Akrotiri is a round shaped peninsula at the east of Chania. It is an area with long and rich history, lots of monuments and natural beauty. You will find there many beautiful beaches, most of them well protected and not affected by the “meltemia” (northern summer winds); the majority of them are quite close to Chania (10-15 kilometres far from the city). At the center of the peninsula, on a broad plateau, it is situated the airport of Chania.
It is worth visiting the area; you will find scenic and traditional villages, as Stavros, where it has been filmed the famous “Zorba, the Greek”, the cute village of Sternes, the villages of Kounoupidiana, Korakies, Pithari, Aroni and Marathi, which served as the port of the ancient town Aptera.
It is also worth seeing some old and historic monasteries as the Monastery of Aghia Triada ton Tsagarolon (Holy Trinity) built in the 17 th century, some 20 kilometers far from Chania at the North; the Monastery of Kyria ton Angelon tou Gouvernetou, of the 16 th century, some 25 kilometers far from Chania at the north and 4,5 kilometers at the north of the Monastery of Aghia Triada; the Monastery of Aghios Ioannis Erimitis or Xenos (St. John), more at the north, dating back to the 6 th or 7 th century, is found within a steep ravine where one may arrive by stepping down 385 steps. The Catholicon of the Monastery has been dug in the rock and it is considered that it is the first monastery built on the island. |
