17°C
By Cape Trachilos in a small bay is Gerontolakos beach, or Aghios Nikolaos as it can be called. The last is from a small church – with its blue dome, it sits on a hill behind the beach. The beach has sand, and shallow blue waters.
Here too are rooms to rent and some tavernas. Close by the Aghios Nikolaos church, you will come across the ruins of Ambelos, a city-state of the Hellenistic period.
Argilos beach, next to Gerontolakos, is a small bay that has sand and shallow blue-green waters. As its name suggest, the rock surrounding it contains clays. So when you are here, as well as the bathing, do try the therapeutic mud-baths available, courtesy of Nature!
Sandy, it has very clear shallow blue waters.
There is no organization, but once more nearby are rooms to rent and taverns for food and drink.
Here is a long, sandy beach with shallow, turquoise waters and some small sand-dunes. The beach here is a perfect destination for peace and quiet, also for those desirous of spearfishing in the cave formations that surround the beach.
The village of Xerokampos and its environs provide plentiful tavernas and rooms to rent. Whilst more shops can be found at Zakros.
To get here from Siteia, take the road east to Palaikastro, and then on to Zakros. Outside of Zakros is a road-junction where you turn right on the road for Xerokampos (turn left for Zakros and the Minoan Palace).
Alternatively there is a road from Siteia to Ierapetra: from it turn off to Ziros, and then on to Xerokampos. The second route goes through some abandoned villages and close to the Lamnonios Gorge.
For those who like hiking, a pathway from Aghia Irini takes you to Xerokampos in 2 hours.
North of Xerokampos is the Limni tou Alatiou (the Salt Lake): it is a large salt lake near the sea. Up to 1965 salt was extracted from it. On the beach is a complex of coastal saltworks, by which the locals in the Hellenistic era extracted and traded in salt.
Today it is an important eco-habitat, a shelter for migrating birds, such as the flamingo, and other fauna. The beach is sandy, with shallow clear water; in the winter the lake floods and becomes a small sea-lagoon.
Continuing the tour of the Xerokampos beaches, the next one one meets to the north is that of Alona.
A rather amazing beach, with sand and blue-green crystalline shallow waters, surrounded by rocks. Utterly deserted, not a tree will you find, only some dunes .. and the rare white sea-lily that grows on them and blossoms at the summer’s end.
The loggerhead turtle (Karetta karetta) comes ashore here to lay her eggs, as is the case with many of these local beaches.
This sits at the end of a small fjord-like cove. Small and pebbly, secluded and isolated, it has blue-green crystalline waters, which the nudists are keen on. It is not organized. To get there, a boat is needed or a steep climb down an earthern eminence.
Αμμώδης, Βότσαλο
Ναι
Ναι
Όχι
Σε ορισμένα σημεία
The Rural Greece is an online portal that connects travellers with unique destinations and local businesses in the countryside, offering authentic experiences through activities that highlight nature, traditions and culture.
For the Rural Greece accessibility is fundamental to enhancing an inclusive tourism experience. Following the principles of inclusion and equality, the epaithros Rural Tourism Network and its member businesses are constantly working to enhance the tourism services provided, ensuring that all visitors have the opportunity to experience the authentic beauty of the Greek countryside.
Sustainability in tourism refers to a way of developing tourism that respects and protects the environment while strengthening the local economy and preserving cultural traditions. The aim of sustainable tourism is to provide unique and authentic experiences for visitors without harming the natural and social environment, while ensuring that local communities benefit from tourism activity.
This type of tourism is based on three pillars:
With sustainable tourism, visitors can have authentic experiences, knowing that the impact of tourism on the region is positive and lasting for future generations.
For Rural Greece, localism is one of the most important factors for the development of sustainable tourism, as it promotes a strong link between the tourism product and the local society, economy and culture. Through localism, visitors get the opportunity to explore authentic elements of the destination, such as local products, traditions and culture. This not only boosts the local economy, but also helps to sustain and strengthen local businesses, creating new jobs and supporting the development of local communities.
Furthermore, localism contributes to the sustainability of the tourism sector, as it reduces the use of resources from other regions and encourages the use of local goods and services, reducing the ecological footprint of tourism activities. Thus, integrating localism into tourism practices enhances sustainability awareness, both among visitors and local businesses, creating a more responsible and sustainable tourism destination.
