Vaï. A very beautiful beach of fine, slightly pink sand stretching for 2 km in an exotic site at the edge of a palm tree forest. An exceptional site, but avoid the rush hours during the peak tourist season.

Kato Zakros. This is the largest and most significant Minoan site in eastern Crete. In 1961, a monumental palace was discovered here, its size surpassed only by that of Knossos. The two-storey palace is almost 6500 m2 in size, and contains about 300 rooms. Kato Zakros is a mini paradise with its bay, banana trees, beach and tavernas. A beautiful hike takes you through the gorge from Ano Zakros to Kato Zakros (about 1 ½ hours’ walk on a footpath marked out with arrows). This path is called “Valley of the dead”, a name which refers to the tombs dug out in the rocks faces which date back to the early Minoan period (2 600-2 000 BC).

Makrigialos. A site inhabited since Minoan times, it now mainly attracts sightseers who want to take the boat to Koufonissi island, which is known for its beautiful waters and sandy beaches.

Etia. From Sitia, take the road leading south. Many pleasant surprises await you in the countryside, especially in spring when the vegetation is luxuriant and the fragrance of wild flowers fills the air. One of our favourite spots is the village of Etia, now abandoned, but which, in Venetian times, had its moments of glory. On site is a beautiful Venetian villa.

Moni Toplou. A 13th century monastery whose history is closely linked with the resistance of the Cretans against the occupying forces. Its architecture is quite original, making it look somewhat like a fortress. The monastery has been very well restored, and one can now admire the elegant Venetian-styled buildings, its sculptures, the octagonal domed bell-tower, the collection of icons (genuine masterpieces of Cretan art), frescoes of the Nativity and the Last Supper, as well as a collection of lithographs and engravings.

Malia. The third largest Minoan site in Crete, discovered by the French Archaeological School of Athens. Very interesting from an architectural point of view. Today, Malia is a tourist resort situated near the bay of Chersonissos, which is known for its fine sandy beaches.

Elounda. A site appreciated for its charm, beaches and luxury hotels. From here a visit can be made to Spinalonga island, with its beautiful fortress, erected in ancient times and rebuilt by the Venetians in the 17th century. It was the last fortress to resist the Turks, who would finally conquer it 50 years after the occupation of Crete (1669).

Lato. A Dorian city, Lato was founded in the 7th century BC and flourished in the classical and Hellenistic periods. An interesting site to visit, with remains of an agora and prytaneum.

Panagia Kera. A remarkable white Byzantine church amidst olive groves. Dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, it was founded in the 13th century. Originally, it was made up of a single aisle and a cupola. Two side aisles were added in the 14th century.

Kritsa. A village well-known for its traditional woven cloths, colourful little streets, folklore, and its four Byzantine churches, adorned with frescoes from the 16th century. Jules Dassin shot some of the scenes for his film “He who must die” in this village, a film adapted from Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel “Christ recrucified”.

Lassithi (plateau). Over 800 m above sea level, nestled in the mountains, the Lassithi plateau was once famous for its 10,000 windmills, which were used to irrigate plantations and supply water. Nowadays, with a little help from progress, they have been replaced by motor pumps, but the plateau still offers peaceful and pastoral scenes of daily life. The cave of Trapeza shows signs of human presence dating back to 1850 BC. South of the plateau, the village of Psichro is a point of departure for hikes to the famous cave where, according to Greek mythology, Zeus was born.

Arvi. A tiny fishing village with a few tavernas on the water’s edge and rooms to rent. Ideal for those who enjoy quiet surroundings and simple pleasures. Arvi is located on the site of a Greco-Roman city bearing the same name. Pieces of pottery and a remarkable marble sarcophagus were discovered there.

Sissi. A small village with a bright future in tourism due to its situation and closeness to Malia. Tavernas and hotels have begun to blossom.

Istro The village has developed rapidly over the last few years thanks to tourism. Because of its location, Istro is a point of departure for many excursions in the eastern part of the island.

Hersonisos. Originally a charming little village, it is now very busy in summer, with lots of tavernas and hotels overlooking a beautiful bay.

Sitia. It is a two hours car journey from Heraklion to the softly curving great bay of Sitia, and the harbour town of the same name. The white buildings of Sitia sit in tiers like an amphitheatre, with little streets and steps taking one all the way up to the Venetian Castle. The beautiful sweeping beach at Sitia has been awarded the Blue European Flag. The town is built on the slopes of two hills, which rise up from the sea around one end of the bay. It was known as La Sitia by the Venetians, who built a fortified wall and castle, and the walk towards the harbour has all of the charm one hopes to find in a Greek waterfront. The steep climb up wards from the harbour front leads to the fort with views down over the esplanade and ferryboat quay. The beach, with its fine white sand, sun loungers, umbrellas and invitingly safe clear waters, is ideal for beach lovers and children alike. The most interesting day excursions from Sitia are to the Minoan ruins at Zakros, Vai beach, Palekastro and Topolou monastery, or the Valley of the Dead. Our holiday accommodation is situated on the outskirts and surrounding area of Sitia, and is chosen to offer visitors a delightfully restful holiday.

Mochlos. Petit village de pecheurs, avec une architecture, confuse (à la crétoise ...), mais où il fait bon s'installer sur une terasse de café ou de restaurant et contempler la mer, apprécier le calme, la lumière et le charme du site. Des connaisseurs y ont déjà élu domicile pendant la saison touristique. Point de départ de nombreuses randonnées.

Agios Nikolaos. This charming little town, which for many years has attracted ever greater numbers of visitors, is situated right in the heart of the glorious Bay of Mirabello with its breath taking vistas, azure blue seas and very pleasant climate. Agios Nikolaos sits on the ancient site of the town of Lato-Etera. Both towns were administrative centres and reached their pinnacle in the 3rd Century A.D. Today, Agios Nikolaos is an important centre for Administration, for the Arts and for Transport Service, and has become one of the most advanced regions for these in Crete, and in Greece. This is the place, where tourism first began in Crete and it gradually became a much favored area, thanks to very traditional big open hearted welcome given to visitors, the wonderful coastline, the clean beaches, nine of which in the region as a whole have now been awarded the European Blue Flag plus of course the very rich variety of ancient sights to visit. Agios Nikolaos has much to offer both young and old. It is ideal for walkers, for those who seek history and culture, and there is a wide selection of nightlife to suit every taste. Every summer the town council arranges a programme of cultural events. It is also an ideal centre for all kinds of watersports, and various hotels and sports centres have swimming pools, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts. In the centre of the town is the picturesque harbour, with the curious little round lake of Voulismeni, and the cafes around provide a popular meeting point for locals and visitors alike. To add to the attractions, one of the most beautiful yacht marinas in the Aegean was built here in 1994. Always appealing too are the numerous small shops to browse through in the little winding streets of the town. Many of the shops sell traditional Cretan craftwork, jewellery, embroidery and of course a wide variety of other goods. Also all round the centre of town you will find rows of tavernas, and restaurants offering a wide variety of Cretan culinary specialities. The town is furthermore an ideal springboard for day trips to explore other regions of the eastern and central island. For example a trip to the old mountain village of Kritza, to the Lassithi Plain, to Malia or intriguing Spinalonga, the island with mellow stone venetian buildings, which in times past was used as a leper colony. Agios Nikolaos can be reached via a direct ferry link with Piraeus harbour, Athens, and for air travel, the airport of Heraklion is only about 45 minutes drive away.

Ierapetra is the most southerly town in Europe and is known for its particularly mild climate. The town of Ierapetra has been in existence since ancient times, when it had important trade links with North Africa. Roman remains, a Venetian fort, a Turkish mosque and minaret still exist. The journey from Heraklion takes about one and a half hour. In the centre of the town there is a long promenade with lots of shops, tavernas and hotels, and the little harbour with its Venetian fort. Many of the local inhabitants of the area around Ierapetra work in agriculture, and so it is common to see the long green houses for growing vegetables, while inland there are lovely pine forests and olive groves. The kilometre long sand and shingle beach with numerous attractive little coves, has two beaches which have been awarded the Blue European Flag. Near to Ierapetra, there are many little villages. The region of Ierapetra lends itself particularly for walking, or for boat trips to the nearby bays, to the golden Island of ‘Crisi” or Koufonisi with its unusual crushed-shell beaches. There are many interesting outings to be made, for example a visit to Agios Nikolaos, to the vast Lassithi Plain with its windmills, to the Butterfly Gorge or to the beautiful palm strewn beach at Vai.