Read our
Guestbook
Join Here
New Destinations
Special Offers
Lassithi, a land with body and soul.
The eastern part of Crete and southernmost part of Europe, with its unique beaches and picturesque towns, a land lived by people who carry thousands of years of tradition and culture.
Lassithi for you to discover with body and soul
Visit
Agios Nikolaos
Ierapetra
Sitia
Home
Regions
Holidays
Hotels
General Info
Contact Us
Agios Nikolaos
Hania
Iraklion
Ierapetra
Rethymnon
Sitia
To visit
Area map
Sitia is a harbour town with 8500 inhabitants which
can be used as a base for a visit to the eastern end
of Crete.
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 harbours 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 the islands of Karpathos, Kassos and Rhodos and to Piraeus by ship, three times a week, via Agios Nikolaos and Milos.
Useful information can be obtained from the Tourist Police and the Public Relations Office of the Municipality.
During the summer, cultural events take place in the theatre which operates in the town's restored Venetian government house.
Vai is the only extensive palm grove in Greece, few km far away from Sitia. The name comes from the word "vai", meaning palm-frond in popular parlance. There are various explanations about its origin, one being that Phoenician traders brought dates with them in their ships from the Near East; another is that they were planted by Ptolemy's soldiers, or even Barbary pirates. What is certain, however, is that the palm grove is very ancient, because it is clear from their art that this species of palm (phoenix Theophrasti Greuter) already grew in Crete at the time of the Minoans. The palm grove is a great attraction for visitors and is preserved as a place of special natural beauty.
| GREECE | MAPS | HISTORY |
© 1995 - 1998 Dilos Holiday World