The little town of Áyios Nikólaos is situated on the slopes above Mirabello Bay which has developed into a popular holiday resort for long-stay holidays. There are beautiful beaches round the town and it is the center of eastern Crete. Linked with the harbour is Lake Voulisméni (fresh water), according to legend, the goddes Athena was accustomed to bathe.
20km/12.5mi southeast of Áyios Nikólaos are the remains (only partially excavated) of the Minoan town of Gourniá. With its narrow paved streets, its small houses and its palace and temple on higher ground, it gives a good impression of the aspect of a Late Minoan settlement of between 1600 and 1400 B.C.
This is the best preserved of the Minoan settlements, and one of the most noteworthy archeological sites in Crete.
Always opened on: Assumption Day - Christian (August 15), Óhi Day - Greece & Cyprus (October 28)
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Greek National Day (March 25), May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Easter - Christian, 15th of Shaaban - 12th Iman's Birthday - Muslim, Good Friday - Christian
Tips: Admission is free on Sundays between November and March.
34km/21mi northwest of Áyios Nikólaos, at the village of Mália (beach), situated in a fertile depression irrigated with the help of windmills, are the remains of a Minoan palace, similar to the palaces of Knossos and Phaistós but smaller, which was built about 1800 B.C. and rebuilt after an earthquake in 1700 B.C. and thereafter fell into ruin.
There are also remains of the Minoan town of Mália and of a cemetery.
Address: Malia Archeological Site, Mália , Greece
Hours:
8:30am-3pm; Closed: Mon
Always opened on: Assumption Day - Christian (August 15), Óhi Day - Greece & Cyprus (October 28)
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Day after Christmas, St Stephen's Day, Boxing Day (December 26), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Good Friday - Christian, Easter - Christian
Tips: Admission is free on Sundays between November and March.
22km/13.5mi northwest of Áyios Nikólaos (2km/1.25mi northeast of the village of Neápolis) is the site of the Minoan settlement of Dreros, with a sanctuary of Apollo (eighth-seventh C.; bronze cult images).
East of Psyra lies the island of Mokhlós, which in ancient times was connected with the mainland. Here were found numerous tombs of the early Minoan period, the grave goods from which are now in the Archeological Museum in Iráklion.
Always opened on: Assumption Day - Christian (August 15), Óhi Day - Greece & Cyprus (October 28)
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Greek National Day (March 25), May Day / Labor Day (May 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Easter - Christian, 15th of Shaaban - 12th Iman's Birthday - Muslim, Good Friday - Christian
Tips: Admission is free on Sundays between November and March.