
in Crete, and in Greece. This is the place, where tourism first began in Crete
and it gradually became a much favored area, thanks to very traditional big
open hearted welcome given to visitors, the wonderful coastline, the clean beaches,
nine of which in the region as a whole have now been awarded the European Blue
Flag plus of course the very rich variety of ancient sights to visit. Agios
Nikolaos has much to offer both young and old. It is ideal for walkers, for
those who seek history and culture, and there is a wide selection of nightlife
to suit every taste. Every summer the town council arranges a programme of cultural
events. It is also an ideal centre for all kinds of watersports, and various
hotels and sports centres have swimming pools, basketball, volleyball and tennis
courts. In the centre of the town is the picturesque harbour, with the curious
little round lake of Voulismeni, and the cafes around provide a popular meeting
point for locals and visitors alike. To add to the attractions, one of the most
beautiful yacht marinas in the Aegean was built here in 1994. Always appealing
too are the numerous small shops to browse through in the little winding streets
of the town. Many of the shops sell traditional Cretan craftwork, jewellery,
embroidery and of course a wide variety of other goods. Also all round the centre
of town you will find rows of tavernas, and restaurants offering a wide variety
of Cretan culinary specialities. The town is furthermore an ideal springboard
for day trips to explore other regions of the eastern and central island. For
example a trip to the old mountain village of Kritza, to the Lassithi Plain,
to Malia or intriguing Spinalonga, the island with mellow stone venetian buildings,
which in times past was used as a leper colony. Agios Nikolaos can be reached
via a direct ferry link with Piraeus harbour, Athens, and for air travel, the
airport of Heraklion is only about 45 minutes drive away.
Ierapetra
is the most southerly town
in Europe and is known for its particularly mild climate. The town of Ierapetra
has been in existence since ancient times, when it had important trade links
with North Africa. Roman remains, a Venetian fort, a Turkish mosque and minaret
still exist. The journey from Heraklion takes about one and a half hour. In
the centre of the town there is a long promenade with lots of shops, tavernas
and hotels, and the little harbour with its Venetian fort. Many of the local
inhabitants of the area around Ierapetra work in agriculture, and so it is common
to see the long green houses for growing vegetables, while inland there are
lovely pine forests and olive groves. The kilometre long sand and shingle beach
with numerous attractive little coves, has two beaches which have been awarded
the Blue European Flag. Near to Ierapetra, there are many little villages. The
region of Ierapetra lends itself particularly for walking, or for boat trips
to the nearby bays, to the golden Island of ‘Crisi” or Koufonisi
with its unusual crushed-shell beaches. There are many interesting outings to
be made, for example a visit to Agios Nikolaos, to the vast Lassithi Plain with
its windmills, to the Butterfly Gorge or to the beautiful palm strewn beach
at Vai.
The
other 
regions
[Agios
Nikolaos : City map ] [Agios
Nikolaos: visit the town ]
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