Palekastro - Vai

The old village of Palekastro is 19 km from Sitia and is a typical original farming village that has grown and become more lively in recent years, yet still very much retains its delightful character. As the nearest village to the famous palm beach of Vai, in far eastern Crete, it is a good place to spend a few nights while visiting Vai, and in any case is a lovely place to get completely away from the crowds. From here travelling in various directions, there are numerous outings or sightseeing possibilities to be had. For example the clean and beautiful beaches of Chiona and Kouremenos, both of which have Blue European Flag awards, and are also very good for wind surfing. The tiny traditional village of Agathia with its pretty sky-blue domed church which can be seen from far. Other worthwhile outings are to Itanos, the smaller version of Vai, with white sand and slender Palm trees, to the Monastery of Toplou, as well as to the Minoan Palace of Kato Zakros. There are plenty of opportunities to go walking, and there are lots of gorges in this area. The most famous gorge is the valley of the death in Kato Zakros.