IERAPETRA
Have a look at the sights in the centre of Ierapetra. The Bus Station
The artificial lake Navmachia
The Museum
The Mosque
The Open-air Market
The Harbour
The Promenade The Port Our school, 1st EPAL Ierapetra’s Napoleon’s House
The beach Apovathra The Fortress The Dolphin
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Ierapetra Ierapetra is situated on the southeast coast and is the fourth largest town on Crete with about 20.000 inhabitants. It has the reputation of being the southernmost town in Europe. It is the warmest city in Greece with an average annual temperature of 20.1oC. It is Greece’s and probably Europe’s sunniest town. The history of Ierapetra begins in the early years of the ancient Cretan civilization. Its strategic location attracted many conquerors and invaders: Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, Venetians and Turks. All of them leaving something from their culture behind. In Ierapetra today, large quantities of vegetables are produced, which are grown in greenhouses (a total area of 13.000.000 square meters) . They are exported to the whole of Europe. There is also considerable income from fishing. In summer many people work with tourism. Ierapetra offers a variety of facilities like: cafes, restaurants, banks, hospital. There are many nice hotels and every year a lot of tourists come to visit. Most of them are Russian. Ierapetra has a lot to offer to its visitors. You can have a quiet, peaceful holiday and enjoy our beautiful nature, the sunshine, the beaches and the traditional Cretan atmosphere, or you can enjoy the nightlife in cafes, bars and the local types of tavernas, where they serve raki(an alcoholic drink), called rakadika.
The Fortress The Venetian Fortress, “Kales�, is located at the entrance of the harbour in the Old Town of Ierapetra. It was built in the 13th century by the Venetians. It can be visited every day of the year and there is no entrance fee.
The Mosque The Mosque is situated in the Old Town of Ierapetra. It was built in the end of the 19th century by the Turks. Opposite it there is a Muslim fountain. They have both been restored and the mosque is currently used for cultural events.
The Museum The Museum was founded at the end of the 19th century during the Turkish occupation, and after having been housed in many places, it is now housed in the building of the Commercial Ottoman School in the centre of Ierapetra. The collections that are found there include Minoan art, geometric figurines and vases, Archaic art, Classical and Hellenistic figurines and vases and Roman reliefs and statues.
NapoleoN’s House Napoleon’s house is situated in the Old Town of Ierapetra. According to tradition, Napoleon stayed here for one night in July 1798 during his campaign against Egypt. Napoleon Bonaparte is told to have asked a family to host him without telling them who he was. When he got up in the morning, he left a note saying in French:” If you want to know who your stranger was, I am Napoleon Bonaparte”.
Apovathra Apovathra is a very beautiful beach in the centre of Ierapetra. There are many popular fish restaurants and cafes there. Early in the morning the waters are crystal clear and many local people go swimming even in the winter. Swimming and sunbathing here is very relaxing. You have a view of the Fortress, of the boats leaving for the island Chrissi, of the Promenade and the beach reaching the cliffs in Peristeras.
Open air Market Every Saturday morning there is an open air market in Ierapetra. You can buy fresh local products there but also clothes and other things.
The artificial lake Navmachia.
The Museum The Mosque
The Harbour
The Pedestrian Street
Old Town Napoleon’s House
Our school. We will start our walk here.
The Dolphin
The Port
The Fortress
The beach “Apovathra”.
Our last stop for a nice cup of coffee.
The day will start from our school. We will walk along the promenade, see the sights and finally enjoy a cup of coffee in one of the coffee shops. Walking along the promenade we will have a look in the souvenir shops and see the ‘Dolphin which is next to the Police Department. Near there is the port with its vessels ready to depart and take you to an island so unique like no other in the Libyan sea. Chrissi island or as the locals call it Gaidouronisi, is one of the few islands in south Europe protected as an area of intense natural beauty. Moreover, the island hosts one of the largest juniperus macrocarpa forests in Europe with trees aged on average at around 200 years.
A bit further away is Apovathra. It is an organized beach very crowded with one bar .The water of the sea is warm. In the Old Town we will see Nepoleo’s House. Napoleon spent a night here in 1798. Then we will see the greatest attraction in Ierapetra. The Fortress. It was built by the Venetians. It has suffered many losses from wars and earthquakes but remains strong. Then we will see the harbor with its fishing boats. Our next stop is the Mosque. It was built during the Turkish occupation. To the west lies Navmachia, an artificial lake constructed in the 1990’s. In the town center lies the city’s museum. It was built at the end of the previous century while Crete was under the commands of the Turkish Empire. It hosts mostly finding of the Minoan civilianization which prospered in Crete. Amphoras, statues and even some sarcophaguses are exhibited behind its doors. Then we will walk along Ierapetra’s pedestrian street and have a look at the shops and maybe buy something. Our walk will end in one of the coffee shops on the promenade where we will have a nice cup of coffee or a cold frappe, an ice cold coffee drunk with a straw. Finally we will relax looking at the deep blue sea and breathe the light breeze coming from it.
Eastern Crete There are many interesting places near Ierapetra you can visit. Here we present some of them. The Palm Tree Forest of Vai Agios Nikolaos
Pachia Ammos
Gournia
Makri Gialos
Myrtos
Peristeras The Ha Gorge
Bramiana Lake
Chrissi Island
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Koutsounari
Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos is the capital of the region of Lasithi. It is a beautiful town with about 20000 inhabitants. There are a lot of bars, restaurants and shops there.
Nearby places of interest There are many villages to visit near Ierapetra: Pachia Ammos, Mirtos and Episkopi are some of them. Pachia Ammos is a very beautiful village with a long beach. There are many restaurants there, where you can enjoy traditional food.
Pachia Ammos and the Ha Gorge
Gournia Near the village of Pachia Ammos there is the archeological site of Gournia. It is the ruins of an ancient Minoan town.
The Ha Gorge The Ha Gorge is a gorge on the eastern part of the island of Crete in Greece. It is located on the the west slope of Thrypti mountain, east of the village Vasiliki in the plain of Ierapetra. The gorge is about 1,5 km long, particularly narrow at several points and has walls rising up to 300m. Its name derives from the verb “hasko� meaning to open or to gape. The Ha Gorge is considered to be one of the wildest gorges on Crete and one of the most difficult to cross.
For more information about the Ha Gorge: http://www.ierapetra.gr/En/OurMunicipality/Siteseing/Hagorge/tabid/124/language/ruRU/Default.aspx
The Dam The artificial dam Bramianon was constructed in 1986. It is located northwest of the town of Ierapetra, 5 km away. Farmers use it for irrigation. It has also become an important wetland and stopping point for migratory birds as it is the only place in the area where they can stop and rest.
Chrissi Island Chrissi island ( in Greek “golden”) is an uninhabited Greek island approximately 15 kilometres south of Ierapetra. It’s a beautiful island with exotic and golden beaches.
For more information about Chrissi Island: http://www.ierapetra.net/chrissi.html
Here are a few suggestions where you can eat if you come to visit Ierapetra. We tried to choose different kinds of eating places so that everybody can find a place they like. There are of course many more places where you can eat.
Special
Picantiko
Siciliana Aperitton Pizza Family
Gorgona Napoleon
Kokos
Aperitton CafĂŠ If you want to combine food and coffee you can go to Aperitton. It is a cafĂŠ but it also serves hot and cold snacks. It is situated on the Promenade and you have a beautiful view of the sea. Some of the things served here are: sandwiches, ice-cream, crepes, waffles and chocolate cake.
Galera
Galera Galera is a beautiful restaurant near Petra Mare Hotel. It serves traditional food like mousaka and dolmadakia and drinks like raki and wine. Every Saturday evening they play traditional Cretan live music.
Gorgona Gorgona, mermaid, is a fish restaurant but you can also eat meat here. It is situated by the sea, near the beach Apovathra. It is open all day.
Gorgona
Kokos Kokos is an ouzeri. Here you can drink ouzo, raki, wine but also coffee. This pleasant place is situated near the Fortress. It has got nice surroundings and a beautiful view of the sea and the Fortress. The food served is traditional Cretan dishes and Greek cuisine. Everything is homemade by “mama Ioanna�. In the summer you can go for a swim, the restaurant is practically on the beach, and then eat lunch here.
Napoleon This fine restaurant is situated in the centre of Ierapetra near the sea. The Napoleon restaurant Napoleon serves fresh fish caught by local fishermen and traditional dishes of the Cretan cuisine. These dishes could be combined with local red or white wine or raki, the favourite traditional alcoholic drink of Cretan people. After your meal you can enjoy the view of the beach Apovathra or go for a walk in the old, narrow streets of the old town of Ierapetra.
Picantiko If you don’t want to eat traditional food in a tavern, you can go to Picantiko. It is located in the centre of Ierapetra opposite the old market. Here you can buy cheese pie, spinach pie, doughnuts with sugar or chocolate, croissants and many other snacks. There are tables if you want to sit here but you can take your food with you and sit on a bench and look at the sea.
Outdoor eating area right by the beach.
Pizza Family Pizza Family is a pizzeria in the square where the Mosque is. Here you can eat pizza and pasta. The food is excellent and the surroundings beautiful.
Pizza Family
Siciliana If you want to eat pizza, Siciliana is the place to go. If your friends don’t want to eat pizza , Siciliana is the place to go again. This seaside restaurant offers a big variety of dishes, from fish to crepes, and can satisfy all tastes. Both tourists and local people enjoy the food and the view.
Special When you don’t have time to eat in a restaurant and you want to eat something that will make you feel full, you should go to Special. It is a gyros place near the Promenade. Gyros is grilled meat in pita bread with tzatziki, tomato, onion and French fries. But it also serves chicken, hamburgers and souvlaki.
Siciliana
Local Specialities on Crete These are some of the local specialities you should try when you visit Crete.
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Cretan Barley Rusk The famous barley rusk, or dako, is probably the Cretan national dish. Softened in water and soaked in oil and tomato it is very good for the digestion as well as being extremely tasty. It is also very easy to make.
Preparation: First soften the rusk in water. Then grate the tomatoes. Put salt and olive oil on the rusk. Put the grated tomatoes on the rusk. Put salt and olive oil on the tomatoes. Put feta cheese on the tomatoes and sprinkle with oregano. Decorate with an olive.
IERAPETRA The sights of Ierapetra can be seen on every day of the year, but some days offer more to a visitor. They offer sights into the lives, customs and traditions of the people living here. Here are some of those days. 28th October, National Holiday On 28th October every year there is a parade in Ierapetra. It is held to celebrate the great "NO" the Greeks said when the Italians wanted to invade Greece in 1940 during the Second World War. Schools and other organisations take part in the parade.
Here you can see the students from our school carrying the Greek flag and the people of Ierapetra clapping their hands.
6th January, Epiphany Every year on 6th January the citizens of Ierapetra go to the harbour to take part in the religious celebration of Epiphany. In the big boat you can see the priest that has just thrown a wooden cross into the sea. In the water you can see the swimmers, usually men, that have dived into the sea to catch the cross.
This is the man that managed to catch the cross in 2014. He was walking around the town with the cross and people kissed it and gave him money. Here he is in a cafe on the promenade. He was happy to pose for a photo.
30th January, Celebration of the Three Holy Men The Three Holy Men are the protectors of letters and of students. That is why the 30th of January is a school holiday. It is not obligatory for students to come to school. Those who come, go to church and when they come back they get a bun, a kind of sweet bread.
These are the buns.
Carnival Festivities, "Burnt Food Thursday" The Thursday two weeks before the carnival weekend is called "Burnt Food Thursday" and people all over Crete and the rest of Greece eat grilled food. Wherever you go you smell grilled meat. Some people wear carnival costumes. Here the students are getting ready to play Cretan music. The parents association have prepared a small feast with music and souvlaki (meat on a stick) for the students.
How about a souvlaki?
Carnival Sunday On Canival Sunday festivities take place all over Greece. In Ierapetra a parade is organised on one of the main streets of the town. Different clubs and societies take part in the parade and the people of Ierapetra watch them pass. Here you can see photos from the parade.
Clean Monday The Monday after Carnival Sunday is called Clean Monday. It is the first day of of the 50-day fasting period before Easter. On this day people eat fasting food (that is, no meat and no dairy products)and a traditional kind of bread called "lagana". You are also supposed to fly a kite on this day. When the weather is nice you see kites in the sky as far as your eyes can see.
Lagana.
Kites in the sky.
25th March, National Holiday On 25th March we celebrate the liberation from the Turks. There is a big parade in Ierapetra in which schools and different organisations take part . Here you can see the students from our school.
Easter, religious holiday. Easter is the most important celebration in the Greek-Orthodox church. The week before Easter is called the Great Week. There is a mass in church twice a day, morning and evening. On Great Thursday eggs are dyed red and on Great Saturday a special sweet bread, tsoureki, is baked. On Good Friday, the epitaph, Christ's "coffin", is decorated with flowers. In the evening, strong men carry the epitaph along the streets of the parish followed by people holding a candle, until the epitaphs from all the churches of Ierapetra meet in the town square. At midnight on Great Saturday, everybody goes to church to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. They hold a candle to take the holy light home. When they return home they eat a special soup, magiritsa, and they chink the red eggs to see which one is the strongest. On Easter Sunday most people eat lamb, grilled on a spit over the fire.
Easter Fun Fair For about two weeks around Easter a Fun Fair comes to Ierapetra. It is set up on the empty lot outside our school and for this short period it becomes a meeting point for children and teenagers.
Mayday Every year on 1st May friends and relatives get together to celebrate spring. Wherever they choose to have their picnic, on the mountain or on the beach, there is only one thing that they have to do:" catch May". That means that they pick wild flowers to make a wreath.