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City in Crete, Greece
Photo: Kyrvas at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Having the distinction of being the southernmost city facing the African coast, Ierapetra enjoys the smoothest, almost rainless weather in Europe, with a temperature that rarely drops below 12 °C all year. It has the largest population in the prefecture of Lassithi (East Crete) and the fourth largest in all Crete. In 2021 it had almost 27,000 inhabitants.
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A dam and the artificial lake since 1986. An important wetland and a station for migratory birds, in fact, it attracts the largest populations of waterfowl in Crete. Over 218 different species of birds have been recorded in the area. Not much to see otherwise, but can be walked around from the parking at the main road.
Μονή Φανερωμένης Κρήτης
Has a church built inside a cave.
An ancient palace complex, excavated on 20th century, with unknown original name.
A tower overlooking the village, in a very ruined state.
A 210-m-high waterfall located in the gorge, loses most of its water to vapor.
A tiny chapel at the top of the rock, accessible by some 200 steps. The view from the top contains the village and surrounding mountains, looking away from the sea.
3000-year-old water tank, but ultimately it's just around 5x5m square-shaped hole in the rock.
It is a disused building, with hardly any maintenance. But at least the surroundings are pretty picturesque.
A sanctuary for unwanted, injured and abused donkeys. Situated in a beautiful area just below the village of Anatoli there is a sanctuary for donkeys. Offering guided walks with the donkeys to carry the delicious picnic that is provided. Donkey rides for children. Farm visits to see donkeys and other animals. Get away from the tourists and enjoy the mountain air and peaceful nature and beauty. Phone for an appointment.
An around 20x9 km mountain range with top peak Afentis (1476 m), covered with gorges.
Canyon Red Butterfly
One-directional hike goes from Oreino towards Koutsouras, it's about 5 km, going down from lush vegetation towards mountain views, with streams and small waterfalls along the way.
20-min walk with a 40-m-high waterfall at the end. Part of the path is via disused water drain. The waterfall may be dry outside the rain season.
A narrow gorge with an intermittent stream inside, around 1 km deep, 3 m wide and 1.5 km long. Only accessible with proper mountaineering equipment, but the entry point can be normally accessed by foot paths.
Around 1.5 km long (takes around 1.5 hr), with walls at most 150 m. A stream flows through it, so expect getting wet in the rainy season. No climbing equipment is required, however several places require climbing on big rocks, holding on to the provided ropes etc., so good shoes are recommended. Accessible from both ends, start from upper part is easier to pull off. Kids under 4 years will probably have hard time even with parents help. On the southern end, there's a small pub/restaurant.
Paralía Mýrtos
A calm beach nearby a tiny town covered with shops and pubs.
Around 3km long beach with black sand and pebbles.
An island that is 15 km away and visible from the shore, with pristine beaches and clear waters. It is a nature reserve, thus the access is limited. The boats anchor some 100 m from the shore and the rest has to be swam through. The companies operating the boats (mostly for the whole day) usually provide food for the day, as well as services like toilets, lending umbrellas, sometimes also transfer by smaller boats to the shore for the non-swimmers.
A group of restored Venetian houses in Anatoli Village.
2-star hotel with 33 rooms. WC/bath or shower, satellite TV, air-conditioning, mini fridge.
Furnished apartments.
Apartments
21 self-catering studios and apartments, built in 1987 and renovated in 2007. Satellite TV, Air-conditioning and Wi-Fi.
4-star hotel. 82 rooms equipped with satellite TV, refrigerator, safe, telephone, hair dryer. 800 m from the beach.
A 5-star hotel.
A 4-star hotel
Upscale resort with private beach
A 4-star residence complex
An all-inclusive 4-star hotel primarily focused on families with children, 227 rooms with balcony, half of the rooms have direct view of the sea. Has children pools and facilities, as well as a swimming pool and small beach strand. Various activities are available, bike rental, spa and wellness, cultural events in the evenings, all-day food/drinks (restaurant and/or buffet).
By plane
The closest airport (58 km) with frequent domestic and charter flights is Sitia airport (JSH). There is also a ferry line from Athens (Piraeus) to Sitia.
There is basically no public transport. The city is walk-able, however getting into the surroundings by foot is lengthy.
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Crete Island · Regional · JSH
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