Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Váï
Váï beach
itself features alongside Knossos or the Lasíthi Plateau on almost every
Cretan travel agent's list of excursions. Not surprisingly, it is now covered in
sunbeds and umbrellas, though it is still a superb beach. Above all, it is famous for
its
palm trees
, and the sudden appearance of the grove is indeed an exotic shock;
lying on the fine sand in the early morning, the illusion is of a Caribbean island.
There's a car park (€3), a café and an expensive taverna at the beach, plus toilets and
showers. By day you can find a bit more solitude by climbing the rocks or
swimming to one of the smaller beaches which surround Váï.
Ítanos
, twenty
minutes' walk north by an obvious trail, has a couple of tiny beaches and some
modest ruins from the Classical era.
Palékastro
PALÉKASTRO
is an attractive large farming village with a good choice of tavernas, shops,
a few bars and a small
folk museum
(May-Oct Tues-Sun 10am-1pm & 5-8pm; €2).
The sea is a couple of kilometres to the east of town, where you'll find fine beaches
which are highly popular with windsurfers.
ANGÁTHIA
village, smaller and quieter, lies
less than 1km to the east of its neighbour, and closer to the beaches.
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The beaches
Hióna beach
, a good stretch of EU blue-flagged pebble and sand, to the south of a
flat-topped hill named Kastrí which dominates the coastal landscape, lies a kilometre
east of Angáthia and is the most popular local beach, though still far from crowded.
The better sands are around the bay further to the south of Hióna, where for most of
the year you can easily claim a cove to yourself. Also south of Hióna beach along the
track running beside the sea, about 200m down on the right (signed “Peak Sanctuary”),
a walking track will take you to the nearby
Petsofas peak
- a pleasant 3km hike. The
best beach of all,
Koureménos
, lies to the north of the Kastrí bluff and is one of Crete's
top
windsurfing
spots. The long golden sand beach here has a number of tavernas and
rooms along the beachfront road.
Palékastro Minoan site
Open daily during daylight hours • Free
Behind Hióna beach lies the main excavation area - known as Roussolákkos and left
open - of Palékastro's
Minoan site
, one of the most important in eastern Crete. Only
partly excavated (digging continues and new finds are coming to light) surveys indicate
that the largest Minoan town yet discovered lies underground here, as well as a very
large building which could be a palace.
Áno
Zákros
ÁNO ZÁKROS
(Upper Zákros) lies a little under 20km from Palékastro, a slow-moving
country town with a couple of cafés, tavernas and one hotel. The beach and the
Minoan palace of Zákros are actually at Káto (“lower”) Zákros, eight winding
kilometres further down an asphalted road towards the sea. If you prefer to walk,
there's a magnificent hike down the impressive
Valley of the Dead gorge
(named after
ancient Minoan tombs in its sides); follow the signs from the south end of town,
opposite the
Taverna Napoleon
.
Káto Zákros
The delightful village of
KÁTO ZÁKROS
is little more than a collection of tavernas, some
of which rent out rooms, around a peaceful beach with a minuscule fishing anchorage
and another interesting Minoan palace. It's a wonderfully restful place, quiet most of
the time, except in high season when rooms are rarely to be had on spec; at such times
you'd be wise to ring ahead if you wish to stay.
