Hotel Thalia – Palekastro, Sitia, Crete

From the Blog

9 reasons to visit Eastern Crete

1: It has the cleanest sea in the Mediterranean with more beaches than any other region of Europe, and also the finest and brightest Greek sun! It has some of the most beautiful and exotic beaches of Crete, some sandy, some with pebbles, other protected from the wind and other hidden in small and very charming bays.

2: It has excellent tourist infrastructure, with incredible resorts located in Agios Nikolaos, Elounda, Sitia and Ierapetra, which have gained international reputation and global recognition and welcome thousands of visitors every year, from every corner of the world.

3: The area is ideal for nature walks, religious tourism, historical and archaeological searches. The archaeological sites of the Minoan era and the remarkable monuments show how large and extensive this culture was!

4: The agricultural and livestock products and local delicacies rival those of the rest of the island, both in taste and quality. Eastern Crete has the most fertile lands of the island, and as a result it produces the largest quantities of the finest fruits and vegetables of Crete and the world famous excellent quality olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.

5: The visitors are always invited by the local residents to take part in many cultural, secular, religious and recreational activities and feasts, where tradition survives in the daily life of local people and through them they get to know the “real” Crete. A great many festivals are organized, in every place and almost every day of the year, where drinking, eating, dancing and revelry keep up all night until the “bitter end” of the next day’s morning sun!.

6: In Vai, one of the easternmost beaches of Crete, lies the largest palm forest of Europe, with the clear blue water, the white sand and the palm trees creating a place out of a movie scene!

7: The nature of the region fascinates visitors. With its many canyons, caves, small valleys, rushing rivers and streams, Lasithi challenges its visitors to experience a once in a lifetime adventure and create everlasting memories.The Geopark of Sitia falls within the new program of Unesco. It includes the region of Sitia Province and covers a total area of 3,614 square kilometers (Km2) (361,4 ha). It is a nationally protected area with significant geological heritage and outstanding natural beauty. It must also be noted that

8: The world famous Cretan hospitality is all pervasive.

9: A trip to the inland villages will surely be a unique experience. Many of the villages have remained identical for over a hundred years and many of them maintain their traditional graphic features and architecture. Their inhabitants continue for thousands of years now to walk their way through life with pride, modesty, dignity, patience and perseverance. Elements of character that one might think spring out of the land itself..