Agios Nikolaos is the capital of the Prefecture of Lasithi and it‘s a very special Cretan city that you should definitely visit.
Even though Agios Nikolaos is one of the biggests cities in Crete, doesn’t have its own airport. Despite that, it is easy to get there, either by using Heraklion’s and Sitia’s airport, or by choosing the ferry connentions from the port of Piraeus to the ports of Agios Nikolaos and Sitia.
You can consider this city as a scenic place, full of picturesque streets and an authentic greek vibe running through the air.
At the city center, you will find Voulismeni Lake, an impressive lagoon that maintains many urban myths (tip: ask the locals for those myths).
We suggest you to take a long walk at Agios Nikolaos’ marina, where you can see some sailing competitions that take place there each year if you’re lucky enough. Of course, right after, what’s better than enjoying Cretan food at a local tavern.
If you’re more into partying and clubbing all night, it’s worth visiting Elounda as you will find yourself in a place also known as one of the most touristic destinations worldwide.
Close by, you can also find the city that we mentioned above named Sitia, which is another small beautiful town of this prefecture.
At Sitia’s Airport, flights depart from and to Alexandroupolis, Athens, Rhodes, Karpathos, Kasos, Aktio and Heraklion. Sitia’s Airport “Vitsentzos Kornaros”, was named after the poet Vicente Kornaros, born in Sitia in 1553.
You can visit as well the Archaeological Museum in Sitia, or the Folklore Museum and the Showcase Museum of Local Products where you can taste regional dishes.
A walk from the fortress of the castle named Kazarma, would be the best thing to do before leaving the area. This fort was the barracks of the guard or the commanding castle during the Venetian occupation. It goes back in time, in the late Byzantine period.
Today Kazarma, in the summer period hosts concerts, theatrical performances, etc.
If you are dreaming to go on a sandy beach that will make you visualize a trip to a tropical resort, choose to head to the Vai Palm Tree Beach.
This beautiful palm forest is one of the 19 protected forests of Greece and the reason for its inclusion in the protected natural resources is the endemic Cretan palm tree called “Theophrastus”.
If you have time for a drive, we recommend a visit to Ierapetra. It‘s the largest city of Lassithi. From the port of Ierapetra you can visit Chrissi (Gaidouronisi) by boat, which is a small Island with amazing crystall clear water that looks like a swimming pool.
The most famous islands of Lassithi includes Spinalonga, Agioi Pantes, Kolokitha meaning Pumpkin, Psara, Dionysades, Elasa, Koufonissi, Chrissi. It is worthwhile to visit and discover their beauty.
Historical information******: At Mount Dikti according to mythology, Zeus, the father of gods, was born.
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