Παραδοσιακή Βίλα στην Κρήτη

Kalami Village

The small village Kalami is located in Apokoronas, at the entrance of Souda Bay and on the slope of a hill. Downhill is the the beautiful beach of Kalami where you can swim. Within the village there is a traditional cafe and a tavern where you can  drink coffee or raki and taste the local food enjoying the magnificent view to the bay and the isle of Souda.

 

Islet of Souda – Fortezza Fortress

Islet Souda from Koules fortress

There was a monastery of St. Nicolas on the islet before it was fortified. The islet was called "Fraronisi" until it was fortified, when it was renamed "Souda" after the gulf. On the larger island the Venetians constructed one of the greatest fortresses of Crete, to protect the gulf from enemies and pirates.  The art of fortification was applied in its excellence on this building, which resisted the attacks of the Turkish army for many years. The fortress remained in the possession of the Venetians for half a century after the invasion of Crete by the Turkish army and was used as a refuge for convicted revolutionaries, until it was finally surrendered to the Turks with a treaty in 1715.

From the 14^th century there was a fortress on the islet. The constructions started in 1573 by the Venetians, in an effort to reinforce the defense of the port. However, the constructions alone could not solve the problem of security. The military experts had requested complementary defense constructions in other crucial parts of the gulf, which were completed due mainly to high cost.

After many years of systematic efforts, the request of the local community was satisfied and the islet of Souda was free of military supervision. In the end of spring 2007, visitors were allowed on the islet twice a week, with the cooperation of the naval yard of Crete, the 28^th Commission of Byzantine Antiquities and the municipality of Souda. Transportation is available from the port of Souda.

The fortress of Intzedin

The seaside village of Kalives and in the depth is located Almyrida

Many people passed and suffered in the medieval, dark and hostile prison cells of Intzedin. The last role of the fortress, as a place of imprisonment of political prisoners whose only crime was to fight for their ideas and for democracy, became an inspiration for literary works and for the film industry. The movies "the Days of 36" and "the Stone Years" include references and shots from the fortress of "Intzedin".

Kalyves Village and Almyrida

Kalives is a large, touristy village, located right on the sea front of Souda Bay. There are several nice sandy beaches and tavernas. A bit further east you arrive in Almyrida, with another sandy beach and shallow waters.

Ancient town of Aptera

Traditional path in Vamos

The ancient town was founded in the 7th century BC and used to be one of the most important towns of Crete during that era. Today you can still visit the preserved old town walls, the ruins of an ancient temple for Dimitra, a roman theatre and the huge roman water reservoirs.
In the area we can also find the monastery of Agios Jannis Theologos, built in the 12th century.

Vamos

Vamos is the capital of the Apokoronas area. In 1995, a number of locals started an initiative to preserve the traditions of the area, and with the support of European Union grants they have very much improved the general image and appearance of the area. Vamos is situated at the foot of the Mandaras mountains, it is a traditional village that impresses the visitor with its beauty and the hospitality of the locals. Traditional old houses with their gardens, traditional kafenions and tiny little cobble streets, form the character of the village.