City Life in Crete
Crete: Crossroad of Civilizations, Harmony of Contrasts, Paradise for the Senses
Crete like other Mediterranean islands such as Cyprus and Malta, can often be mistaken for being a small country in itself. Situated between the south Aegean and the Libyan sea, the magnificent mountain range divides the two seas. Not only is Crete the largest of the Greek islands, it is also the keeper of a history other islands, even countries, cannot match up with. From Europe’s most ancient civilizations – the Minoans to this present day, you are sure to be overloaded with stories of all the famous landmarks.
The history is everywhere you look and are being kept alive by the way Cretans who appreciates their history in daily life. It’s a part of the local life, they live in the old towns and the old coffee shops, can still be found in listed buildings dating back thousands of years. For the Cretans, the history is embraced and used with the life today. For outsiders it may often be seen as a living museum, and some cities could arguably be described as just this. A living museum.
The Eastern province of Crete, Lasithi has the city of Agios Nikolaos as its’ administrative centre. Agios Nikolaos is a small city with a vibrant cafe and bar atmosphere both day and night.
It is situated in the Mirabello Bay and the harbour front is a meeting point for locals and visitors from nearby villages and towns. A short 15 minute drive away you will find the smaller village of Elounda, famous for its exclusive resorts and high end villas. The small town and nearby areas grew even more famous following the release of the book “the Island” by Victoria Hislop in 2005 depicting life on the island of Spinalonga. The island is situated in the bay of Elounda, with the nearest town of Plaka overlooking the island with a great pebble beach with crystal clear waters. Agios Nikolaos and Elounda provides visitors with a great twin option; combining rural villages, high end resorts, town feel and an abundance of history attached to both places.
Situated to the west of the island, Chania is welcoming you with Venetian houses, Roman walls and narrow, often labyrinth streets dotted with restored town houses and an array of coffee shops, restaurants and handicraft gift shops.
The Venetian harbour becomes to life every summer’s evening with a mix of locals and tourists gathering to walk along to the Venetian lighthouse, enjoy an afternoon drink before strolling into the alleyways of the old town in search of the perfect restaurant or gift shop. Smaller galleries and museums are also plentiful in the city. When the sun sets, the swift birds flock together in the purple skies around Chania, and it’s time to find that place for a relaxing drink or restaurant for a bite to eat.