Palekastro, the easternmost seaside village of Crete, is about 17 km east of Sitia and about 144 km east of the capital Heraklion and its airport. Palekastro is still far from the hustle and bustle. The majority of the 1100 inhabitants of the municipality are farmers. Wine and olive oil are produced. Palekastro is today the destination of individual tourists who are not afraid of the long ride from Heraklion (approx. 2 1/2 hours). The landscape is barren and still largely untouched. Gentle hills surround the region. From the first mountain in the east you have a good view of the town and the sandy bay.
Palekastro is considered to be the surfers paradise of Crete. The most famous beaches in the Palekastro region are the famous Vai beach (the palm-fringed sandy beach) and the sandy beaches popular with surfers Maridati, Kouremenos and Chiona.
All beaches have been awarded the blue flag for their good water quality. The surfers contributed a lot to the fact that the place became more and more popular. So some small apartments and holiday homes were built.
Cultural highlights:
Roussolakos near Palekastro is said to have been an important Minoan trading metropolis.
Streets, houses and villas from this excavation can be admired. Itanos is the northernmost on the peninsula, here you can see a large Greco-Roman city and remains of buildings from the Venetian and Turkish times.
Kato Zakros is about 20 km south of Palekastro. It is a Minoan archaeological site spread on an area of 6500 square meters. You can see a destroyed palace with its pantries, apartments and workshops. The valuable finds can be admired in the Heraklion Museum. This palace have been destroyed from a flood wave due to a volcano break on santorin island. Kato Zakros was a wealthy Minoan settlement that used to trade with North Africa and the Middle East to sell its high quality products.
Our suggestions:
a tour for bathing in the bay of Xerokampos (or Xerokambos written). Turquoise blue sea and white sandy beaches.
We can also recommend a city hopping for visiting the picturesque port cities of Sitia and Agios Nikolaos.
The city of Sitia has a harbor promenade that is rare for Crete. On the western edge of the city of Sitia you can visit the well-preserved Byzantine Kazarma Castle. 4 km south of the city of Sitia also the Moni Kapsa monastery.
The seaside village Palekastro comes with very good sandy beaches is a popular destination for day trippers in the region of Agios Nikolaos. But also a great place for families with children and teenagers who are seeking authentity and can very well do without all inclusive. You won't find it here.
In Palekastro we recommend the self-catering accommodation Palekastro Cottages or the small family run hotel Marina.
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