Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Around
Bike, scooter and car hire are available in Karave and Sarakiniko. Enquire about boat
taxis to take you to remote beaches. From Karave, it takes about 30 minutes to walk to
Sarakiniko, one hour to Korfos and 90 minutes to Agios Ioannis.
Getting There & Away
(€19, four hours) and four times weekly from Hora Sfakion (€16, 2½ hours), with some
boats picking up passengers in Loutro, Agia Roumeli and Sougia.
EASTERN CRETE
Head east from Iraklio past the rocking package-tourist resorts of Hersonisos and Malia
and you enter the island's easternmost prefecture of Lasithi, a more relaxed Cretan world
that is never short of surprises. Looking for a charming resort town with a hot-stepping
after-dark vibe? None better than Lasithi's main tourist draw of Agios Nikolaos. Ancient
sites and culture? Lasithi has Minoan and Mycenean sites aplenty. The fertile Lasithi
Plateau, tucked into the Mt Dikti ranges, offers cycling opportunities through tranquil
villages and the Dikteon Cave where Zeus himself was born. Outdoor types can also look
forward to walking the dramatic Valley of the Dead at Kato Zakros.
Added value comes with such unique attractions as the historic monastery of Toplou
and Vaï's famous palm-backed beach. Scores of smaller towns and villages, meanwhile,
maintain a rich undertow of Cretan history and spirit. All of this diversity is underpinned
by a choice of accommodation and some of Crete's finest tavernas and restaurants.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Agios NikolaosΑγιος Νικόλαος
POP 27,100
Lasithi's capital, Agios Nikolaos (ah-yee-os nih-ko-laos) has an enviable location on
hilly terrain overlooking the shores of the sensuously curving Mirabello Bay. It may feel
less Cretan than other towns, partly because of its resort-style flair, tree-lined avenues
and largely modern architecture. However, there's also a strong local character to Agios
Nikolaos that makes it a charming and friendly place. A narrow channel separates the at-
ttractive harbour from the circular Voulismeni Lake, whose pedestrianised shore is lined
with tourist cafes and restaurants. At night a decidedly chic ambience descends on the
