Hiona: An authentic beach

 
Hiona beach is one of the most popular in eastern Crete. Not great, not cosmopolitan, not spectacular. But it is authentic and gives it a unique beauty.
A beautiful beach on the eastern tip of Crete, with a length of about 300m. with white sand, sandy bottom and shallow waters. The swimming area is safe even for young children. The lack of facilities, such as umbrellas and sunbeds, not felt, as there are several trees, below which you can relax after a swim in the crystal clear waters. East of the beach there are many small coves with pristine beaches ideal for those wanting more privacy. Opposite the beach are the islets headline. In the area of Hiona there rooms and small hotels that can accommodate, but the three most famous taverns in Crete, which are famous for its fresh fish and the soup.
Located about 21km east of Sitia and 2km east of Palekastro.

Source: laxifilia.blogspot.gr

Panormo:Natural harbor,calm waters

 
Panormo is a quiet resort, which in recent years an increasing growth rates, while preserving the beauty and charm of a traditional settlement.
The village's attractions is the Basilica of St. Sophia in the 6th AD century-the largest in Crete - the stronghold of the Genoese in 1206, few traces of which survive to the next port and restored Carob, which is currently used as a cultural center, this sample and the significance of the settlement.
Panormo is a natural harbor with calm waters. There are two great beaches and some smaller ones which are suitable for those seeking solitude.
 
From great beaches to be the busiest Harbour, a port of Panormos. It is organized, sandy, with clean water, calm and shallow, making it ideal for children. West of the village there is another great beach, which seems to be the first copy.
The area has facilities for tourist accommodation, while far from Rethymnon only 20 km.

Source:  http://lexifilia.blogspot.gr/

Myrtos: Wild, southern beauty

   

O Myrtos is a quiet and picturesque seaside village on the south coast, near the pretty town of Ierapetra, about 15 km west of the city. A beautiful place, a riot of colors: blue doors, whitewashed houses, red bougainvilleas, fragrant gardens and green neighborhoods. It has a very nice beach with pebbles and in places with adequate infrastructure. In the  village there are small hotels and apartments that offer a good and economical solution for solitary or quiet family holidays. The food is abundant, especially the fresh fish, good fish restaurants in the village.

 

Alternatively for more privacy there is a large, quiet and no facility to bathers beach west of the settlement with pebbles and rocks, ideal for lovers of fishing with spearguns.

Myrtos will have the opportunity to see the ruins of a very important Early Minoan settlement (2600-2200 BC) section "Phurnu Coriphi" (3.5 kilometers east), Middle Minoan period farmhouse in the "Pirgos" and the ruins of Roman baths with mosaic floors located in "Ayios Antonios" ("Saint Anthony" - west of the village).

Within walking distance of Myrtos is a beautiful grove of oak trees and pines in the village Selakano, which you can visit combined with a trip around the area.  

Source: lexifilia.blogspot.gr

Agia Galini means Saint Tranquillity

 
Agia Galini is one of the most famous tourist resorts of Crete in Greece and abroad. Located on the southeast coast of Crete, at the boards of the county of Rethymno - Heraklion. The place is built the famous fishing village is rocky and steep, the houses are built amphitheater up tall hills and all have panoramic views over the Libyan Sea. He has an excellent climate, mild throughout the year, and wonderful natural environment.Several versions have heard about the origin of the specific name of Agia Galini. One of these states that when a Byzantine princess traveled to the Holy Land by ship, fell into a big storm. Then he prayed to the Virgin Mary, asking her help, and gave it to build a temple, where you would come out. Indeed, the ship managed to save himself and arrives in the sheltered bay of the village, never getting waves. The princess, faithful to the oath, he built a temple, which he named Our Lady Peace, which was later paraphrased in Agia Galini.   This temple is the Assumption of the Virgin in the village cemetery. Also, maps of the Ottoman found the name Saint Tranquillity. Finally, it can be derived from the words "eternal peace", ie always calm harbor.

Agia Galini has beautiful beach and many tourist facilities such as hotels, rooms, apartments and studios, but for lovers of camping in Agia Galini is organized Camping, Lagkoufa the village near the beach of Agia Galini. 
In Agia Galini is the cave of Daedalus, where according to legend he was hiding there with his son Icarus, but was pursued by King Minos. They managed to fly to freedom using improvised feathers stuck with wax.The rock used as a basis for their flights, the right side of the harbor overlooking the sea and now houses two statues depicting the moment preparing for their trip.

Sources: www.agiagalini-crete.com, lexifilia.blogspot.gr.

Agiofarango:Scenic and picturesque

 
"Agiofarango" is located south of the Odigitria monastery, at the south of  Heraklion region,  and created by the beds of two streams that start in a north - northeast of "Gyalomonochoro" and the other northeast of Odigitria. The two streams are meeting near Agia Kiraki after following a relatively smooth path west and south of Church "Agia Kiriaki's porofarango" entering from where begins the main gorge, "Agiofarango" and end up in the Libyan Sea, which lies a small but beautiful beach . The longest route of the gorge rising right and left huge vertical cliffs where there are many caves. 
 
Agiofarango is very scenic and picturesque is still the fact that you can only pass on foot, and the place is isolated, wild and rugged. All these together with the fact that it is too far from populated areas did Agiofarango the first center ascetic life not only the region but the whole of Crete, from the earliest Christian times.  
 
Moreover, the very name of the site performs better than any description of the sacredness of the site. Going down the canyon and about 250 meters before reaching the beach is the church of St. Anthony (Agios Antonios) who was also the center of the asceticism of the area after him should be made all the rituals of Christian worship. The church of St. Anthony is believed to have been renovated three times to get its current form. First was a small church in a small cave in the rock, but as the years passed and the growing number of practitioners needed more church about it and grew. For the third and last renovated or grew during the 14th or 15th century and so maintained until today. It's excellent technical architecture and had toichografithei but because it was located near the sea, the murals were destroyed. Outside the church there is a well from which water is supplied to the ascetics it because there is no nearby source. South of the church on a small hill was plundered circular vaulted Minoan tomb indicates human presence from the Minoan era. Finally descending from the Church of St. Anthony to the sea on the left side and a short distance from the church is the "Goumenospilios."Sources: www.imodigitrias.gr, lexifilia.blogspot.gr

Almiros beach: Mixed waters,one beauty

 
Almiros beach  is one of the most beautiful and popular beaches of Agios Nikolaos and very close to the city. It lies about 2.5 kilometers from the center, south of town on the way to Ierapetra.This is a fairly large, sandy beach, in a secluded bay with shallow waters, which have the following peculiarity: the surface is cold and seafood, while the bottom is more warm and sweet. And this is because it flows into the sea Almiros River and indeed, as we informed the local residents, has two mouths: one obvious and one underground. 
  
The Delta is a protected wetland and the beach has been awarded a blue flag. Within walking distance of the beach is a small island, which is most often not visible from the seagulls and other "psaropoulia"  found in this sanctuary. The spectacle, however they offer is impressive.It is organized by the municipality and has the facilities for water sports, canteen for refreshments and snacks while on the south side of the beach there are small hotels and apartments.

Source: lexifilia.blogspot.gr

Rouvas: Ecologically and aesthetically important

  

The forest of Rouvas is one of the most ecologically important and aesthetically forests of Crete and Greece. Home to rare plants with the dominant oak and animals of the island, which is enhanced by its isolated location in relation to human activities. The forest grows on a small plateau in the south of the Psiloritis Mountains, 55 km south of Heraklion in an inaccessible place, though there are several ways to access it from various places: from Gergeri and the Nida Plateau through a passable dirt road, and walking the path E4, which starts from Zaros Lake, passing through the gorge of Agios Nikolaos and reaches the forest.  

 The prinodasos is the largest colony in Europe  extent of 30000 acres with which  have the following peculiarity: got out of the ordinary bush form and their small size and had different characteristics and sizes of what we're used to seeing. Indeed, some of them are so big and so old that have literally collapse from old age! Also, the forest also hosts two exclusives: the Ampelitsia (Zelkova abelicea), the only tree that lives exclusively in Crete and elsewhere, and one of the rarest orchids in the island, the Cretan kefalanthiro (Cephalanthera Cuculata). Other trees that will be seen a plane, maple, cypress, pine and azilakoi.
As for the fauna, here is a refuge for the Cretan league or fourogatos (Felis silvestris creticus), which is so rare that it has rarely been observed by scientists. Here are other living mammals such as badgers, Zouridi, kalogynaikaria (Musteka nivalis), hares, shrews and pontikoskiouroi (Glis glis argenteus). The forest and the surrounding mountains are home to rare birds of prey like eagles, vitsilia, skares and falcons.

Source: lexifilia.blogspot.gr

Blue Flag for entire "Aldemar"

The beaches of hotel complexes Group Aldemar: Kavourakia Rhodes, Skafidia in Olympia and 2 beaches of St. George in Hersonissos Crete awarded for the 14th year, the blue flag, a symbol of quality awarded with strict criteria to organized beaches and marinas manage coastal Municipalities, hoteliers and others.

With the blue flag beaches certify that the hotels Aldemar Hotels & Spa meet the criteria related to quality of bathing waters (with sample measurements), environmental management (cleaning the coast, placing garbage bins, sanitation) safety - Lifeguard and environmental education and information.

Protecting the natural environment is one of the linchpins of corporate social responsibility program Mare Verde, the Group, which recently won the silver award from the National Social Responsibility Index CRIndex.

Picture is from the award to Aldemar complex of Hersonissos.

Spinalonga World's Heritage

The Working Group of the Department of Eastern Crete of the Technical Chamber   handed to the Mayor St. Nicholas D. Kounenaki the second phase of the Management Plan for the integration of Spinalonga in the list of World Heritage of UNESCO. During the meeting with the Mayor, the group stressed that the next step is consultation with the management plan delivered, so that all issues are analyzed and related to the protection and enhancement of Spinalonga, to enhance and complement, since first express the views of local actors. They pointed out that even to have a substantial effect should be mainly political will, support from the region Lasithi and the Region of Crete.

Photo:  tripwow.tripadvisor.com

Crete "travels around the world"

Alpha

    Crete "travels around the world" through the new online tourism portal of the Prefect and through the top international tourist subscription channel "Travel Channel".
    As Prefect let us know, two promotional spots have  been created. One of 30 seconds long and one of 5 minutes long, and they run through the international television network.
     It also became known that the new tourist portal, which is called "Incredible Crete", (www.incrediblecrete.gr) includes the most advanced search engine of hotels and lodgings in Crete each type with all the modern modes. Also, through Facebook and Twitter allows interactive communication with visitors and citizens of the island and internationally.

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Samaria Gorge: Τhe largest across Europe

The Samaria Gorge is the largest one across Europe. Over three hundred thousand people  cross it every year. It is a marvelous landscape with rare geomorphic formations, unique biotope with unique richness in flora and fauna and a rich mythology that goes back  to the prehistory and history of  the  island.
It was declared as National Park in 1962 and has been awarded in 1971 with the National Diploma of Nature Protection, proclaimed in 1973 as a place of exceptional natural beauty and in 1979 it was awarded by the Council of Europe with the A-class European Diploma, for protection of the natural environment, which until now is renewed every five years.
The length of the path within the limits of the park is 12.8 km and then the distance to the beach Agia Roumeli, is another 3.2 km in additional. The crossing of the gorge in a faster walking can be done in five or fewer hours, but preferably ​​must be done within 6 to 8 hours in order to enjoy the  incomparable beauty.
The main species of fauna are the world famous Cretan wild goat (Capra Aegagrus Cretica), an animal that is incredibly beautiful and bravery, which now has been rescued and lives freely only in this gorge and in the three parallel gorges to this one. Regarding the flora, you will be able to see the famous huge ancient cypress trees, which were used for shipbuilding and  by the Minoans for the columns of the palace of Knossos. In total there are 450 species of the Cretan flora, of which 70 are endemic.
It has many strictures that have been named "doors" but the narrowest, is the "Sideroporta" which is only three meters wide and the drop sides on either side ranging from 300 to 700 meters. In many places you pass over the river gorge with small wooden bridges. Inside  the gorge there were in ancient times many famous Holy Oracles and the ancient city of Tara in the place of Agia Roumeli  where you can see a part of the temple of Apollo.

It is usually open to visitors from 1st of May till the end of October unless there are extreme weather conditions. There are outposts of the State Agency (Forestry) at the entrance of the gorge, in the Samaria settlement and at the exit of the park. Also, the gorge provides physician. In Agia Roumeli there is a heliport.

Source:lexifilia.blogspot.gr