It is maintained that ancient Itia, homeland of Mysonas, one of the seven wise men of antiquity, was on the site of present-day Sitia.
Regardless, Sitia has been inhabited since the Minoan period.
At Petra, to the east of the town, a section of a settlement from the Minoan period has been excavated. This was evidently one of the largest harbors in Crete in the New Palace period. A large central building (perhaps a palace?) has been revealed, storage areas and Linear A inscriptions.
Unique in Crete is the "Cyclopean" wall at the foot of the hill.
It developed significantly during the Venetian occupation when the town was powerfully fortified with walls and towers.
Nevertheless first earthquakes, then the attacks of the Turks and finally its capture by them turned it into a heap of ruins and its inhabitants deserted it. Only during the 19th century was it rebuilt, and became the capital of the province.
It has a good number of hotels, pensions and houses with rooms for rent, as well as a youth hostel.
It has a regular bus service to all eastern Crete and acquired an airport in 1984.
For the present it is connected by air to Athens and the islands of Karpathos, Kassos and Rhodes. Ferryboats connect Sitia daily to Piraeus and Milos via Agios Nikolaos as well as Kassos, Karpathos and Rhodes.
During the summer, cultural events take place in the theatre, which operates in the town's restored Venetian government house.
