Frangokastelo

Frangokastelo is on the South side of Crete, 13 kilometers East of Sfakia and West of Plakia. It is a magnificent fortress of 1371 that was built by the Venetians as a defense against pirates and rebel Sfakiots, who resented the Venetian occupation as much as they did the Turkish.  It was here in 1770 that Ioannis Daskalogiannis surrendered to the Turks. On 1828 many Cretan rebels, led by Hadzi Mihalis Dalanis, were killed here by the Turks. Legend has it that at dawn each anniversary the ghosts “Drosoulites” of Hadzi Mihalis Dalanis and his followers can be seen riding along the beach. The castle overlooks a gently sloping sandy beach where you can find unspoilt taverns and cafeterias.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Explore More...

Chania City

Chania is unreservedly Crete’s most evocative city. At the Venetian port, the light house is the most familiar picture when someone refers to this city. This

Minoan – Mycenaean Crete

Crete was the centre of Europe’s most ancient civilization, the Minoans. Tablets inscribed in Linear A have been found in numerous sites in Crete, and a few in

Elafonisi

Elafonisi

Elafonisi is one of the loveliest sand beaches in Crete. At the southern extremity of Crete’s west coast, the beach is long separated from the Elafonisi

Vai Beach

Vai, or more specifically the palm forest of Vai, is one of the most popular sights in Crete and one of the most beautiful and

Pleveli Beach

Preveli with its riverside palm-groves (burnt in the summer 2010, but regenerated at the moment) is one of the most famous and beloved beaches in

Routes of Wine in Crete

Rent a Car and meet the Routes of Wine in Crete The “wine roads” of the Heraklion Prefecture lead visitors to age-old vineyards, historical villages,

Matala

At 66 kilometers south of Heraklion, the beach of Matala, on the southern coast of Crete, was the site of summer celebrations in honor of

Falasarna

Falasarna is 16 kilometers west of Kissamos. Visitors prefer the long, wide stretch of sandy beach, which is considered one of the best in Crete. It

Phaistos Palace

The Minoan site of Phaistos is 63 kilometers south of Heraklion city. This was the second most important palatial city in all of Minoan Crete. The layout