With a population of 5500 people, Souda is one of the closest villages to Chania town. It is Crete’s second major port, located 4 kilometers east of Chania, with regular boats linking the Souda to Piraeus. Because of the port’s strategic position, a NATO naval station has been created in Souda Bay. In the middle of the bay, a little Read more…

Myrtia is a small traditional Cretan settlement with distinctive Cretan architecture. It was once known as Varvari and is the birthplace of N. Kazantzakis. It dates back to the Venetian period. At Myrtia, there is a museum devoted to the renowned Cretan writer Nikos Kazantzakis. The museum has a collection of his personal possessions, including mementos from his career and Read more…

Gouves is 18 kilometers east of Heraklion, near Gournes. Gouves is a large area that encompasses several smaller villages, including the popular resort area of Kato Gouves (lower Gouves) and the traditional village of Pano Gouves (upper Gouves), both of which are built into the side of small Mt. Ederi, which stands at just over 300 meters high and offers Read more…

Amnissos is a town on Crete’s northern shore, located east of Herakleion. It was most likely the Minoan seaport of Knossos; Strabo recounts King Minos using the harbor of Amnissos. The Minoan villa of Amnissos, also known as the “House of the Lilies,” was constructed during the Late Minoan IA era (1550-1500 BC). It’s a two-story stone house with a Read more…

The Omalos plateau in Chania is 38 kilometers from Chania and is at a height of 1100 meters in the White Mountains. It covers 15 square kilometers and is mostly owned by the members of the Lakki Community. During the failed revolution of 1886-1888, the Turks only managed to approach it twice, and only for a few days each time Read more…

Frangokastello (or Frangocastello) is located 13 kilometers east of Chora Sfakion and west of Plakias in the Sfakia district of west Crete. Frangokastello is a little beach community with a few residences and a number of tourist-friendly rooms and apartments. It is known for its gorgeous beaches, the Drosoulites, the ghosts that materialize at Frangokastello before dawn every May, and Read more…