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Palekastro is a small town with a population of 1.414 as per the greek national census of 2001, (source wikipedia) and is the most north-eastern settlement of the island of Crete, part since 2011 of the Municipality of Sitia. |
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Palekastro is located in a valley rich in olive groves about two kilometers away from the beaches of Kouremenos and Xiona, on a stretch of coast delimited by the Cape Sidero to the north and the promontory of Roussolakos and Petsofàs to the south. |
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The town overlooks a bay, which also takes its name from Palekastro, with clear and clean waters and the distinctive landscape of the uninhabited and rocky islets of Elàsa and Gràndes. This area is quite exposed to the Meltemi winds in summer, enough to be very popular with windsurfers (on the beach of Kouremenos there is a center dedicated to this sport).
But Palekastro is also a popular tourist destination offering |
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peaceful holidays away from mass tourism, has tavernas and restaurants with good Greek food (in the village and its beaches) and offers also grocery stores and other kinds of shops, has two gas stations (including service repair garage), a bank with an ATM and also pharmacy and medical service. |
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Besides, the entire surrounding area attracts tourism not only in summer, because it offers a number of pleasant hiking trails of all types and levels (such as the simple path Palekastro/Chochlakies or the longer and more challenging Kato Zakros/Palekastro) to hike especially in spring and autumn. |
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But this is also an area full of archaeological sites from different ages (from the large village of Minoan age near the Hellenistic sanctuary dedicated to Zeus Dicteo in Roussolakos, to the fortifications of the Late Minoan age on the hill of Kastrì overlooking the bay of Palekastro, to the mountain sanctuary of the Middle Minoan period on the promontory of Petsofàs, to the site of Itanos, Erimoùpoli for the Greeks, or the fortified monastery of Moni Toploù of the fourteenth century or even the Minoan palace of Kato Zakros) on a journey through history and in the ages really intense and interesting, that will touch not only historical places but also places of high environmental value such as, among others, Vai with its palm forest, Maridati small secluded bay at the mouth of a dry river, the picturesque Gorge of the death from Ano Zakros to Kato Zakros and also the beautiful Itanos, a piece of Africa in Europe ...... and just to mention some, really not to be missed during a holiday in these areas. |
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Palekastro has (for those who have sat nav) its central square at coordinates +35 ° 11 '57.63 ", +26 ° 15' 17.10" and is 1 km. from Agathiàs to the east, 21 kilometers far from Sitia to the west (20 minutes by car), 8.6 km from the beach of Vai to the North (15 minutes) and 31 kilometers (half an hour), from Xerokampos to the south (distances and data extracted from Google Maps and travel times ...... tested directly on the spot!). |
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Biluthyrning i Kreta / Semesterlägenheter / Xerokampos Fotoalbum / Vägkartor / Information |
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