Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean. Crete is about 160 kilometres south of the Greek mainland. It has a distance of 260 kilometres from east to the west and 56 kilometres at the widest point but there are more narrow points, like the region close to Ierapetra, with a width of 14 kilometres. On the north of the island is the Cretan Sea and on the south the Libyan Sea. Crete is one of the 13 administrative divisions of Greece. It is divided into four Prefectures which are Chania (city of Chania has a pop of 80,000), Rethymno (city of Rethymno has a pop of 35,000), Heraklion (city of Heraklion with a pop of 200,000) and Lasithi (city of Agios Nikolaos with a pop of 10,000). The population of the island is close to 620,000. The capital of the island is Heraklion and the fourth largest city in Greece. There are several islands around Crete. Some of them are populated such as Gavdos which is the southwest island of Europe and others like Hrissi Gaidouronissi, Koufonisia, Dia, Paximadia, Gramvoussa are smaller and not populated.
The island of Crete has two things which distinguish it from other Greek islands, magnificent mountains and a remarkably rich history. Mountains cover two thirds of the island’s surface and makes Crete look much larger than it really is. In the west there are White Mountains (Lefka Ori) with an altitude of 2,450m, in the centre is Psiloritis Mountain of 2,455m and in the east is Mountain Dikti of 2,146m. There are more than 50 peaks higher than 2,000m. The mountains are mainly limestone so a number of caves have been formed with archaeological interest. Crete is in between of two climate zones the Mediterranean and the North African. The winters are mild and the atmosphere is humid. There is snowfall on the mountains but near the coast it is rare. The south coast has higher temperatures throughout the year as it is in the North African Zone. Crete is known for having one of the healthiest climates around the world.
Many notable people were born in Crete. The most known are Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco 1541-1614) a Greek painter, sculptor and architect of the Renaissance, Eleftherios Venizelos (1864-1936) politician and Prime Minister of Greece, Nikolaos Kazantzakis (1885-1957) one of the greatest Greek poets and authors, Odysseas Elitis (1911-1996) one of the greatest Greek poets as well, Konstantinos Mitsotakis (1918) politician and Prime Minister of Greece, Mikis Theodorakis (1926) composer, Nana Mouskouri (1934) worldwide famous singer, Konstantinos Volanakis (1937) painter, Gianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki (1955) business woman and President of the Olympic Games of Athens 2004, Eleni Daniliidou (1982) tennis player and many more.
Crete has many beauties to offer, mountainous landscapes, coastline with amazing beaches and caves, archaeological sites including ruins of Minoan civilisation, wonderful towns and villages and most of all the proud and friendly people of Crete distinguished for their independent spirit and hospitality.
Crete Map
Crete weather online
Crete Myths and Legends
King Minos after defeating the Athenias demanded 7 Athenian boys and 7 girls every nine years to enter the Labyrinth and face the Minotaur who was half man and half beast. Thesseus the legendary king of Athens on the third occasion decided to go himself and face the Minotaur promising his father Aegeus that if he succeeds he would return with a white flag. Ariadne King Mino’s daughter fell in love with Thesseus and before entering the Labyrinth gave him a sword and a ball of string. Thesseus killed the Minotaur, found his way out of the maze and escaped taking Ariadne with him but god Dionysos appeared to him and told him that Ariadne meant to be his bride and to drop her on Naxos. As Thesseus was devastated forgot to change the black flag and his father thinking that his son was dead threw himself into the sea and since then is called Aegean Sea.
Daedalus was a very skilful artificer and had two sons Icarus and Lapyx. He was the builder of the Labyrinth where Minotaur lived and he constructed it in such way that even he could not escape out of it. King Minos kept him in Crete so he couldn’t spread his knowledge about the Labyrinth and Daedalus set to work to make wings for himself and his son Icarus to escape. He put together feathers from larger to smaller and tied the larger with thread and the smaller with wax. When the wings were ready he put them on himself and his son and advised him to fly neither low because the sea will make the feathers wet or high because the sun will melt the wax. As they passed Samos and Delos Icarus began to fly high, the sun melted the wax and Icarus fell into the sea. Daedalus grieved for his son’s death and named the place where he fell Ikaria and the sea Ikario Pelagos.
History of Crete
Although the island was inhabited since Neolithic Ages it was the Minoan Civilization (3000-1100BC) that arose in Crete and became the first modern civilization of Europe. We don’t know much about this period as few written records remain today in contrast with the palaces (Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Kato Zakros), roads, houses and sculptures that do remain until today. The civilization took its name after the mythic King Minos by the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans during the excavations at the palace of Knossos. Minoan Civilization transformed Crete into a marine, trade and art centre with people being shepherds, marines, farmers with great mercantile skills.
According to the Greek archaeologist N. Platonas, Minoan Civilization is divided into four periods :
Prepalacial Period (3000-1900BC).
People lived in bigger and better houses in towns by the sea, there was a development of art, stone and later bronze tools were made and many inscriptions were found of that period that cannot be translated until today.
Protopalatial Period (1900-1700BC). The big palaces (Knossos, Phaistos, Malia) were built. They had buildings of many floors connected with inside and outside stairs with big rooms and many facilities such as theatres, baths, storerooms. The pottery was much more developed, many colours were used on vases and jewellery was used in many designs. Goddess Mother Earth was adored. An earthquake destroyed everything.
Neopalatic Period (1700-1380BC). Years of prosperity in every aspect began. The palaces were rebuilt more luxurious with developed hydraulic and sewage systems admired also for the methods of hygiene. Some smaller palaces were built (Agia Triada ,Tylisos ) and can be seen today in Crete along with the bigger ones of Knossos, Phaistos, Malia and Zakros. The island’s capital was Knossos and there were trading relationships with Egypt, Cyprus, and Asia. Colonies were formed in Kea, Santorini, Milos and Sicily protected by Minoan navy. Bridges and roads were built, the weapons were metal, pottery and decoration were perfected. The Minoan palaces were abandoned either by the eruption of Santorini’s volcano or from human invasion by mainland Greece.
Postpalatial Period (1380-1100BC).
Many cities were destroyed or deserted after the invasion. Pottery, art and other activities still existed but had lost the shine of the previous years. The old inhabitants moved to the west as the invaders started to come in large numbers building new settlements and bringing in their customs and culture.
In 1100 the Dorians from the Peloponnese invaded and that was the end of the Minoan civilization. In the meantime before the Roman occupation (69BC-824AD) the population of Crete increased and more towns were established. During the Roman period Gortyn became the capital, trade was developed and Christianity arrived at the island. In 824AD Crete fell into the hands of Arabs who destroyed Gortyn and built El Khandak (today’s Heraklion) as their capital. In 960 Nikiforos Fokas reconquered Crete for the Byzantines, destroyed the walls of El Khandak and changed its name to Handakas. The Byzantines held the island until 1204 when it passed to the Venetians at the time of the Fourth Crusade and they held it for more than four centuries. The Venetian rule could not be accepted by Cretans and their independent spirit but after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the fear of the Turks they managed to live together and prosperity continued. Turks finally captured Chania and Rethymno in 1645 and the rest of the island after the 22 years siege of Candia (Heraklion), the longest siege in history. The Turkish occupation was the worst of all with many atrocities, killings and violence. The Greek Revolution in 1821 with extensive Cretan participation brought freedom to Greece according to London’s Protocol but not to Crete. The island was sold by the sultan to Egypt and after ten years of misfortune for the Cretans it was left once again to the Turks. The Cretans never stopped fighting for their freedom and there were repeated hostilities with the most tragic the blowing up of Arkadi Monastery in 1866. In 1898 Crete became autonomous and in 1913 joined officially the Greek state. During World War II the Germans occupied the island and they stayed until 1945. After that years of prosperity began for the island of Crete with the development of trade, tourism and agriculture.
Archaeological sites
Minoan civilization left a great heritage to the island of Crete and many archaeological sites for tourists to visit.
Knossos Minoan Palace; Knossos palace was the centreof the civilization and the seat of King Minos. The excavations began in 1878 during the Turkish occupation by Minos Kalokairinos but the whole palace and the surrounding area were excavated by Sir Arthur Evans in 1900-1931. The palace is five kilometres southeast of Heraklion in the valley of river Kairatos.
Malia Minoan Palace; Malia was the third largest Minoan Palace built east of stunning scenery with a sandy beach on the north, mountain Dikti on the south and a little valley in between. It is located 37 kilometres away from Heraklion and 26 from Agios Nikolaos. Phaistos Minoan Palace; Phaistos was the second largest Minoan Palace built on a hill and overlooking the Messara plain under the breathtaking height of Psiloriris mountain. Phaistos was the seat of Radamanthis the brother of King Minos. The palace lies nearby the city of Gortyn. Zakros Minoan Palace; Zakros was the smallest of the Minoan Palaces built on a rocky hill and surrounded by mountains above a harbour that was in use as it was near the commercial centres of Egypt, Cyprus and Middle East. It lies at the eastern end of Crete Gortyn; The city of Gortyn has a long history of 6,000 years being once the capital of Crete. The city lies in a wide area but a small part of it has been excavated. It lies about forty minutes drive from the city of Heraklion and one kilometre away from Agii Deka village placed in the south central Crete. Many finds of the excavations can be seen at the Archaeologicl Museum in Heraklion. Palekastro; Palekastro was a Minoan city that used to be a commercial hub. It lies at the east coast to the harbour of Chiona few kilometres away from Kato Zakros. The excavations started in 1900 and still continue. Itanos; The city of Itanos was a large port dating back to the Hellenistic era. It lies at the northeast tip of the island within walking distance from Erimoupoli’s beaches. Tripitos; Tripitos was a small Hellenistic settlement built on a low hill with magnificent view of the bays below. Tripitos lies just outside Sitia. Moni Toplou; Moni toplou (meaning monastery with the gun) was founded in the 15th century and had to defend itself throughout history many times against pirates and invaders. In the monastery Byzantine icons are exhibited and there are many rooms of historical exhibits. The monastery can be found 18 kilometres East of Sitia. Arkadi Monastery; It was built during the Venetian period 22km from the town of Rethymno. In November 1866 during the Turkish occupation 300 leaders of the Cretan revolution and 600 women and children took refuge in the monastery as they were surrounded by 15,000 Turks. After resisting for two days the rebels, the monks, women and children decided to blow up the gun powder and die rather than to surrender to Turks. The monastery represents the symbol of the Cretan fight for freedom and independence.
Prefectures of Crete
1. Prefecture of Chania
Chania Prefecture is the island’s westernmost Prefecture and the city of Chania is the capital. There are five provinces in the Prefecture: Kydonia, Kissamos and Apokoronas in the north and Selino and Sfakia in the south.The prefecture of Chania is identified by the ancient city of Kydonia and Lefka Ori with the famous formations of Samaria Gorge. The Gorge is 16 km long and it was created by a river running between Lefka Ori. Samaria Gorge is a national park since 1962 as the Cretan goat (kri-kri) is found there as well as other species of bird and flower. It is a famous tourist attraction and the best section is where the sides close to 4 meters wide and 500 meters high.
The north side of the Prefecture of Chania:
Snifari is a very quiet village on the west side of Crete just 1 km away from a pebble beach. Falasarna is a very quiet place as well with the nearest town being 20 km away but the sandy beaches have crystal clear waters and the views are stunning. The ruins of the ancient harbour of Farsalana can be found here. Kastelli is a little town situated in the Gulf of Kissamos 40 km west of Chania with frequent bus connections. There is a long sandy-pebble beach with many good restaurants and few bars. Kolymbari is a quiet village 23 km west of Chania with frequent bus connections, few restaurants and shops and a long pebble beach. The monastery of Gonias can be seen here built in the 13th century. Maleme is an undeveloped area with few large hotels and a fine pebble beach 16 km away from Chania. It is the place where Germans invaded Greece in 1941 and most of them were killed and buried in the German war cemetery above Maleme. Gerani is not a very developed area 17 kilometres away from Chania with few hotels and an organized pebble beach awarded with the Blue Flag. There are villages around the area worth of exploring. Platanias is the biggest tourist resort in west Crete located 13 km from Chania with frequent buses. It has a long sandy beach with many luxury hotels, restaurants, shopping centres and many bars and discos. A visit to Platanias village is necessary as it is a place of long history and interesting legends. Agia Marina is a tourist resort very close to Platanias 10 km away from Chania. It offers many facilities to the tourists from accommodation to water sports and a long sandy beach. Stalos is a tourist resort very similar to Agia Marina just 8 km from Chania. Galatas and Daratso were initially villages up on hill but few years ago there was development near the sea. Because of the small distance from Chania many Cretans moved here but the village atmosphere isn’t spoiled. Chrisi Akti and Agii Apostoli because they are situated within a walking distance from Chania are famous places for Cretans and they can be very crowded especially during the weekends. The sandy beaches are very nice and safe for children as the waters are shallow. Chania is the second largest city of Crete situated 70km from Rethymno and 140km from Heraklion. Chania is a city of unique beauty and cultural heritage. The city is divided into the new town and the old town situated next to the harbour. The old town was surrounded by the Venetian fortifications but only the western and the eastern parts exist until today. Chania’s old town and the harbour is the most beautiful district in Crete and the central part of the old town called Kasteli was inhabited since Neolithic times. The old town and the Archaeological museum offer a journey back to history from the Minoan to the Venetian times. The new town although modern has many attractive and picturesque places with many historical building and museums. Chania is served by Daskalogiannis International airport 14km away from the city. Souda is Chania’s port 7km away. There is plenty of accommodation from luxury hotels to simple rooms, is the best city in Crete for shopping, there are superb restaurants and plenty of nightlife. There are many educational institutes like the Technical University of Crete with 2,500 students. Kalathas on the peninsula of Akrotiri is a new settlement where Cretans started recently to move as it is only 12 km from Chania with several hotels and a beautiful sandy beach with shallow waters. Stavros is a quiet place 14 km away from Chania with a breathtaking beach and a little hill where the beach scenes of the famous movie ‘Alexis Zorbas’ with Antoni Quinn based on the novel of Nikos Kazantzakis were filmed. Kalives is a big Cretan village surrounded with lots of green and have a stunning view of Lefka Ori, 20 km east of Chania. The area around the village has developed but it keeps its charm and quietness. There are few sandy beaches with the west one being less crowded. Almirida is a small village in the Souda bay 25 km from Chania. There has been a development the previous years which left the beauty of the place unspoiled. There are many places to visit around of historicall interest and unforgettable views. It used to be a colony of the ancient Foinikes and it was the place of the last battle between the Greek revolutionaries and the Turks in 1896. In the area can be seen the Dictamo Gorge and Saint Nikolas Gorge and 210 caves. Very close to Almirida is Kokkinohori where the famous film ‘Zorbas’ was filmed. Around the area is Plaka village a picturesque site with the most amazing sunset, beautiful houses and streets. Finally in Almirida bay is Karga Island ideal for a day relaxing trip as well as visiting a tunnel from World War II and ruins of ancient walls. Georgioupolis used to be a small fishing village with many eucalyptus trees, a long sandy beach (9 km) and a river. Today there is a development with many hotels along the beach but because of its size it never feels crowded. The scenery is impressive with Lefka Ori at the background. It is located 40 minutes from Chania.
The South side of the Prefecture of Chania:
Paleochora is a big village 73 km from Chania with frequent buses and a ferry boat link with other places in south Crete. It has a long sandy beach and a choice of other beaches close by. Sougia is a small village 75 km from Chania ideal for relaxation and nice walks. The beach is long with sand and pebbles. Agia Roumeli is a new village at the south exit of Samaria Gorge created because of the numbers of people who visited the Gorge. The site is extremely beautiful with the wild Lefka Ori rising above the village and superb pebble beaches with crystal clear waters by the Libyan sea. There is no road getting to Agia Roumeli so the only way is taking the ferry from Sougia or Hora Sfakion or walking through the Gorge. Lykos, Finix, Loutro are small villages with access only by the sea with ferries from other villages on the south coast. They are peaceful places ideal for relaxing walks and nice swim in the clear waters. Chora Sfakion is the capital of Sfakia region one of the most wild, picturesque and untouched by mass tourism in Crete. A ferry from Agia Roumeli and a windy road leads to the village. Sfakia is very famous for the quiet beaches, the amazing nature, the hospitality of the people and the long history. The region produced great fighters and heroes like Daskalogiannis who freed Sfakia from the Turks and he was hiding into the caves until they found him and skinned him. Sfakians were archers for the army of Alexander the Great and built ships for the Venetian merchants. Fragokastelo is a recently built village famous for the Venetian castle, the superb sandy beaches and the stunning background of the mountains.
2. Prefecture of Rethymno
The Prefecture of Rethymno is the most mountainous region in Crete with Lefka Ori in the west and Psiloritis in the east and the city of Rethymno is the capital. There are four provinces in the Prefecture: Rethymno, Agios Vasilios, Amari and Mylopotamos. Rethymno Pr. is full of magnificent beaches, beautiful resorts and villages, archaeological sites and the historical city of Rethymno.
Koubes is located 1.5km from Rethymno with a Blue Flag beach and a choice of accommodation with beautiful sea views. Nearby the picturesque village of Prines can be visited which retains the influences from the Venetian period with its narrow streets and stone houses.
Rethymno is the capital of the Prefecture of Rethymno and the third largest city in Crete situated 60km east of Chania and 80km west of Heraklion. Rethymno city maintains the aristocratic appearance with the old buildings dated back the 16th century and the Venetian castle. During the Venetian occupation the Fortress Fortezza and the defending walls were built to protect the city from all invaders. The old part of the city has a combination of Venetian and Turkish architecture with narrow stoned paved streets, fountains, minarets and the beautiful port. The town offers all the tourist facilities and accommodations of all categories, many shops, bars and cafes open all day as Rethymno is a University City and the University is a very well known establishment nationally and internationally for its research activity and graduate programmes. The municipal gardens offer peacefulness and for the museum lovers the archaeological museum and the Marine museum can be found. Rethymno’s beach is a huge sandy beach of about 20 km long fully organised. Adele is a nice sandy beach located 2km east of Rethymno and near Adele traditional village. Stavromenos is a sandy pebble beach 10km east of Rethymno fully organised. Scaleta situated on the north coast just 11km east of Rethymno has a long sandy beach with many hotels that provide watersports and the village has many taverns, shops and bars. Bali beach resort is located on the north coast 30km east of Rethymno. It used to be a fishing village but today is one of the most picturesque settings in Crete situated on a small hill fully protected by the mountains. The village offers all the facilities and the beach has crystal clear waters and is organised. From Bali there are daily excursions to Rethymno by boat and excursions up to the mountains to Ideon Caves where Zeus was born. Panormos is a traditional village on the north coast with many things to explore from the historical port to the lovely streets and the nice beaches. The Monastery of Arkadi can be visited from here. Geropotamos is a sandy pebble beach fully organised with plenty of accommodation situated on the way between Rethymno and Heraklion. Amari is a traditional mountainous village 40km southeast of Rethymno with stunning views of Psiloritis Mountain. Nearby there are other villages to be visited like Monastiraki where the ruins of a palace from 1700BC can be explored. Anogia is a picturesque mountainous village on Psiloritis 50km east of Rethymno. Because of the village’s position the people kept their local customs and their dialect and are famous for their courage. The village was burned by the Turks and the Germans killed all the men and destroyed every building except the church. From Anogia many daily excursions are possible to Psiloritis and the cave where Zeus grew up. Spili is a beautiful village of 420m altitude 26km southeast of Rethymno. During WWII the village was destroyed by Germans and the battle of Messara against the Turks took place here. The village is surrounded by vegetation and offers stunning views because of its altitude. There are sites of archaeological interest to visit around and a nice beach near the village. Argiroupolis is one of the most beautiful villages in Crete 27km southwest of Rethymno with an altitude of 270m. The surrounding area with verdant vegetation of big trees and waterfalls is of an outstanding natural beauty. Rodakino is a small village surrounded by lots of green with beautiful beaches 40 km from Rethymno. It was totally destroyed by the Venetians with only one resident surviving and escaping to Peloponnese and then coming back and rebuilt the village from the beginning. Plakias used to be a small fishing village located in a beautiful bay that is becoming a tourist resort but without loosing its traditional characteristics. It is located 40 km south of Rethymno and the road is good and winding as it passes through a Gorge where the view is stunning. Everything can be found on Plakias from accommodation, restaurants, discos and a beautiful half sand half pebble beach that makes it the perfect holiday spot. Damnioni beach is considered one of the best beaches in Crete, is situated on the south coast west of Plakias. It is a paradise for those who own a boat as the surrounding area is full of coves and bays with mirror like waters waiting to be explored. Agia Galini is a picturesque village on the southern coast of Crete, 60km from Rethymno lying on the bay of Messara on the Libyan sea. The village has all the tourist facilities and any type of accommodation. It has a wonderful long pebble beach and a smaller nudist beach. From the port there are daily excursions to the south of Crete and to the nearby caves.
3. Prefecture of Heraklion
The Prefecture of Heraklion is the largest of the four and it borders with the Pr. of Rethymno on the west and the Pr. of Lassithi on the east. Heraklion is the capital city of the Prefecture. It is mountainous area with Ida and Asterousia mountains occupying the southwest part. Dia island off the north cost is a part of the Prefecture. In Heraklion Pr. are the most important archaeological sites, amazing landscapes and wonderful beaches.
The Prefecture of Heraklion is the largest of the four and it borders with the Pr. of Rethymno on the west and the Pr. of Lassithi on the east. Heraklion is the capital city of the Prefecture. It is mountainous area with Ida and Asterousia mountains occupying the southwest part. Dia island off the north cost is a part of the Prefecture. In Heraklion Pr. are the most important archaeological sites, amazing landscapes and wonderful beaches. Agia Pelagia is a village by the sea northwest of Heraklion. It has a beautiful sandy beach with waters of amazing colours protected from the winds. Agia Pelagia offers all the tourist facilities. Amoudara is a Blue Flag sandy beach situated 5km west of Heraklion with tourist facilities. Heraklion is the largest city and the capital of Crete situated on the north coast of the Prefecture. Since Neolithic times there has always been a settlement where Heraklion is today. During WWII the Germans bombed the city but it was rebuild and developed very quickly the last decades. That created a busy modern city very indifferent from Chania and Rethymno. Of course there still exist many places of beauty and history like the well preserved old port, the Venetian walls, the Venetian fortress or Koules built at the entrance of the old port, the Morosini and Bembo Fountains, the Loggia a Venetian building and many more. In Heraklion can be seen and admired the oldest monuments in Europe of Minoan civilization and it was here where Zeus fell in love with Europe and gave birth to the Minoan kings. In the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion there is evidence of the above. The city’s market is one of the richest with any kind of product and various prices. There is plenty of accommodation from luxury to simple, the food is excellent and the nightlife is vivid. Heraklion is served by Nikos Kazantzakis International airport the second after Athens in the numbers of arrivals and departures in Greece. The port of Heraklion is also very busy with ferries from the Aegean Islands, Athens, Thessaloniki and many cruises to the Mediterranean. Analipsi is a golden sand beach awarded with the Blue Flag east of Heraklion with tourist facilities. Gouves is separated into Pano which is on the hill over the Kato which lie by the sea. It’ s located 20km east of Heraklion awarded with the Blue Flag for the crystal clean waters and the beautiful sandy beach. All the types of facilities and many daily excursions are available. Hersonisos is 15 minutes away by car. Hersonisos is one of the most famous resorts in Crete visited by thousands of tourists every year. It’s situated 25km east of Heraklion on the north coast just 30 minutes from the airport and has a beautiful golden beach with emerald waters of many kilometres. In Hersonisos there is any kind of accommodation, the night life is vivid, all type of watersports are available, many archaeological sites and traditional villages are nearby and it also has a well established aquarium being the largest in Greece. Malia is a coastal town 33km east of Heraklion famous for the archaeological sites and the wild nightlife. It is a combination of the old town and the new that is still developing without loosing the authentic character of Malia. The ancient palace is 3km east of the city and there are beautiful inland villages with marvellous landscapes in the surrounding area. The beach one of Crete’s finest is 5km long with many watersports, bars, cafes and restaurants.
There are many inland villages in the Prefecture of Heraklion of great natural beauty and archaeological interest such as Ano Vianos built at the feet of Mount Dikti in a beautiful landscape where there are remains of the Minoan civilization, the sanctuary of Aphrodite and Hermes can be seen as well as the Viglas caves with stalagmites and stalactites. Epano Archanes is a picturesque village that was attacked many times by the Turks, the ruins of a small Minoan palace can be seen and also the richest prehistoric graveyard of the Aegean. Zaros is a big and beautiful village where one can see the Kamares Cave and Vrontissiou Monastery built during the 14th century. Matala beach resort is located 74km south of Heraklion on the south coast of Crete in the Messara bay. It is the most ancient village in Crete used as the port of Phaistos and Gortyn. Some of the remains of the ancient city can be seen at the bottom of the sea. The characteristic of the beach are the caves carved into rocks by nature or human north of the coast. During the prehistoric times the caves were inhabited then used as a place of worship and later as tombs. In late 1960’s and 70’s ‘the children of the flowers’, an international hippies movement of that period turned the caves to a home. Many musicians lived here and inspired by the beauty of the area like Joni Michell and his song ‘Carey’ that says about his life in Matala. But because of their liberal ways the locals never accepted them and forced them out. Today the Matala caves can be visited and are protected by the Archaeological Service.
4. Prefecture of Lasithi
The Prefecture of Lasithi is the easternmost of the four in the island of Crete. Agios Nikolaos is the capital of the Prefecture. It is a mountainous Prefecture with mount Dikti on the west and Sitia mountains on the east. The Pr. of Lasithi is famous for the palm forest of Vai, the cosmopolitan resort of Elounda, The Lasith Plateau with the windmills, the island of Spinaloga, many ancient remains and the overwhelming hospitality of the Cretans.
Spinaloga is the island located northeast of Crete with easy access from Agios Nikolaos and Elounda. A fortress was built by the Venetians and they kept control of it until the Turks arrived. Between 1903 to1957 it used to be one of the last active leper colonies in Europe where the lepers would enter ‘Dante’s Gate’ to receive food, medical care and social security payments unlike other places. Today Spinaloga is a main tourist attraction with boats leaving several times every day from Agios Nikolaos (about and hour) and Elounda (15 minutes) leaving the tourists to enjoy the island and the small pebble beaches. Lasithi Plateau lies 70km from Heraklion on the west side of Mount Dikti and it’s famous for the windmills used for centuries although today they have been abandoned in favour of modern ways. Many archaeological sites (Diktaion Andron) can be found around as the area was inhabited since Neolithic times and some picturesque villages (Tzermiato, Zakros) worth visiting. Actually the Plateau is one of the few areas in the Mediterranean of such a high altitude (850m) that is permanently inhabited and the people living there enjoy a healthy climate. Elounda claims to be the most luxurious resort in Greece today with many 5* hotels and exceptional services. Most of the hotels are out of Elounda town, a small fishing town on Elounda bay 11km north of Agios Nikolaos. The ruins of ancient Olounda can be seen under the sea near Elounda village. There are taxis and regular buses to Agios Nikolaos and Plaka. Agios Nikolaos is the capital of the Prefecture of Lasithi, a picturesque port on the northernmost part of Mirabello bay 65km away from Heraklion. The city offers a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a good quality of tourist facilities. A feature of the town is the lake Voulismeni in the center crossed with a bridge. Agios Nikolaos is the centre of many daily excursions to places like Kritsa and Kroustas traditional Cretan villages, the island of Spinaloga, Agii Pantes island and many idyllic beaches like Havania, Istro, Ammoudara, Almiros, Pachia Ammos and many more. During the high season regular boats link the city to Piraeus and Dodecanese islands. Sitia is a picturesque town 68km east of Agios Nikolaos built amphitheatrically on a hill over Sitia bay. Sitia has a long history like the rest of Crete and it hasn’t been spoiled by mass tourism. The remains of a Venetian fortress on the east of the port add to the magical atmosphere of the town. Next to the port is a marvellous beach of fine sand with various facilities and water sports. From the port there are weekly boats to Rhodes and there is a small airport with few flights to Athens and some islands during high season. Vai beach is situated 24km east of Sitia and is very famous for the Palm Forest of 250sq kilometres and more than 5,000 palm trees which makes it the largest palm forest in Europe and the only one in Greece. In front of the forest lies a beautiful beach of fine golden sand and turquoise waters and the whole picture is magical. The beach was discovered in the 1970’s by the hippies and since then attracts thousands of visitors. Myrtos is a coastal village 14km east of Ierapetra and 50km south of Agios Nikolaos on the south coast of Crete.the village is full of orange and banana trees and there is a pebble beach with crystal clear waters and few facilities.
Ierapetra ‘the bride of the Libyan sea’ is located 35km south of Agios Nikolaos and is one of the oldest towns in Crete. Although Ierapetra played a great role throughout history and was the strongest city during Roman times very little remain today despite the continuous excavations. Very interesting is the old part of the town Kato Mera with many things to see like the house of Napoleon, great churches with the most interesting being Agios Georgios, the former mosque and the remains of the fortress built by Venetians. The tourist infrastructure is very good and still developing, there is any kind of accommodation, lively nightlife and a 6km long beach. A daily visit to the magical Chrissi(Gaidouronisi) island is possible known for its natural beauty and its white beaches. There are daily buses to Agios Nikolaos, Sitia and Heraklion. Agia Fotia and Makrys Gialos are small villages east of Ierapetra with long fine beaches and crystal clear waters of the Libyan Sea.
Accessibility
Crete has two main airports, Nikos Kazantzakis International airport serving Heraklion and Daskalogiannis International airport serving Chania and a smaller one in Sitia for few flights in Athens and Dodecanese islands.During high season most of the European airlines fly direct to Crete and there are many charter flights: Air Berlin from Germany and Austria to Heraklion and Chania, Travemaker and Arvia from Israel, Transavia from Netherlands, German Wings and Condor from Germany, Budgetair from Ireland, Neos Air and Aegean Airlines from Italy, Scandinavian and Norwegian Air Shuttle from Norway, Sterling from Scandinavia, Luxair from Luxembourg, Smartwings from Czech Republic, Wizzair from Hungary and Poland, Belair and Swissair from Switzerland, Cyprus Airways and Aegean Airlines from Cyprus. There are also flights to Crete via Eleftherios Venizelos International airport in Athens. From the UK EasyJet, Olympic Airways, British Airways and Flyglobespan arrive in Athens. There are direct flights from the UK to Heraklion from London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and other UK airports. British Airways flies direct to Heraklio. From Heraklion (50minutes) and Chania (40minutes) there are regular flights to Athens, Rhodes, Thessaloniki(1 and 15minutes) and Mykonos served by Olympic Airways and Aegean Airlines. From the small airport in Sitia there are flight to Athens and Karpathos Island.
Ferries depart from Piraeus to Crete and the journey takes 9 hours to Heraklion on regular ferries (ANEK LINES) and 6 hours on the high speed FESTOS PALACE and KNOSSOS PALACE of the MINOAN LINES. Piraeus to Chania takes 9 hours (ANEK LINES) and about 5 hours the Speed Catamaran of Hellenic Seaways. Rethymno is also served by ANEK LINES and highspeed Aeolos Kenteris by NEL LINES. There are also ferries from Agios Nikolaos to Sitia, Rhodes, Santorini, Milos and Piraeus (LANE LINES, Hellenic Seaways) and from Heraklio to Santorini(GA Ferries). ANEL LINES depart from Kissamos(Kasteli) to Kythira, Antikythira, Gythio and Kalamata in the Peloponnese. There is a ferry from Heraklion to Thessaloniki via Santorini, Paros, Tinos, Skiathos, Naxos, Syros and Volos.
Greece