Lasithi: Crete’s most eastern regional unit. Is surrounded by the sea from three different sides, where it meets the Cretan, Karpathian and Libyan sea. In Lasithi a traveller can find everything, beautiful natural scenery, history, distinct beaches and nightlife.
1. Agios Nikolaos: It is considered the capital of the region. It is a very graphic city, you can wander through its alleys, do your shopping, have a nice meal or drink a cocktail around the lake that is the centre of the city and later on you can get familiar with the local nightlife. Lake Voulismeni is famous in Crete because of the two urban legends that accompany it. Firstly it is said that the lake has no bottom and whoever dives in it will be lost. Secondly that the lake is connected to the Santorini volcano because during the last volcano explosion the lake water expanded and flooded the surrounding shops.
2. Spinalonga: It is a small island across Elounda. In 1905 it was used as a leper colony where they took the lepers to be isolated and they were forbidden to leave the place. In 1957 it was shut down because all the remaining people have cured thanks to antibiotic drugs. Since then it functions as a tourist attraction for those who want to get a taste of what people went through at that time who despite their troubles had created their own society and tried to continue their lives normally.
3. Vai Palm Forest: It is a protected natural area because of the specific kind of palm – Cretan date palm, which is known from the Minoan era and is called Theofrasto’s palm. This location is really important not only for its magnificent beach but also for its uniqueness since that specific kind of palm doesn’t exist anywhere else in Europe.
4. Chrysi: It is an island across Ierapetra, that is uninhabited. It is surrounded by many beaches with turquoise water and golden sand that’s why it is called Chrysi (golden in Greek). There is a cedar forest that reaches 200 years of age and is the largest cedar forest in Europe. It has been declared an area of intense natural beauty and because of that gathering sand and seashells is forbidden.
