REGIONS-SETTLEMENTS
The Municipality of Sitia is geographically divided into four areas: Sitia, Makrygialos, Lefki and Itano.
Several beautiful villages are included in the jurisdiction of the local government body called the Municipality of Sitia. Rare natural beauty, archaeological sites and monasteries generously adorn the inland of Sitia.
REGION OF SITIA
Sitia is a lively town with approximately 11.000 inhabitants. The district is famous for its considerable olive oil production and for the excellent quality of its olive oil and wines. There are numerous local festivals in traditional Cretan style held in villages throughout the summer, which are well worth attending, as well as cultural events in the town.
Sitia is a town that accepts the past and is longing for the modern. There you can sense the hidden magic and peacefulness mixed with life and vividness.
Those who choose to visit Sitia should not miss doing some things.
– Do not forget to visit the many exhibits of the Folklore Museum
– The Archaeological Museum of Sitia one of the most important provincial museums in Greece . There are exhibits of the whole Sitia area from a time of 4000 years, from the Neolithic Era (3500 B.C.) to the Byzantine period (500 A.D.). These exhibits of great value i.e. the unique statuette of the Minoan time made of gold and ivory found in Palekastro and many others.
– Do not forget to admire the view over Sitia Bay from the Venetian castle of Kazarma especially in the summer nights. There is also a specially fit out place for artistic events as part of “Kornarion”, the festival – tribute to the great poet of the masterpiece “Erotokritos”, Vintsenzos Kornaros, who comes from the Sitia area. He refers to this area at the end of his poem where he describes his place of origin.
– Go shopping and purchase souvenirs and artifacts.
– Taste the fresh fruit at the open market, all products of the Sitian land.
– Enjoy the delicious local pastry as the well known “kaltsounia” and “xerotigana”
– Feel the sea breeze while enjoying the meal at the picturesque taverns at the port.
– Discover the traditional food in a restaurant either on the terrace of an old estate or in a neighbourhood of the town.
– Discover your own Sitia, choose your own routes and follow the roads that will excite you. Get to know the simplicity and kindness of the people in the town at the south-eastern end of Europe.
The whole district abounds in archaeological and historical interest from the Minoan period onwards. Within easy reach of Sitia, there are many places to be visited, such as the Toplou Monastery, the fourth in size Minoan Palace of Kato Zakros, and other important archaeological sites at Palekastro, Itanos, Pressos and many more. There are two fine museums in Sitia, archaeological and folklore, with many fascinating exhibits.
For the walker, the hills are covered with aromatic plants and hundreds of beautiful flowers, especially in the springtime.
East Crete is ideal for those who enjoy walking, be it a short walk or a good hike! There are some routes in and around Sitia and, in the Palekastro area, 5 routes of varying lengths and difficulty have been specifically mapped out. One of the walks’ is through the gorge of Kato Zakros, at the end of which, there is a section marked out for rock climbing.
Walking along sections of the E4 European mountaineering path (which runs along the whole of Crete), you will discover some of the most beautiful, wild terrain and meet equally memorable people. Flower lovers will be amazed by the beautiful wild flowers and herbs which cover the countryside during April and May. Divers will also find the area to be of great interest.
SETTLEMENTS
Aghia Fotia
A small settlement, near the sea, where the important post Minoan cemetery was excavated with 300 tombs filled with about 1800 objects and vessels, many of which are exhibited at the archaeological museum of Sitia.
Aghios Georgios (Or Tourtouloi)
A green village with a fountain near a beautiful water stream. lt is a place of great archaeological interest, as a Minoan and Geometric cemetery have been excavated, as well as a large Minoan villa. Among the findings there is a wheel, several stone tools and other objects.
Agios Spiridonas
A settlement that was recently united with the Municipality of Sitia and which used to be called Kanene with about 50 inhabitants today.
Arniko
Beautiful settlement that recently joined the Municipality of Sitia at an altitude of 210 meters, east of Piskokefalo.
Achladia
A beautiful village, where some old noble houses are preserved. In the site of Platoskinos a post-Minoan tomb has been excavated, with a corridor and a large circular chamber, while in the site of Riza a large and complex agricultural villa of the Minoan period has been found, with 12 rooms and a “Cretan Megaron”.
Dafni
Nice village with lots of water located about 2 km from Krya on the way to Stavrochori. It is 28 km from Sitia.
Exo Mouliana
Traditional village with a nice square. It is 18 km from Sitia to Agios Nikolaos.
Zou
A small traditional settlement built around a green stream in a region where a significant Minoan residence has been found, along with numerous valuable findings that are exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.
Katsidoni
A traditional mountainous settlement, where the top Prinias with a Minoan shrine is located. The excavations around the shrine revealed valuable findings. The community of Katsidoni also included the small settlement of Santali.
Kato Drys
At an altitude of 360 meters is the settlement of Kato Drys with approximately 25 inhabitants.
Episkopi Kato
It is first recorded as part of the Sitia province in I 577 by Fr. Barozzi. Minoan tombs have been excavated in the region.
Kimouriotis
It used to be a settlement of the Achladion community. It is located a short distance from the town of Sitia, before Skopje, at the junction of the road to Agios Nikolaos.
Krya
Krya consists of two small settlements, Pano and Kato Krya. A cemetery of the pre-Minoan and Geometric period has been found in the area. At the top of the hill of Aghios Georgios there are the ruins of the Venetian castle Monte Forte or Apo Kastelli, built during the 13th -14th century.
Lastros
A settlement bearing a pre-Hellenic name, where important Minoan remains and findings have been discovered. lt is a very beautiful village that still preserves a lot of traditional elements. In the village there are the Byzantine churches of Aghios Georgios and Christos Qesus Christ).
Maronia
A small village near the green stream of the river Panteli, where Minoan tombs and antiquities have been found. The old olive press of the village has been turned into a folklore-agricultural museum.
Mouliana Mesa
A settlement where important antiquities and findings have been revealed, including a bell-shaped proto-geometric crater with the representation of a hunter and a man on a horse and a golden mask.
Mohlos
A picturesque fishing village with a small islet in the north (Aghios Nikolaos). In antiquity, the islet was united with the mainland through a channel that fonned two natural harbors. It was an important naval center of the Minoans, and the excavations have revealed many of its secrets.
Myrsini
A traditional village with a magical view of the Cretan sea, where ancient installations have revealed important findings, mainly from the postMinoan period. In the site “Ghalana Harakia” the first Minoan domed tomb of Eastern Crete was found, with 60 burials and a large number of vessels and other objects. North from the village, next to the small church of Aghios Antonios, the ruins of a Venetian tower are preserved.
Pano Episkopi
Beautiful small village on a green slope 12 km from Sitia on the road to Ierapetra.
Paraspori
It is located on the Piscokefalo – Achladia – Paraspori road, at a distance of 12 km from Sitia and at an altitude of 350 meters.
Piskokefalo
Piscokefalo is one of the largest and richest villages of the Municipality of Sitia. You are on the 3rd mile of the road that connects Sitia with Ierapetra.
Praissos
A village that took its name from the famous ancient city of Praissos, the capital of the Eteocretans. The ancient city was built over three hills- acropolis, next to the river Stomio and was inhabited since the Neolithic times.
Roussa Ekklesia
An asphalt road that starts 5km east from Sitia leads to Roussa Ekklesia. lt is a picturesque green village with many waters and a marvellous view of the gulf of Sitia.
Sandali
A small village in Katsidoni Community, Municipality of Sitia. The village, 13 km from Sitia, lies at an altitude of 350m.
Sitia
Located in the proximity of Cape Sidero, in the easternmost region of Lasithi on the Greek Island of Crete, Sitia is a small city on the island, not as touristic as other towns in Crete which give it a serene village atmosphere.
Sitanos
A small settlement located in a beautiful landscape, where the cave Okso Latsidi is located. Near Sitanos there is the deserted settlement Zakanthos.
Skopi
One of the larger settlements of the Sitia province, with historical traces from the proto-Minoan-geometric period (a domed tomb in the site of Droggara).
Stavromenos
It is located at a distance of 8 km from Sitia, at an altitude of 110 meters.
Sfaka
A settlement with an old church of Aghia Triada. In the region “Keratidi” a Minoan tomb has been excavated.
Sotira
Settlement that used to belong to the community of Tourtouli
Tourloti
A traditional settlement built on a hill with a marvelous view to the sea. In the site of “Kastri” the ruins of a Minoan settlement has been found, along with valuable findings .
Hamezi
A settlement with a valuable folklore museum. In the region of Hamezi there is one of the most important archaeological remains of the Minoan civilization, the elliptical Minoan residence.
REGION OF LEFKI
The region of Lefki is in SouthEast of Crete. It has 2.435 population and the base of the region is the village of Ziros with 779 residents. It concludes the villages of Agia Triada, Apidia, Armenon, Ziros, Papagiannadon and Chandras.
SETTLEMENTS
Agia Traida
A small village of the Municipality of Lefki in the South of the Handras Plateau with a wonderful view of the Libyan Sea. It is 35 km from Sitia.
Armenoi
The village is located after Handras and before Etia.
Goudouras
Seaside village of the province of Sitia in the Libyan Sea. Famous fishing village for its rich catch production.
Etia
A small deserted settlement, west from the village of Armenoi.
Ziros
Ziros is located in the north-eastern side of the plateau of Ziros, in an altitude of 590 m. Its pre-hellenic name serves as a testimony of its long history, along with the antiquities found in the area from different historical periods.
Katelionas
Katelionas was one of the most populated villages of Sitia during the Venetian period.
Xerokambos
This important coastal settlement, south from Zakros, is located in a region inhabited since the Minoan period, according to archeological findings.
Papagiannades
The settlement is first recorded in the 1834 Egyptian census Papa – Jannadho.
Handras
It is a central village on the fertile plateau of Handras. Old noble habitations and an interesting fountain are preserved in the village
REGION OF MAKRYGIALOS
Makry Gialos lies in the south east corner of Crete and is the southern most tourist area in Europe. The towns of Ierapetra (25 minutes by car) and Sitia (45 minutes by car) have everything you might need that you have not been able to find in Makrigialos. The name Makry Gialos (which means Long Shore in greek), comes from the very long and beautiful beach of the area, one of the greatest in Crete.
The region of Makry Gialos is consisted of the following communities: Agios Stefanos, Pefki, Orino, Perivolakia, Chrissopigi, Shinokapsala, Lithines and Stavrohori (country seat).αποτελεί ενιαία πολεοδομική ενότητα πουεξελίσσεται σε σύγχρονη πόλη.
SETTLEMENTS
Aghios Stefanos
On a hill over the village, there are the ruins of the Venetian fortress (Kastella or Fortezza)
Lapithos
It is located south from the village Roukaka. The settlement is first recorded in a 1368 document of the Duke archive of Handakas (Heraklion).
Lithines
The settlement was founded during the 2nd Byzantine period by the the family of Litinon.
Analipsi -Makry Gialos
A modern coastal settlement and a popular tourist destination. There are Minoan and Roman antiquities in the region.
Pervolakia
Small village in the South of Lithines at a distance of 8 km.
Pefkoi
Set high above the Libyan Sea this small, beautiful, traditional village has much to offer.
REGION OF ITANOS
A big and powerful ancient city in eastern Crete, 1 km away in the north of Vai. It was established in the prehistoric period and probably named after Phoenix or the Curette Itanos. Itanos was first found in Herodotus, described as the home of the rock shells fisherman Corovius who led the Therans to Libya where they founded Kyrini (631 B.C.) when Thera was suffering of drought. Itanos was autonomous in the course of history and for great periods of time was administrating Dragmos, Ampelos and Grammios, the Dionisades, Elasa and Koufonisi (Lefki) islands and the temple of Dictean Zeus which was an important revenue source. In the “Arbitration of the Magnet’s” carried on a plate in the wall of the main hall of the Toplos Monastery, the people from Itanos were vindicated over the people of Ierapitna regarding the territorial claim of Lefki.
Itanos was a big harbour of cross-trade especially to the East. It reached its peak in the classic period as one can assume from the buildings, temples (of Asklepios, Tychi, Athena, etc.) and the silver coins which are genuine pieces of art. The inscriptions found in Itanos are of great significance.
Especially in the Hellenistic time, Itanos was involved in conflicts with the neighbouring cities of Praissos and lerapitna, but it managed to confront them with the help of the Ptolemy’s of Egypt without being politically dependent on them. During the Roman time, Itanos kept its powerful position, contributed to the Cretan public and issued its own coins.
The city was flourishing towards the first Byzantine period as the many big churches reveal and it is assumed that it was inhabited in the time of the Venetian rule. Itanos was first traced by the archaeologist Halbherr. Research was also conducted by Bursian and Demarge, as well as by the French Archaeological School, while today the research has been continued by the Institute of Mediterranean Studies. Many inscriptions, coins, pots, golden earrings etc. were found. According to historical tradition, the inhabitants of Itanos were driven away from the city in the 17th century and founded Sitano.
Nowadays, there are newly built summer houses within the archaeological site. Walking through Ancient Itanos through all these antiquities, the acropolis, the ruins of the Minoan buildings and temples, the inscriptions and bewitching environment is an unprecedented experience.
Οικισμοί Περιοχής
Zakros (Epano)
It is a village within a green environment in the eastern edge of Crete, 38 km away from Sitia.
Zakros (Kato)
It is a coastal area with a settlement 8 km away from Pano Zakros at a magnificent bay with sandy beach.
Palekastro
Palekastro is a lively, unpretentious village, at the east coast of Crete 20 km. away from Sitia and the seat of the region of Itanos. It was named after an old castle. Its sources main income is agriculture and tourism.