- 1. Golden Beach, Lassithi
- 2. Myrtos Beach
- 1. Sarakina Gorge
- 2. Pyrgos of Myrtos
- 3. Minoan Archaeological Site
- 4. Fournou Korfi
- 1. Scuba Diving Center
- 2. Selakanou Forest
Ideal location in Myrtos
Esperides Hotel is located in the prefecture of Lassithi, Crete, opposite the island of Golden Beach (Gaidouronisi), 14 km west of Ierapetra and 80 km southwest of Heraklion. The hotel can be reached either by car or by using public transport (KTEL).
By car, it is just over an hour away from Heraklion if you follow the southern road axis (Kazantzidis avenue - national road to Arkalochori) or three and a half hours from Chania. If you start from Agios Nikolaos, it will take you just 45 minutes, while from Ierapetra it will take only 15 minutes. For the bus timetable click on the following link: www.ktel.org.
If you are not staying in Crete, you can visit the following links to find out about the ferry lines and ferry schedules, either to the port of Heraklion or to the port of Chania:
Minoan Boat Lines
Anek Boat Lines
You can still visit our island by plane to the airport "N. Kazantzakis" in Heraklion or the airport "K. Daskalogiannis" of Chania. We would advise you to book your tickets as soon as possible so that you can take advantage of the discounts and offers of the airlines. Below you will find links to some of them:
Aegean Airlines
Cyprus Airways
Olympic Airlines
Ryan Air
Correndon
Useful distances
Myrtos is a special village, willing to host couples of all ages, families with children, also of all ages, eccentric groups of artists, people of letters and art. In Myrtos, events with live music, dancing, food and drink take place in its taverns and restaurants on a weekly basis, while events take place during the summer months - mid-July to the end of August - in public places under the auspices of the Cultural Association of the community of Myrtos "Sarantapigos", and the Ierapetra Cultural Association. Furthermore, the natural beauties of Myrtos and the surrounding area are admirable. A wide range is offered from Minoan Antiquities at a distance of 500 meters from the center, to charming gorges and interesting routes in mountains and slopes, for aspiring walkers, runners or cyclists. Of course, we could not fail to make special mention of the crystal clear sea of Myrtos! The beach is awarded every year by the international "Blue Flag" program, which is an important incentive for the loggerhead turtles that enthusiastically visit it to lay their eggs.
The beach of Myrtos is located in front of the settlement, spreads over a large area and is one of the most beautiful in southern Crete. The beach is preferred mainly for family vacations. It is organized with a sailing school, lifeguard, umbrellas, showers, locker rooms, cafes and restaurants while there is infrastructure for water sports and beach volley. If you continue west, the width of the beach grows and becomes calmer.
Chrysi or Gaidouronisi, is located 8 nautical miles south of Ierapetra and has a length of up to 5 km and an average width of about 1 km. The impression that is created on someone who visits Chrysi, is that he is on an exotic island. Its beaches have white and blonde sand, while they are colored pink from the fragments of shells that are scattered in many places. Their waters are crystalline and clear with a turquoise hue. In Chrysi, a fairly large cedar forest survives, covering an area of 350 acres, with large, impressive cedars. The whole island has joined the European program for the protection of natural landscaping NATURA 2000 and is protected by Greek law. 49 species of fossils have been found on the volcanic rocks of the island.
Sarakina is located a stone's throw from the coastal village of Myrtos, where the estuary of Kriopotamos flows through the gorge. It is considered by many as the most beautiful walking gorge in Crete and they are probably not wrong. The length of the gorge is only one and a half kilometers but in this short route the visitor will encounter an incredible wonder of Cretan nature, a sculpture that created the water in the millions of years that erodes the rock with its passage. What is impressive in Sarakina is the large amount of water that flows almost all year round, creating waterfalls of unique beauty and many ponds for swimming even during the summer. It takes only an hour to walk to Sarakina from the beginning to the exit and there is a path that passes under rocks that form natural bridges and narrow points.
The Tower is located at the exit of Myrtos to Ierapetra, next to the riverbed. The Minoan settlement in Pyrgos flourished from 2200 to 1450 BC. At the top of the hill is a luxurious building built according to the architectural principles of the Minoan palaces, while around it are the other houses of the settlement, the workshops and the The building at the top of the Tower was obviously the residence of the lord of the settlement. It has a central courtyard, skylights, a paved staircase that led to the second or even third floor, a water tank and in some places there are traces of murals. The pottery finds in the Tower are elaborate and are painted with spirals or plant and marine themes.