THE PREFECTURE OF ZEUS................
THE LASSITHI.
The eastern prefecture on the island covers about 25%, and its name is the Lassithi.
Capital is Agios Nicolaos a town born as a small fishermen's settlement and grown into the 4th town of Crete during the 20th Century. Here live 10.000 locals, but in the summer there number is tripled up to 30.000. Agios Nicolaos has a internal lake which fills a part of the lively center. There are around the lake plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy a lunch, dinner or cocktail. For the rest the town is a good place for shopping or for the nightlife. The history of the town is fairly young and there are not many historical places to visit. The archaeological museum shows you the small foundings from the area.
Lying on the Mirabello bay, which offers you during the summer a tropical climate without the strong breezes that blow sometimes in other parts of Crete. Closeby is Crete's luxury bathing resort Elounda, where many famous filmstars, singers, politicians and sports idols have spend their holidays. Here you'll find Hotel rooms with your own private swimming pool. The village was known as the favorite holiday place from Winston Churchil and from the english TV movie series "Who pays the Ferry man"
Across from Elounda lies the island of Spinalonga where until the 1950's the Lepra colony lived from Crete. People infected with the sickness where outcasted to this island to live their last days there. Today the island is a tourist atraction and small boats bring over a 1000 visitors per day to Spinalonga. In the last decennia the local government invested money for the restauration of this tourist-atraction.
In the lagune of the bay between Elounda and Spinalonga lies the "Sunken City", it's a favorite place for scuba divers. http://www.coraldiving.gr
Going more east we come in a a nice fishermen's village and bathing resort named Mochlos. Here between the hectic cities you can find a relaxing holiday together with the locals.
The most eastern city of Crete is Sitia. In population it's the smallest with about 8000 inhabbitants. Sitia was during the Turkish occupation completely destroyed by the invaders, you'll not find many historical buildings in the town. The "modern" Sitia made in the 20th century was created with good ideas and it became a nice city with shopping streets around a very picturesque harbor with a walking promenade. Here you can enjoy a lunch or dinner or just have a drink from the restaurants. Only some Tour operators offer hotels in the town, there for we find here mainly individual travellers.
The most southern City from Europe is Ierapetra.The town is almost every year the leader in Greece with the number of sunny days. One year there was a record of 324 days. The place is a favorite destination for winter tourism WINTER IN CRETE. since the town offers a pleasant local live in this season
Ierapetra(Holy Stone) is a fairly new town, but it has an ancient history and the biggest harbor from the south coast. City Hotels are open all year and if you go more east you'll meet nice villages like Ferma, Galini and Koutsouras with friendly family pensions or luxury hotels. The beaches here are like most on the south of Crete; SUPER. BEACHES OF CRETE
In the area around Ierapetra the farmers developped after the second world war their Greenhouses culture where they grow tomatoes, cucumbers, melon and flowers. It looks as if the whole prefectures is covered with plastic or plexi glass buildings.
http://www.ierapetra.net/
The best archaeological places here are at Zakros and Itanos and nearby this last remaining of the Minoans we can find Crete's most famous beach, the Palme Beach of VAI. In the summer visited during the day by many tourist, but still the Park with the ancient Palm trees look like a paradise.
Walking in this prefecture ? Click WALKS ON CRETE 4
Walks with Ivan in this area see CRETEAN DREAMS WALKS
