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Lasithi is the thriving tourist destination of Crete. The resorts of Elounda are among the best known of Crete with several luxury hotels and club resorts. The natural beauty of the region is depicted in the plateau of Lasithi as well as in the tropical scenery of Vai with a palm trees forest spreading along with a white sandy beach with aquamarine sea waters.
The ancient city of Lato which flourished in the Archaic and Classical times was situated in the same place where the city of Agios Nikolaos is. The name of the city was given by the church of Saint Nicholas, one of the oldest in Crete with Byzantine frescoes dating back in the 8th century. In 1206 Genoese pirates built the fortress of Mirabello which passed under the Venetians. Later on, the region of Lassithi went under the Ottoman Rule as the rest of the Crete.Lasithi is the easternmost region of Crete receiving far fewer visitors than the rest of Crete, but the exclusive resorts around Elounda and Agios Nikolaos are the stronghold of Crete’s tourism. Lasithi is west to Rethymnon and is surrounded by the Cretan Sea on the north, the Carpathian Sea on the east and the Libyan Sea on the south. The capital city of the region is Agios Nikolaos while Ierapetra and Sitia are important towns.
The fertile Lasithi Plateau provides excellent cycling opportunities through quiet rural villages. Other main attractions are the famous palm forest and beach at Vai and the Minoan palace of Zakros. Agios Nicholas is a very cosmopolitan city with a strong tourism activity. Ierapetra is the southernmost city in both Greece and Europe. The city has many hotels, rooms and taverns. Around the port there are several restaurants and there are boat excursions to Gaidouronissi island. Sitia, because of its location, is remote from the rest of Crete and has developed a different character from the rest of the island. -
Map for Lasithi