Lasithi Plateau Οροπέδιο Λασιθίου

Nine hundred metres above sea level, in the domain of eagles, Lasithi Plateau rings with the trill of goat bells, is hemmed by the cloudy peaks of the rock-studded Dikti range, and is arrestingly beautiful, offering a glimpse of secluded, rural Crete at its most authentic. Think green fields interspersed with pear and apple orchards and almond trees, scattered with the skeletons of old windmills. Lasithi would have been a stunning sight in the days when it was dotted with some 20,000 metal windmills with white canvas sails. The original stone windmills were built by the Venetians in the 17th century. There are less than 5000 windmills standing today, most having been replaced by less-attractive but convenient mechanical pumps.

The Lasithi Plateau’s rich soil has been cultivated since Minoan times. Following an uprising against Venetian rule in the 13th century, the Venetians expelled the inhabitants of Lasithi and destroyed their orchards. The plateau lay abandoned for 200 years until food shortages forced the Venetians to recolonise and cultivate the area and to build the irrigation trenches and wells that still service the region.

The main approaches to the plateau are from Iraklio, via the coast road east and then by turning south, just before Hersonisos. The best approach from Agios Nikolaos is via Neapoli. The plateau is a popular bike route, utilising the intersecting tracks across the central plain. The journey here via steep hairpin bends is a drama in itself, bereft of barely any signage as you climb to Dikteon Cave, the birthplace of the leader of the gods; a fitting denouement for the effort it takes to get here. Expect some sudden and odd weather fronts; at the time of research in mid-April we were treated to a heavy fall of snow. There are plenty of cycling trails marked on the plateau. To ride here contact the excellent Martinbike Crete in Agios Nikolaos.

From Iraklio there are daily buses to Tzermiado (€6.50, two hours), Agios Georgios (€6.90, two hours) and Psyhro (€6.50, 2¼ hours). There are also buses to the villages from Agios Nikolaos.

CRETAN MYTHS

Some of the key stories in the panoply of Greek mythos (myths) emanate from Crete.

Zeus & Cronus Before Zeus formed the pantheon of the gods, the earth was in the hands of his father Cronus and his monster titans. When Cronus learned he was destined to be overthrown by one of his sons, he ate each of them – including Hades and Poseidon – upon their birth. When Zeus was born in the Dikteon Cave on Crete’s Lasithi Plateau, his mother Rhea deceptively wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes and gave it to Cronus who promptly swallowed it. Zeus grew up, overthrew Cronus, freeing his brothers and sisters from his father’s belly, and imprisoned the titans in the underworld.

Theseus & the Minotaur Seven Athenian sons and daughters were annually fed to the monstrous half-bull half-man imprisoned in the labyrinth of King Minos’ palace in Knossos. Among them was Prince Theseus, who volunteered for the task, and through the intervention of Aphrodite was aided by Minos’ daughter, Ariadne, who gave him a ball of thread to help him find his way out of the labyrinth. Theseus slew the beast and escaped Crete, taking Ariadne with him, but forgot to change the sails from black to white, a sign to King Aegeus of Athens of his safe return. Broken-hearted Aegeus threw himself from the cliffs into the waves and the Aegean Sea was born.

Icarus & Daedalus Master inventor Daedalus was called upon by Queen Parsiphae to design a contraption allowing her to couple with Poseidon’s bull. The result and punishment of the gods was the hideous human-bull mutant she gave birth to, known as the Minotaur. Daedalus designed a maze strong enough to contain the monster, the famous ‘labyrinth’, but when Parsiphae's husband King Minos learnt of his master inventor’s dark design with the Queen, he sent his soldiers after him. Ever the quick thinker, Daedalus fashioned some wings from wax and seagull feathers for his son Icarus and himself, warning the boy not to fly too near the sun as they escaped Crete. Icarus didn’t listen, the wax melted and the boy plunged to his death as Daedalus flew on.

Tzermiado Τζερμιάδο

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Tzermiado (dzer-mee-ah-do) is a likeable, down-to-earth farming town. It’s the largest and most important town on the Lasithi Plateau and has a fair number of visitors from tour buses going to the Dikteon Cave. Its main hotels and eateries are remarkably well run and of good quality. A number of shops sell rugs and embroideries.

As you approach Tzermiado from the south, a sign on the right indicates the Kronios Cave (admission €4; h8am-8pm Apr-Oct, 8.30am-3pm Nov-Mar), which is thought to have been used from the earliest human period as some form of shrine, and during the Minoan period as a grave site. A rough track of about 500m can be walked from the main road, to where a couple of hundred steps rise to the cave’s narrow entrance. Taking a powerful torch is advised and you need to be surefooted on the uneven and occasionally muddy surfaces inside the cave.

There is only one main road running through town, plus a couple of ATMs and a post office on the main square.

4Sleeping & Eating

ArgouliasHOTEL€€

(%28440 22754; www.argoulias.gr; d incl breakfast €55-80; a)

An almost alpine style makes these apartments an outstanding choice. Built into the hillside above the main village and constructed of exposed local stone, they have sweeping views across the Lasithi Plateau to the mountains. The decor and furnishings are traditional and stylish, and there are open fires to keep things cosy in winter. The apartments are self-catering, although breakfast is delivered each morning.

The owners also run an excellent restaurant across the road. Ask about use of bicycles. Look for signs to Argoulias on the entrance to Tzermiado coming from the east.

Taverna KouritesGREEK€

(www.kourites.eu; mains €7.50-10.50; h9am-10pm)

On the outskirts of Tzermiado is well-run Kourites, a big taverna with a pleasant garden that offers local dishes including roast lamb and suckling pig, cooked in a wood-fired oven. They do vegetarian options also. There are clean and simple rooms above the taverna and in a nearby hotel (doubles €40, breakfast €5). Enquire about free use of bicycles.

Agios Georgios Αγιος Γεώργιος

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Dusty, wind-blown and faintly ghostly, Agios Georgios (agh-ios ye-or-gios) is a tiny village on the southern side of the Lasithi Plateau and the most pleasant to stay in a fairly colourless bunch. If you have your own bicycle, you can base yourself here and explore the plateau at leisure.

1Sights

Folklore MuseumMUSEUM

(%28440 31462; admission €3; h10am-4pm Apr-Oct)

The village boasts a Folklore Museum housed in the original home belonging to the Katsapakis family. Exhibits are spread over five rooms and include some intriguing personal photos of writer Nikos Kazantzakis.

4Sleeping & Eating

Hotel MariaHOTEL€€

(%28440 31774; d/tr/q incl breakfast €60/80/100)

These pleasantly quirky rooms on the northern side of the village are in a building fronted by a leafy garden. The traditional mountain beds are rather narrow and are on stone bases. Local furnishings and woven wall hangings add to the cheerful atmosphere.

Taverna ReaGREEK€

(mains €7-8; h9am-10pm)

A cheerful little restaurant with an orange-and-stone interior hung with Cretan artefacts. Don’t be surprised if the charming owner cossets you with extra dishes. The souvlaki is excellent, as are the pork and lamb chops cooked on the range. Upstairs are four rooms (€30) with twin beds and bathroom.

Psyhro Ψυχρό

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Psyhro (psi-hro) is the closest village to the Dikteon Cave, has one main street, a sword-waving memorial statue, a few tavernas, and plenty of souvenir shops. Buses to Psyhro stop at the northern end of town, from where it’s about a kilometre’s walk uphill to the cave. The bus is known to divert to the cave car park if lots of passengers are going there, but don’t bank on it.

5Eating

StavrosCRETAN€

(grills €7-9; h9am-10pm)

Long-established Stavros, flanked by geranium pots and propped up by old timers, is eye-catching, with alfresco seating and a menu spanning salads, pasta, souvlaki and locally sourced veg. It’s located on the main road.

Petros TavernaGREEK€

(mains €6-8.50; h9am-5pm)

Hearty Greek fare is what you’ll find at this longstanding restaurant at the foot of the steps to the cave. Ask here about walks in the area, including the long hike up to the summit of Mt Dikti.

Dikteon Cave Δικταίον Αντρον

Dikteon CaveCAVE

(Cave of Psyhro; %28440 31316, 28410 22462; http://odysseus.culture.gr; admission €4; h8am-8pm Apr-Oct, 8.30am-3pm Nov-Mar)

Eight hundred metres up a winding, sheer path just outside the village of Psyhro, the Dikteon Cave is as mysterious and forbidding as Greek myth itself. Here, according to legend, Rhea hid her newborn Zeus from Cronus, his offspring-gobbling father. Corkscrewing into the slick, wet dark, the vertiginous staircase passes through overhanging stalactites formed over millenia, resembling squashed, bulbous heads. Home to long-eared bats, the cavern is effectively lit with eerie red and green lights.

As you descend like Orpheus into the Underworld, we challenge your imagination not to go into overdrive. Lower down in the bowels of the cave it gets more dramatic still. In the back on the left is the smaller chamber where legend has it that Zeus was born. There is a larger hall on the right, which has small stone basins filled with water that Zeus allegedly drank from in one section, and a spectacular stalagmite that came to be known as the Mantle of Zeus in the other.

The cave covers 2200 sq m and was excavated in 1900 by the British archaeologist David Hogarth, who found numerous votives indicating it was a place of cult worship. These finds are housed in the Archaeological Museum in Iraklio. Earlier still, Sir Arthur Evans, who discovered Knossos, visited here in 1894.

The cave was used for cult worship from the Middle Minoan period until the 1st century AD. Stone tablets inscribed with Linear A script were found here, along with religious bronze and clay figurines.

It is a breathless 15-minute walk up to the cave entrance. You can take the fairly rough but shaded track on the right with views over the plateau or the less interesting, unshaded paved trail on the left of the car park. Given the altitude there’s often rain, and both paths can be dangerously slippy on the descent.

Northeastern Coast

Gournia Γουρνιά

oGourniaARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

(Γουρνιά admission €3; h8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun)

The compelling Late Minoan site of Gournia (pronounced goor-nyah) lies just off the coast road, 19km southeast of Agios Nikolaos. The ruins, which date from 1550 to 1450 BC, are made up of a town overlooked by a palace. Gournia’s palace was far less ostentatious than the ones at Knossos and Phaestos, as it was the residence of an overlord rather than a king. The town is a network of streets and stairways flanked by houses with walls up to 2m high. Domestic, agricultural and trade implements found on the site indicate that Gournia was a thriving little community. Sitia and Ierapetra buses from Agios Nikolaos can drop you at the site (30 minutes).

South of the palace is a large rectangular court, which was connected to a network of paved stone streets. Nearby is a large stone slab used for sacrificing bulls. The room to the west has a stone kernos (large earthen dish) ringed with 32 depressions and was probably used for cult activity. North of the palace was a Shrine of the Minoan Snake Goddess, which proved to be a rich trove of objects from the Postpalatial period. Notice the storage rooms, workrooms and dwellings to the north and east of the site.

Mohlos Μόχλος

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Worth the vertiginous switchback drive 5km down the mountain from the Sitia–Agios Nikolaos highway, little Mohlos (moh-los) is an authentic fishing village packed with earthy tavernas, cheery locals, and a small pebble and grey-sand beach. On windy days its rollers hammer against the coast with the wrath of Poseidon.

In antiquity, it was joined to the small island that is now 200m offshore, and from the period 3000 to 2000 BC was a thriving Early Minoan community. Excavations still continue sporadically on both Mohlos Island and at Mohlos village.

Accommodation varies from basic in town, to thoroughly luxurious a few hundred yards out of it. There’s a minimarket and some gift shops, and the centre has wi-fi connection.

When swimming, beware of strong currents further out in the channel between the island and the mainland shore.

4Sleeping

Hotel SofiaHOTEL€

(%28430 94554; sofia-mochlos@hotmail.com; r €35-45; a)

Right by the sea, this down-to-earth taverna has small rooms upstairs with wine-coloured bedspreads, antique armoire, fridge, bathroom and some with balconies. You pay a little extra for a sea view. The owners also have spacious apartments (€40 to €55) 200m east of the harbour, where longer stays are preferred.

Kyma ApartmentsSTUDIO€

(%28430 94177; soik@in.gr; studio/apt €35/50; a)

These well-kept, self-catering studios on the western side of Mohlos are a reasonable deal. The family room has three beds. Ask at the supermarket in the village.

oPetra Nova VillasVILLA€€

(%6984 365277, 28430 94080; www.petranovavillas.gr; Mochlou St; apt €95-125; paWc)

These stone villas blend seamlessly into the hillside and are just a few minutes’ walk up the road from the waterfront. One- or two-bedroom options, all with private parking, boutique-style interiors, satellite TV and balconies. Contact Elaine for more info.

Mohlos MareAPARTMENT€€

(%28430 94005; www.mochlos-mare.com; studio & apt €50-80; paWc)

Sugar-white exteriors exploding with coral-pink bougainvillea, these house-proud apartments are just out of town. Decent kitchenettes, well-sized rooms and unbroken sea views from balconies at a slight elevation. There’s also a communal outdoor kitchen and barbecue. One of the four apartments has two bedrooms and caters for up to six.

5Eating

To BogaziGREEK€

(%28430 94200; mezedhes €2-7, mains €7; h10am-late)

With widescreen views of the turquoise sea just yards away, eat outside on a lovely terrace or upstairs in the wood-beamed interior warmed by a log burner. Serves grilled food, salads, rabbit in wine, octopus, goat cutlet and mezedhes.

Cafe DimitrisGREEK€

(mains €7; h10am-late; W)

This super-fresh, blue-and-white waterfront cafe sports a marlin skull on the wall, colourful art and a zesty menu of omelettes and mezedhes, salads and crêpes.

oTa KochiliaGREEK€€

(%28430 94432; mains €7; hlunch & dinner; W)

Famed for its sea-urchin salad, which is available only in high summer, this pretty waterfront taverna, painted Cycladic white and blue, has a menu rich with pasta and traditional Cretan dishes like spinach pies, lamb with artichokes in lemon sauce, and oven-baked feta with tomatoes, peppers, oregano and olive oil.

8Getting There & Away

There is no public transport to Mohlos. Buses between Sitia and Agios Nikolaos will drop you off at the Mohlos turn-off. From here, you’ll need to hitch or walk the 6km to the village, steeply down and steeply back.

Sitia Σητεία

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Enjoying an average 300 days’ sunshine, Sitia (si-tee-a) is an attractive seaside town built ampitheatrically on the side of a hill, with a big open harbour backed by a wide promenade lined with tavernas and cafes. It’s a friendly place where tourism is fairly low-key and the farming of wine and olives are the mainstays of the economy.

A sandy beach skirts a wide bay to the east of town. Sitia mainly attracts French and Greek tourists, but at the height of the season the town retains its relaxed atmosphere.

Sitia makes a good transit point for ferries to the Dodecanese islands.

SITIA’S FRENCH CONNECTION

Venetian BuildingHISTORIC BUILDING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

In the quiet streets of Sitia’s old town, where pebbled steps amble gently uphill from the waterfront, occasional examples of Venetian architecture enliven the streetscape. On the corner of G Arkadiou and Metaxaki streets, look for a Venetian building, complete with handsome wooden balcony. This was the administrative base of a French garrison, part of the Corps d’occupation de Creta that was based in Sitia during the transition from Ottoman power in the final years of the 19th century.

Above the splendid door case is inscribed in French, ‘8th Regiment...Salle de Rapports’.

History

Archaeological excavations indicate that there were neolithic settlements around Sitia and an important Minoan settlement at nearby Petras. The original settlement was destroyed and eventually abandoned after an earthquake in 1700 BC.

In the Graeco-Roman era there was a town called Iteia in or around modern Sitia, although its exact site has not yet been located. In Byzantine times Sitia became a bishopric, which was then eliminated by the Saracens in the 9th century. Under the Venetians, Sitia became the most important port in eastern Crete and their name for the port, La Sitia, is said to have given the Lasithi area its name.

The town was hit by a disastrous earthquake in 1508 – a blow from which it never really recovered – and the Turkish blockade of Sitia in 1648 marked its death knell. The remaining inhabitants fled and the town was destroyed. It was not until the late 19th century, when the Turks decided to make Sitia an administrative centre, that the town gradually came back to life.

Crete’s most famous poet, Vitsentzos Kornaros, writer of the epic poem the ‘Erotokritos’, was born in Sitia in 1614.

Sitia

1Sights

1Folklore MuseumB3

2KazarmaC1

3Sitia Archaeological MuseumB5

4Venetian BuildingB2

4Sleeping

5El Greco HotelB2

6Hotel ArhontikoC2

7Hotel FlisvosC3

8Hotel KrystalB3

9Itanos HotelC4

10Sitia Bay HotelD5

5Eating

11BalconyB3

12OinodeionC3

13Zorba's TavernC3

6Drinking & Nightlife

14KafeC4

15Nouvelle BoutiqueC2

1Sights

Sitia Archaeological MuseumMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 23917; Piskokefalou; admission €2; h8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun)

This museum houses an important collection of local finds spanning neolithic to Roman times, with emphasis on the Minoan civilisation. One of the most significant exhibits is the Palekastro Kouros – a figure pieced together from elements of hippopotamus tusks and gold. Finds from Zakros Palace include a winepress, bronze saw, jars, cult objects and pots that are clearly scorched from the great fire that destroyed the palace. English and Greek labelling.

Folklore MuseumMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 28300; Kapetan Sifinos 28; admission €2; h10am-1pm Mon-Fri)

This museum displays a collection of local weaving and other exhibits of folk life.

PetrasANCIENT SITE

About 2km southeast of town on a low hill overlooking the sea are the remains of this Minoan palace and of later buildings. The site is always accessible. There is limited parking.

KazarmaFORT

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Neas Ionias; h8.30am-3pm)F

Strategically perched atop a hill above town, this structure is locally called kazarma (from the Venetian casa di arma) and was built as a garrison by the Venetians. These are the only remains of the fortifications that once protected the town. The site is now used as an open-air venue.

zFestivals & Events

Kornaria FestivalPERFORMING ARTS

(hmid-Jul–Aug)

This festival runs from mid-July to the end of August, with concerts, folk dancing and theatre productions staged in the Kazarma and other venues. Posters around town announce the events, some of which are free.

4Sleeping

El Greco HotelHOTEL€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 23133; www.elgreco-sitia.gr; G Arkadiou; r incl breakfast €40-55; aW)

Smart and impeccably clean rooms with tiled floors, choice furniture, TV, fridge and balcony with sea views. Buffet breakfast in an attractive wood-beamed lobby.

Hotel ArhontikoHOTEL€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 28172; Kondylaki 16; d/studio €30/35)

A quiet location uphill from the port enhances the charm of this guesthouse in a neoclassical building. There’s great period style, and everything is spotlessly maintained. A little garden out front is shaded by jasmine and orange trees.

Hotel KrystalHOTEL€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 22284; www.ekaterinidis-hotels.com; Kapetan Sifinos 17; s/d/tr incl breakfast €35/50/60; aW)

Krystal is clean with functional rooms varying in size with bathroom, tiled floors, desks and dark-wood furniture. There’s a nice eating area for breakfast.

Sitia Bay HotelHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 24800; www.sitiabay.com; s/d €105/120; paWs)

Modern hotel with friendly service of the highest order. Most of the comfortable and tasteful one- and two-room apartments have sea views, and there’s a pool, hydrospa, minigym and sauna. Breakfast is €6.

Hotel FlisvosHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 27135; www.flisvos-sitia.com; Karamanli 4; s/d incl breakfast €45/70; paW)

Comfortable rooms at this modern waterfront hotel enjoy safety deposit boxes, clean bathrooms, balcony, TV and large beds. Opt for a sea view. There’s also a lift.

Itanos HotelHOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 22900; www.itanoshotel.com; Karamanli 4; r incl breakfast €45-70; ai)

This businesslike seafront hotel is very clean and has large rooms with balcony, fridge, bathroom and fresh cream walls and flat-screen TV. There’s also a lift, a cafe downstairs and an open-air restaurant.

5Eating & Drinking

oZorba’s TavernTAVERNA€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Plateia Iroon Polytehniou; mains €8; hnoon-late)

Gregarious owner Zorba, with his sailor’s roll, sea captain’s cap and bushy moustache, looks as if he’s stepped from a traditional Greek painting. And traditional is what this place excels in: think bouzouki music, blue tables and chairs, and the rich aromas of home-cooked food. Succulent lamb chops, zingy salads and many more. Your taste buds will be jumping!

OinodeionGREEK€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; El Venizelou 157; mains €6-9; hlunch & dinner; W)

Traditional Greek fare in a bijou interior hung with cooking utensils and old black-and-white photos on the walls. Saganaki (fried cheese), souvlaki, octopus and shrimp salad with a fine view of the sea from the outdoor terrace. Atmospheric.

BalconyFUSION€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 25084; www.balcony-restaurant.com; Foundalidou 19; mains €13-20; hlunch & dinner; W)

The most stylish dining in Sitia is on the 1st floor of a purple and cream neoclassical building where owner-chef Tonya Karandinou rules supreme with a sense of theatre. Cretan-based cuisine, with Mexican and Asian influences, ranges from grilled squid to tender goat. Fine Greek wines complement it all.

Nouvelle BoutiqueCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; El Venizelou 161; h9am-late)

This lively bar packs in a young crowd with funky sounds, stone-walled interior, a huge bar and flat-screen TVs with sport on all day. There's a patio outside by the water and cocktails and snacks all day. Look out for karaoke and live music nights.

KafeCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Karamanli; h9am-late)

With its quirky art and easy tunes, this is a welcome slice of boho charm. Fruit salads, club sandwiches, fresh juices and coffee make Kafe a great pitstop for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up (snacks €5).

8Information

The town’s main square is Plateia Iroön Polytehniou – recognisable by its palm trees and statue of a dying soldier. There are lots of ATMs and places to change money around town. See www.sitia.gr for more information.

Java Internet CafeINTERNET

( GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 22263; Kornarou 113; per hr €2; h9am-late)

National Bank of GreeceBANK

( GOOGLE MAP ; A Papanastasiou & Katapoti)

Has a 24-hour exchange machine.

Post OfficePOST OFFICE

( GOOGLE MAP ; Dimokritou; h7.30am-3pm)

Heading inland, it’s the first left off El Venizelou.

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 28300; Karamanli; h9.30am-2.30pm & 5-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-2pm Sat)

Winter opening hours may be uncertain. On the promenade.

Tourist PolicePOLICE

( GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 24200; Therisou 31)

At the main police station. Head west out of town on Therisou to get here.

Tzortzakis TravelTRAVEL AGENCY

( GOOGLE MAP ; %29211; www.tzortzakistravel.com; 17 M Alexandrou St; h9am-9pm)

This helpful travel agency books rooms, flights and boats as well as organising car hire.

8Getting There & Away

Air

Sitia’s airport has an expanded international-size runway, with summer flights to Amsterdam and Lyon.

AAstra Airlines (www.astra-airlines.gr) has five weekly flights to Athens (€68, one hour). Olympic Air (www.olympicair.com) has daily flights to Kassos (€57, 20 minutes) and then on to Karpathos (€63, one hour) and Rhodes (€63, two hours).

Boat

Ferries dock about 600m north of Plateia Iroön Polytehniou. Aegeon Pelagos Sea Lines (EP; %Hania 28210 24000) has two ferries a week from Sitia to Iraklio (€11, three hours), Milos (€25, 11½ hours), Piraeus (€41, 17 hours), Santorini (€26, 7½ hours) and Rhodes (€27, nine hours 20 minutes). There are four ferries a week to Kassos (€11, 2½ hours) and Karpathos (€18, four hours). Several of these departures are in the early hours of the morning.

Bus

From Sitia’s bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 22272) there are six buses per day to Ierapetra (€8, 1½ hours), seven buses to Iraklio (€14, three hours) via Agios Nikolaos (€8, 1½ hours), four to Vaï (€3, one hour), and two to Kato Zakros (€8, one hour) via Palekastro (€5, 45 minutes) and Zakros (€8, one hour). The buses to Vaï and Kato Zakros only run between May and October.

8Getting Around

The airport (signposted) is 1.5km out of town. There is no airport bus; a taxi costs about €6.

Car- and motorcycle-hire outlets are mostly found on Papandreou and Itanou. Try Club Cars ( GOOGLE MAP ; %28430 25104; Papandreou 4; per day from €35).

Moni Toplou Μονή Τοπλού

oMoni ToplouMONASTERY

(Μονη Τοπλου %28430 61226; admission €3; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct, Fri only Nov-Mar)

The imposing Moni Toplou, 18km east of Sitia, looks more like a fortress than a monastery – a necessity imposed by the dangers it faced at the time of its construction. It is one of the most historically significant and progressive monasteries in Crete. The middle of the 15th century was marked by piracy, banditry and constant rebellions. The monks defended themselves with all the means at their disposal, including a heavy gate, cannons (the name Toplou is Turkish for ‘with a cannon’) and small holes for pouring boiling oil onto the heads of their attackers. Nevertheless, it was sacked by pirates in 1498, looted by the Knights of Malta in 1530, pillaged by the Turks in 1646 and captured by the Turks in 1821.

Moni Toplou had always been active in the cause of Cretan independence. Under the Turkish occupation, a secret school operated in the monastery, and its reputation for hiding rebels led to severe reprisals. During WWII, Abbot Silingakis was executed after sheltering resistance leaders who operated an underground radio transmitter.

The monastery’s star attraction is undoubtedly the icon Lord Thou Art Great by celebrated Cretan artist Ioannis Kornaros. Each of the 61 scenes painted on the icon is beautifully worked out and inspired by a phrase from the Orthodox prayer that begins, ‘Lord, thou art great’.

A museum tells the monastery’s history and has a collection of icons, engravings and books, as well as weapons and military souvenirs from the resistance.

The monastery is a 3km walk from the Sitia–Palekastro road. Buses can drop you off at the junction. A taxi from Sitia costs about €22.

Eastern Coast

Vaï Βάι

Vaï beach, 24km northeast of Sitia, is a tiny inlet of turquoise sea lapping soft sand backdropped by a forest of palm trees. Out in the tiny bay perches a small island. You may have to manually shut your jaw as it’s that gorgeously pretty, all the more so for the incongruous presence of Phoenix theophrastii palms (the word Vaï is a local word for palm fronds). One explanation for their existence here is that they sprouted from date pits spread by either Egyptian soldiers, Roman legionaries, Phoenicians or feasting pirates.

In July and August, you’ll need to arrive early to appreciate both palms and beach. The place is packed and the beach is covered in sun chairs and umbrellas (€6), while jet skis prattle and posture offshore.

At the southern end of the beach, stone steps lead up to a gazebo lookout. Follow your nose about a kilometre beyond here and a rocky path descends eventually to a less crammed beach, or head over the hill to the north of Vaï beach for a series of clothes-optional coves.

Restaurant-Caféteria Vai (mains €10; h9am-late) is a delightfully chic beachside taverna with Cretan cheeses, dolmadhes, salads, calamari, swordfish and bream. What a spot to eat fresh fish!

There are buses to Vaï from Sitia (€3, one hour, five daily) from May to October. There is a car park where buses stop, and a few hundred metres further is a beachside car park (€3).

Itanos Ιτανος

About 3km north of Vaï is the ancient Minoan site of Itanos. It may appear fairly forlorn today, but this was once an important site. Inhabited from about 1500 BC, Itanos was clearly prosperous by the 7th century BC since it was an important trading post for exports to the Near and Middle East. It was at odds with local rivals such as Praisos and later with Ierapetra (then known as Ieraptyna). Poke around and you will find remains of two early Christian basilicas and a Hellenistic wall. The basilica ruin, on high ground towards the sea, is littered with toppled columns. Look for one stone base marked with circular motifs. You can swim from coves nearby, or follow the road from Vaï beach and at the first crossroads head right (north) for about 2.5km.

Palekastro Παλαίκαστρο

Pop 953

Palekastro (pah-leh-kas-tro) is an unpretentious farming village underpinned with low-key tourism. It lies in a rocky landscape interspersed with fields and is within easy distance of a beach at Kouremenos as well as the beaches of Moni Toplou and Vaï. The village has most services and facilities. If you want to explore widely your own transport is more or less essential.

About 1km each of town, towards Hiona Beach, is the archaeological site of Roussolakkos, where archaeologists believe a major Minoan palace is buried. This is where the Palekastro Kouros (ivory figurine) – now residing in the Archaeological Museum in Sitia – was found.

1Sights & Activities

Folk Museum of PalekastroMUSEUM

(admission €2; h10am-1pm & 5-8pm Mon-Sat mid-Jun–mid-Oct)

Tucked away in a back street and signposted from the main road, the well-presented Folk Museum of Palekastro is housed in a traditional manor house with displays in the old stables and bakery.

Hiona BeachBEACH

Hiona Beach, 2km east of Palekastro, is a quiet choice to the east, with some great fish tavernas.

KouremenosBEACH

Kouremenos, north of Palekastro, is a pebble beach with good shallow-water swimming and excellent windsurfing.

Freak Mountain Bike CentreWINDSURFING

(%6979253861; www.freak-mountainbike.com; h10am-6pm Jun-Oct)

On the edge of Palekastro village keep an eye out for Freak Mountain Bike Centre in a stone cube building. Run by Jan De Vriendt, it rents bikes and offers great guided four-day programs around eastern Crete. You can hire boards from its other branch, Freak Windsurf (%28430 61116, 6979254967; www.freak-surf.com), at Kouremenos beach.

4Sleeping

Hotel HellasHOTEL€

(%28430 61240; www.palaikastro.com/hotelhellas; s/d €25/40; aW)

Clean and sunny rooms in these town-centre digs, with cool tile floors, balcony, TV, desk and large bathroom. There’s also a great restaurant downstairs.

Hiona Holiday HotelHOTEL€€

(%28430 29623; s/d incl breakfast €50/65; pa)

The plain facade of this hotel belies its comfy rooms and decent facilities. There’s a well-stocked bar and pleasant public areas. It’s a few minutes’ walk down the hill from the centre of the village.

EsperidesAPARTMENT€€

(%28430 61433, 6945255243; isabel-t@otenet.gr; apt €85-105; pas)

In a good location, just inland from Kouremenos Bay, these lovely buildings have traditional furnishings and all modern self-catering facilities.

Grandes ApartmentsAPARTMENT€€

(%28430 61496; www.grandes.gr; q studio €85; pa)

Located behind Kouremenos beach, these self-catering options are surrounded by a flower-filled garden and trees. They are well equipped and decorated with style, and there’s a nearby beachfront taverna run by the owners.

5Eating

To FinistriniMEZEDHES€

(mezedhes/mains €4/7; h10am-late)

About 200m along the Vaï road, this neat little ouzerie-cum-mezedhopoleio dishes up tasty mezedhes that go down well with a shot or 10 of raki. It also sells myriad grilled dishes, souvlaki, chicken fillet, pasta and mousakas. Eat inside or outside.

MythosGREEK€

(mains €5; h10am-midnight)

Attractively finished in colourful murals, this friendly taverna on the main street cooks only with olive oil and has some lovely dishes like chicken with lemon sauce, red mullet and tasty mezedhes with plenty of vegie options. Romantic by night.

8Information

The main street forks at the village centre beside a big church with attendant palm trees. The tourist office (%28430 61546; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri May-Oct) has information on rooms and transport. There’s an ATM next door and further on a postal agent, a bank with ATM, and the very useful Argo Bookshop, which has internet access (€1 per half hour) and can also do photocopying.

8Getting There & Away

There are five buses per day from Sitia that stop at Palekastro on the way to Vaï. There are also two buses daily from Sitia to Palekastro (€1.70, 45 minutes) that continue to Kato Zakros (€2.80, one hour). The bus stop is in the centre of town.

Zakros & Kato Zakros Ζάκρος & Κάτω Ζάκρος

Pop 640 & 22

The village eyrie of Zakros (zah-kros), 45km southeast of Sitia, is at best a prelude to compelling Kato Zakros, 7km away on the coast. However, the village has a few decent tavernas and a minimart, and also an excellent Natural History Museum. Zakros is the starting point for the trail through the Zakros Gorge, known as the Valley of the Dead, which takes its name from the ancient burial sites in the numerous caves dotting the canyon walls.

The setting of Kato Zakros (kah-to zah-kros) is simply awesome. A long winding road snakes downhill from Zakros through rugged terrain. Halfway down it takes a big loop to the left and reveals a vast curtain wall of mountains ahead; the highest, Traóstalos (515m) and Lakómata (378m), dominate the skyline and the red jaws of the Valley of the Dead breach the foreground cliffs. On the low ground close to a string of pretty tavernas and a pebbly beach pounded by cobalt surf is the remarkable 17th century BC ruins of the Minoan Zakros Palace. Add to all of this its isolated tranquillity and sense of peace and you have the perfect recipe for escapism. But there’s one more gift the gods added: every August a fully waxed moon seemingly rises like a glowing mothership from the ocean – nature’s little trick on the eye.

1Sights

Zakros Natural History MuseumMUSEUM

(Zakros Village; admission €2; h10am-1pm & 5-8pm Mon-Sat mid-Jun–mid-Oct)

A short distance past the village square en route to Kato Zakros, this great little museum is dedicated to the flora and fauna found in the Valley of the Dead, with stuffed animals, rocks and fossils.

Zakros PalaceARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

(%28410 22462; Kato Zakros; adult/child €3/free; h8.30am-3pm)

Although Zakros Palace was the last Minoan palace to have been discovered (1962), the excavations proved remarkably fruitful. The exquisite rock-crystal vase and stone bull’s head, now in Heraklion Archaeological Museum, were found at Zakros, along with a treasure trove of Minoan antiquities. Ancient Zakros, the smallest of Crete’s four palatial complexes, was a major port in Minoan times, trading with Egypt, Syria, Anatolia and Cyprus. Some parts of the palace complex are submerged.

If you enter the palace complex on the southern side you will first come to the workshops for the palace. The King’s Apartment and Queen’s Apartment are to the right of the entrance. Next to the King’s Apartment is the Cistern Hall, which once had a cistern in the centre surrounded by a colonnaded balustrade. Seven steps descended to the floor of the cistern, which may have been a swimming pool, an aquarium or a pool for a sacred boat. Nearby, the Central Court was the focal point of the whole palace. Notice the altar base in the northwestern corner of the court; there was also a well in the southeast corner of the court at the bottom of eight steps. When the site was excavated the well contained the preserved remains of olives that may have been offered to the deities.

Adjacent to the central court is the Hall of Ceremonies in which two rhytons (ceremonial drinking vessels) were found. To the south is the Banquet Hall, so named for the quantity of wine vases found there. To the north of the central court is the kitchen. The column bases probably supported the dining room above. To the northwest of the central court is another light well and to the left of the banquet hall is the Lustral Basin, which once contained a magnificent marble amphora. The Lustral Basin served as a washroom for those entering the nearby Central Shrine. You can still see a ledge and a niche in the southern wall for the ceremonial idols.

Below the Lustral Basin is the Treasury, which yielded nearly a hundred jars and rhytons. Next to the treasury is the Archive Room, which once contained Linear A record tablets. Close to the northwest corner of the North East Court is the bathroom with a cesspit.

TREKKING THE VALLEY OF THE DEAD

Trekking in Zakros Gorge (Kato Zakros) is now fully marked with well-organised trails established by Elias and Stella Pagianidis, trekking experts and conservationists who have painstakingly marked out all the trails within the gorge and are more than helpful giving advice to walkers.

Head to Entrance A and park for longer walks – it takes 1½ to two hours from here to Kato Zakros, the end of the 2.5km gorge. Entrance B, just after Zakros, is an easier route, taking just 45 minutes. The stretch between A and B is the most beautiful. A taxi from Zakros to Entrance A costs about €12, and to Entrance B, €10. The round-trip walk from Zakros takes four hours. We recommend you do the trip outside of winter, because there is still water in the gorge as late as April. Maps are available from Stella’s Traditional Apartments.

There’s also a new route marked to Pelekita Cave in Karoumbi, 3km from Kato Zakros. With magnificent views of the sea 100m below, this 300m-long cave also has signs of neolithic habitation within its stalactite- and stalagmite-rich interior. To explore it bring decent trainers and a torch.

4Sleeping

Zakros is but a footnote to Kato Zakros and you should head to the latter for a spectrum of accommodation from simple rooms to downright beautiful digs. Rooms in Kato Zakros fill up fast in high season, so it is best to book.

Katerina ApartmentsAPARTMENT€

(%28430 26893; www.katozakros.cretefamilyhotels.com; Kato Zakros; apt €50-60)

High up on the hillside overlooking Kato Zakros, with turquoise surf and an ancient ruined palace far below, the four excellent stone-built studios and maisonettes here can sleep up to four and, clearly, enjoy a superb setting.

Athena & Coral RoomsPENSION€

(%28431 10710, 6974656617; www.kato-zakros.gr; r €60; a)

Above the beach just behind the Akrogiali Taverna, these stone-effect rooms have fridge, TV, bathroom and cheerful orange bedspreads. Simple and romantic, they are just yards away from the lulling waves. The sea view from the communal sun terrace is magic.

oTerra MinoikaVILLAS€€

(%28430 23739; www.stelapts.com; Kato Zakros; villa €120; paW)

Set high on the hillside overlooking the surf below, these stone cube houses are breathtaking; imagine wood-beamed ceilings, widescreen views from balconies, chic rustic furniture, urns mounted on walls, and stone floors. Incurably romantic, every villa is individual and has a fully equipped kitchenette.

There’s a terrific gym guests are welcome to use. Owner Elias Pagianidis is an ex Mr Greece bodybuilder, and the driving force behind marking the walking trails in the Valley of the Dead; he and his wife Stella are experts on trekking and local ecology.

The owners also run Stella’s Traditional Apartments.

Stella’s Traditional ApartmentsAPARTMENT€€

(%28430 23739; www.stelapts.com; Kato Zakros; studio €60-90; paW)

Close to the wooded mouth of Zakros Gorge, these charming self-contained studios are in a lovely garden setting and decorated with distinctive wooden furniture and other artifacts made by joint owner Elias Pagianidis. There are hammocks under the trees, barbecues and an external kitchen with an honesty system for supplies. Elias and his wife Stella have excellent knowledge and experience of hiking trails in the area.

Kato Zakros PalaceAPARTMENT€€

(%28430 29550; www.katozakros-apts.gr; Kato Zakros; r/studio €60/70; paW)

Above Kato Zakros beach and beside the approach road, these immaculate studios are white interiored and well equipped with safety deposit boxes, spotless bathroom, kitchenettes, satellite TV, mosquito screens, and hairdryers. Free laundry facilities.

5Eating

Akrogiali TavernaCRETAN€

(%28430 26893; Kato Zakros; mains €8; h8am-midnight; W)

Decked in blue and white, this pretty seafront taverna is packed to the gills with lobster, swordfish and souvlaki. The squid portions are huge and the salads are full of vim.

Kato Zakros BayGREEK€€

(mains €7; h8am-midnight; Wv)

With its stone floors, open range and tables topped with Cretan rugs, this is an atmospheric spot for dinner. Local vegetables are grown next door, and occassionally the owner plays live music. A menu of mussels, dolmadhes, and other Greek staples including rabbit stifadho (stew cooked with tomatoes and red wine).

8Getting There & Away

There are buses to Zakros from Sitia via Palekastro (€4.50, one hour, two daily). From June to August, the buses continue to Kato Zakros (€5.20, one hour 20 minutes). Buses to Kato Zakros only run between May and October.

Friendly driver Yiannis from Sitia Taxi (Yiannis Soldatos; %6995900900; www.sitiataxi.com) can pick you up in Sitia and bring you here to trek Kato Zakros. He drops you in Zakros and waits for you by the sea in Kato Zakros before taking you back to Sitia. It costs €60.

Xerokambos Ξερόκαμπος

Pop 56

Xerokambos (kse-ro-kam-bos) is a quiet resort and farming settlement on the far southeastern flank of Crete. Its isolation means that tourism is pretty much low-key, even at its busiest in July and August. The attractions for visitors are two of eastern Crete’s most pristine and beautiful beaches, which are backdropped by mountains and have unbelievably clear water. There are a few scattered tavernas and some studio accommodation. The town, which flourished here in the Hellenistic period, had commercial relations with Rhodes and Karpathos.

There are no buses to Xerokambos. From Zakros there’s a signposted turn-off to the resort via 8km of winding surfaced road. The continuation to Ziros is through some very wild country and some very wild bends.

Southern Coast

Ierapetra Ιεράπετρα

Pop 12,355

On approach Ierapetra (yeh-rah-pet-rah) cannot be accused of being the best looker in Crete, but on closer inspection this sea-facing town backed by snowcapped mountains is vibrant, with tasteful shops, tavernas and stylish coffee shops. Locals are friendly and there’s plenty to do, from diving to boat trips to the nearby sandy island of Gaïdouronisi (also known as Hrysi).

Ierapetra is the commercial centre of southeastern Crete’s substantial greenhouse-based agri-industry and the countryside surrounding it is crammed full of greenhouses interspersed with storage depots and other buildings.

Historically the town was an important city for the Dorians and the last major outpost to fall to the Romans, who made it a major port of call in their conquest of Egypt. The city languished under the Venetians, who built the fortress at the western end of the harbour. Even Napoleon is said to have stopped off on his progress towards Egypt.

There’s a rich archaeological collection to be explored, a Venetian fort at the harbour, and the odd remnant of a Turkish quarter. The town beach and surrounding beaches are reasonable, the nightlife lively and the overall ambience Cretan.

Every Saturday there is a street market on Psilinaki from 7am to 2pm.

Ierapetra

1Sights

1Agios GeorgiosB3

2Agios Ioannis ChurchB4

3Ierapetra Archaeological MuseumC3

4Kales FortressB5

5MosqueA4

6Napoleon's HouseB4

7Turkish FountainA4

2Activities, Courses & Tours

8Ierapetra Diving CentreD2

4Sleeping

9Akrolithos ApartmentsD1

10Astron HotelD1

11Coral HotelB4

12Cretan Villa HotelC1

13El GrecoD2

5Eating

14Ariston CafeC3

15ChocoliciousB4

16NapoleonB4

17Pizzeria Ristorante SicilianaD2

18Taverna GorgonaB4

6Drinking & Nightlife

19Island CafeB3

20NtoukianiB3

21PrivilegeB3

1Sights

The main beach is near the harbour, while a second beach stretches east from the bottom of Patriarhou Metaxaki. Both have coarse, grey sand, but the main beach offers better shade.

Ierapetra Archaeological MuseumMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 28721; Adrianou 2; admission €2; h8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun)

Ierapetra’s small but worthwhile archaeological collection is located in a former school of the Ottoman period. A highlight among a collection of headless classical statuary is an intact statue of the goddess Persephone that dates from the 2nd century AD. Another splendid piece is a big larnax (clay coffin), dated around 1300 BC, that is decorated with 12 painted panels showing hunting scenes, an octopus and a chariot procession.

Kales FortressFORTRESS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun)F

South along the waterfront is the medieval fortress, built in the early years of Venetian rule and strengthened by Francesco Morosini in 1626. Climb to the upper walls (watch your footing) for grand views to the eastern mountains.

Old QuarterNEIGHBOURHOOD

Inland from the fortress is the labyrinthine old quarter, where you will see a Turkish fountain ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), the restored mosque ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) with its minaret, and the old churches of Agios Ioannis ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) and Agios Georgios ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ).

Napoleon’s HouseNOTABLE BUILDING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

This is where the man himself is said to have stayed incognito with a local family when his ship anchored in Crete for one night in 1798 on the way to Egypt. He apparently left a note revealing his identity. To find the building, go down the alleyway to the right of Babis Taverna. The two-storeyed corner building, in exposed stone, has wooden shutters and the number 9 on its door. There is no entry.

zFestivals & Events

Kyrvia FestivalCULTURAL

(hJul & Aug)

Ierapetra’s annual Kyrvia Festival runs from July to August and features a program of cultural activities including singing and dancing nights by local folk and popular groups, special concerts by famous artists, film screenings, theatre performances and much singing and dancing in the streets of the old town.

2Activities

Excursion boats (about €20, 30 minutes) to Gaïdouronisi (Hrysi Island) leave from Ierapetra’s port in the morning and return in the afternoon.

Ierapetra Diving CentreDIVING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %6944531242 28420 26703; www.ierapetradivingcentre.com; Ierapetra Port, Old Town; dives from €55, open-water course €550; h8am-2pm & 5pm-10pm)

Run by Lefteris, this PADI-certified outfit offers cave and wreck dives and open-water courses.

4Sleeping

oCretan Villa HotelHOTEL€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 28522; www.cretan-villa.com; Lakerda 16; d/tr €50/70; aW)

Hidden in the centre of town behind a thick wooden door leading into a vine-shaded courtyard, this is a restful, friendly space with beautiful rooms boasting stained glass windows, fine furniture, large bathrooms, wood-beamed ceilings and satellite TV. The management are especially helpful. It’s only a few minutes’ walk from the bus station.

Coral HotelHOTEL€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 27755; Katzonovatsi 12; s/d €30/40)

Just behind the seafront in the old town, this small hotel has clean, white rooms with wooden furniture, crisp linen and fresh bathrooms, though the rooms are a tad cramped.

Koutsounari CampingCAMPGROUND€

(%28420 61213; www.camping-koutsounari.gr; camp sites per adult/child/tent €6.50/3.50/4.50, cabin/studio €18/30; ps)

About 7km east of Ierapetra at Koutsounari, Koutsounari Camping has a pool, restaurant, snack bar and minimarket. As well as sites there are wooden cabins and studios. Ierapetra–Sitia buses pass the campground.

Akrolithos ApartmentsAPARTMENT€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 28522; www.ierapetra-apartments.net; Lakerda 16; apt €70; aW)

These recently refurbished apartments have stunning interiors with original fireplaces, well-equipped kitchenettes, loads of space and a great central location. You may not want to leave.

El GrecoBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 28471; www.elgreco-ierapetra.gr; Mihali Kothri 42; s/d/ste incl breakfast €85/95/145 ; aW)

Twenty contemporary rooms with olive-green accents, glass pendant lights, balconies, wicker furniture, satellite flat-screen TV, and cavernous bathrooms with rain-showers. The views of the nearby sea are widescreen. There’s also a tempting cafe-bar and restaurant on the ground floor. The suite has a Jacuzzi on its balcony if you’re feeling indulgent.

Astron HotelBUSINESS HOTEL€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 25114; www.hotelastron.com.gr; Kothri 56; s/d/tr incl breakfast €75/85/100; aW)

Sixty-six stylish rooms with brown and mushroom-grey colour schemes, low lights, modish furniture, satellite flat-screen TV, fridge, balcony, and plenty of space. The Astron is in a good position at the eastern end of the promenade, with the sea a few steps away. An excellent breakfast buffet is served in the art deco–accented lobby.

5Eating

oNapoleonGREEK€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 22410; Stratigou Samouil 26; mains €6; hnoon-midnight; Wv)

This capacious traditional Cretan place has a covered area by the sea flanked by palm trees and an attractive restaurant. Expect tasty dolmadhes, snails, spinach pies, calamari and inkfish risotto.

I KalitexnesGREEK, ARABIC€

(%28430 28547; Kyprou 26; mains €5-9; hlunch & dinner Mon-Sat; W)

A quirky little place tucked in a side street, Kalitexnes has classic dishes prepared using organic ingredients. There are also spicier dishes such as falafel and kebabs introduced by the Egyptian owner.

Taverna GorgonaGREEK€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Stratigou Samouil; mains €8; hnoon-late)

Look out for the faded mural of the mermaid on its facade, then follow the delicious aromas of grilled sea bream, souvlaki and calamari to this traditional restaurant with fetching views of the sea.

Ariston CafeCAFE€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; snacks €4; h7am-late)

This is a handy breakfast or lunch stop for coffees and sandwiches from the freshly presented deli, as well as cakes, cheese pies and omelettes. It's opposite the town hall.

ChocoliciousSWEETS€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Stratigou Samouil; h7.30am-late)

Carb heaven for sweet-toothed travellers. True to its name this cafe and tasty chocolaterie alchemises homemade chocolate infused with varieties of milk, nuts and fruit. It also dishes up waffles, chocolate cakes, cookies and apple pies.

Pizzeria Ristorante SicilianaPIZZA€€

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Promenade Markopoulou 1; mains €5-15; hnoon-late)

This peach-interiored pizzeria overlooks the big blue with a choice of classic Greek starters followed by wood-fired pizzas as well as grilled meat dishes, crêpes and local wines.

6Drinking & Nightlife

Kyrva is Ierapetra’s main nightlife strip. You’ll find more nightclubs around the corner on Foniadaki.

NtoukianiBAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ethnikis Antistaseos 19; h8pm-late; W)

Ntoukiani specialises in raki and has a boho feel, with rosé-hued interior spattered with antique Campari posters.

Island CafeCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Stratigou Samouil; snacks €4; h8am-late)

With its mint-blue and white interior, modern tunes and mixed crowd of young students and old boys flicking worry beads, this is a good spot for breakfast, coffee, ice cream and fresh juices.

PrivilegeCLUB

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h10pm-late)

Caters to locals with non-stop Greek club music.

ParadosBAR

(h10pm-late; W)

This diminutive jazz cafe is peppered with Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles pictures with a soundtrack to match. There’s a library upstairs and live music on Saturday evening. A peaceful spot to grab an iced coffee and chill.

8Information

There are ATMs around the main square. See www.ierapetra.gr for more info.

Ierapetra ExpressTRAVEL AGENCY

( GOOGLE MAP ; %28420 28673; express@ier.forthnet.gr; Kothri 2; h9am-9pm)

Central tourist office with friendly service and good information.

Post OfficePOST OFFICE

( GOOGLE MAP ; Koraka 25; h7.30am-2pm)

Street CaféINTERNET

( GOOGLE MAP ; Promenade Markopoulou 73; h10am-10pm; W)

There’s wi-fi access for customers at this trendy and popular bar-cafe.

8Getting There & Away

The bus station (%28420 28237; www.ktelherlas.gr; Lasthenous) is inland at the eastern side of town. There are nine buses per day to Iraklio (€11, 2½ hours) via Agios Nikolaos (€3.80, one hour) and Gournia (€2.10, 40 minutes), seven to Sitia (€6.30, 1½ hours) via Koutsounari (for camp sites; €1.60), and seven to Myrtos (€2.20, 30 minutes).

ATaxis (28420 26600) can take you anywhere for a fixed fare. Fares are posted outside the town hall taxi stand ( GOOGLE MAP ), for destinations including Iraklio (€110), Agios Nikolaos (€45), Sitia (€75) and Myrtos (€20). There is another rank at Plateia Venizelou.

Auto Tours (%28420 22571; Plateia Plastira; per day from €25; h9am-8pm) is reliable for car hire.

Around Ierapetra

Gaïdouronisi (Hrysi Island) Γαιδαρουνήσι (Χρυσή)

Just off the coast of Ierapetra, you will find greater tranquillity at Gaïdouronisi – marketed in Ierapetra as Hrysi or Hrissi (Golden Island) – where there are good sandy beaches, a taverna, and a stand of Lebanon cedars, the only one in Europe. It can get very crowded when the tour boats are in, but you can generally still find a quiet spot.

In summer, excursion boats for Gaïdouronisi leave from Ierapetra’s quay every morning and return in the afternoon. Most travel agents around the quay sell tickets (about €20).

East of Ierapetra

About 13km east is the lovely beach of Agia Fotia.

Much of this coastline has been enveloped by plastic-covered greenhouses and haphazard tourism development, but there are still appealing places. A new stretch of road bypasses Koutsouras, but turn off the main road for Taverna Robinson (%28430 51026; www.robinsontaverna.gr; mezedhes €5-7.50; h3pm-late), housed in an attractively renovated Venetian-style building. The pink interior is hung with an installation of light bulbs while the menu is packed with local cheeses plus fresh fish and meat cooked on the grill.

The fine white sandy beach at the eastern end of Makrygialos, 24km from Ierapetra, is one of the best on the southeastern coast. It gets very busy in summer, but the beachside promenade is a cheerful place and there are plenty of cafes and eating places.

Just above Makrygialos on the road to Pefki is Aspros Potamos (%28430 51694; www.asprospotamos.com; d/tr/q €50/65/75). Here the 300-year-old stone cottages have been lovingly restored by owner Aleka Halkia as guesthouses. Lit by oil lamps and candles, using only renewable energy, Potamos is fiercely ecofriendly. You’ll find no electrical sockets whatsoever. The stone floors, traditional furnishings and winter fireplaces add to the traditional ambience. It’s the perfect spot for nature buffs and walkers, since you're close to the 2km-long Pefki Gorge here.

Myrtos Μύρτος

Pop 441

Little known Myrtos (myr-tos), 14km west of Ierapetra, is fringed by an apron of dark sand and bright-blue water, and offers a slow boho pulse, with a few wind-battered, sun-bleached boutiques and guesthouses, plus a cluster of tavernas on its languid seafront. In short, it's a traveller's jewel, the perfect antidote to noise and haste.

1Sights & Activities

Myrtos’ MuseumMUSEUM

(%28420 51065)F

Myrtos’ small museum houses the private collection of a former teacher who sparked the archaeological digs in the area after finding Minoan artefacts on field trips with students. The collection includes Vasiliki pottery from the nearby Minoan sites of Fournou-Korifi and Pyrgos as well as an impressive model of the Fournou-Korifi site exactly as it was found, with all the pots and items in situ.

Paradise Scuba Diving CentreDIVING

(%28420 51554; www.paradisedivingmirtos.com; dives from €75, open-water course €500; h10am-8pm)

Run by Nikos, Paradise can take you cave and wreck diving. It's on the waterfront.

4Sleeping

oBig BlueAPARTMENT€

(%28420 51094; www.big-blue.gr; studio €30-40, apt €50-80; paWc)

Modern amenities meet trad-Greece in these exquisite sea-facing studios whose white walls are hung with fine art. Balconies boast expansive views and awnings, and thanks to its elevation, the views are jawdropping. Apartment 'Blue Eye' has a stunning pop art display of mati (evil eye); in fact, every room is different. Out front there is a fragrant garden for sundowners.

Villa MertizaAPARTMENT€€

(%6932735224, 28420 51208; www.mertiza.com; studio/apt €55/€65; aW)

Owned by a friendly Dutch guy, these are tastefully finished studios and apartments with self-catering facilities, Moroccan wallhangings and walls peppered with stunning photography. Rooms enjoy fresh bathrooms, flat-screen TV and generous dimensions. There’s also a book exchange. The owner also has some lovely villas (€110) a little further out, and other accommodation options.

5Eating

oThalassa TavernaGREEK€

(mains €8-12; h10am-midnight; W)

This powder-blue, hole-in-the-wall waterfront restaurant has an interior festooned with coral and shells, and a few tables outside to tuck into mussels, calamari, cuttlefish, shrimps, octopus… Enough seafood to keep a shoal of mermaids quiet.

PlatanosCRETAN€

(mains €5-12; h11am-late; W)

Beneath a giant plane tree, Platanos is a focus of village social life and has live music on many summer evenings. Reliable Cretan staples such as rabbit stifadho (stew cooked with onions in a tomato purée), aubergine salad, meatballs and baklava.

Taverna MyrtosGREEK€

(Main St; mains €7-12; h6.30am-midnight; Wv)

Attached to Myrtos Hotel, this high-ceilinged joint is redolent with homemade food: souvlaki, swordfish, red mullet and veal cutlet. It's unpretentiously old school and popular with locals.

8Information

There is no post office or bank. Internet access is available at Prima Travel (%28420 51035; www.sunbudget.net; per hr €3.50), which can also advise on a range of services and activities around the area.

8Getting There & Away

There are seven buses daily from Ierapetra to Myrtos (€2.20, 20 minutes).

2Driving Tour
Mountain Meander

* Start/Finish Agios Nikolaos

* Distance 55km

* Duration One Day

A network of winding roads links tiny villages on the southeastern edge of the Dikteon Mountains within a landscape of rocky pinnacles and escarpments clothed in dense woodland and scrub.

The route from Agios Nikolaos takes you south on the E75 Sitia road. After 5.3km, turn right following signs to Kalo Horio but remain on the road marked for the village of 1Kalamafka. From there the road climbs steadily into the mountains. Take time here to climb the steep steps, over 220 of them, to the cave chapel of 2Timios Stavros on the summit of the rocky pinnacle of Kastelos for spectacular views.

Continue south from Kalamafka for a stroll around the village of 3Anatoli where a slow decline has been stemmed and where original shopfronts are being preserved and old houses renovated as second homes. Northwest from Anatoli you pass through wild and rocky countryside until the great valley of Sarakinas opens out.

Follow the road south through the valley to Mythi where signs direct you to the 4Sarakinas Gorge, if you fancy stretching your legs even for a short stroll. Further south you reach the coast at Myrtos. Just east of Myrtos is the ruin of 5Myrtos-Pyrgos, a Minoan hilltop villa reached by a path.

Continue east from here along the coast road to 6Ierapetra, through less-than-scenic plastic-greenhouse country. Stop for a short exploration of Ierapetra’s pleasant seafront and town centre and then continue north alongside the escarpment of the Thripti Mountains, where views of the dramatic gash of the 7Ha Gorge dominate the last few kilometres. Turn left after about 10km to visit the small Minoan ruin of 8Vasiliki. Reach the E75 at Pahia Ammos where a left turn leads back towards Agios Nikolaos past the splendid Minoan site of (9) 9Gournia.