Greek Islands

Agios Nikolaos City

Agios Nikolaos Crete

Welcome to Agios Nikolaos!

As the capital of the Prefecture of Lassithi, Ag. Nikolaos is everything that one would expect from a capital city ... a cosmopolitan atmosphere, an incredibly charming and very picturesque port, a high tourist infrastructure with many restaurants, shops, exciting and lively nightlife, and plenty of cultural events, especially the Lato Cultural Festival that starts at the end of July and goes on until the beginning of September.

The city itself is not necessarily renowned for its excellent beaches, as those will really be found further north at the well developed beach resort of Elounda, but rather for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and the many restaurants and shops that are found here. A notable feature of the town is the small lake (Voulismeni) in the center of the town (said to be bottomless, through actually about 60 meters deep) which has been connected to the sea and is crossed by a small bridge.

The city is also the starting point for two interesting excursions, one 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) inland to the village of Kritsa, high up in the hills above the city, and home to the 13th century Church of Panagia Kera. The church features frescoes from the 13th το 15th centuries, which are some of the finest examples of Byzantine art on the island. The village of Kritsa, as well as the nearby village of Kroustas, are beautiful examples of traditional Cretan villages and are well worth exploring.

The other excursion is to nearby Spinalonga Island (ancient Kalydon), which sits in the Bay of Elounda, just opposite the modern resort of the same name. Once a Venetian fortress (16th century), it was also a leper colony from the early 1900s until after World War II. It is an interesting island to explore, and you’ll be reminded of much of its history as you walk its grounds. When Crete was overtaken by the Ottomans in the mid 1600s, this tiny island held off the Turkish onslaught for 45 years until 1715, when it was handed over by treaty … not by surrender.

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