The main port of entry is Heraklion, and direct flights operate to there from many UK and continental European airports during the summer season (approximately April to October).

To find cheap flights to Heraklion, select your preferred departure airport on the map below, then click on "SHOW FLIGHTS". If no map is displayed in your browser, click the link for "Cheap Flights to Heraklion, Crete"

Crete is the largest island of Greece and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean, it is situated approximately 175 km south of Athens and is divided into the four prefectures of Hania, Rethimno, Iraklio and Lasithi. It has an area of about 8300 sq km. The island is elongated, measuring 260 km long from east to west and between 15 and 60 km North to South.

The coastline is over 1000 km long and is extremely varied in its characteristics, consisting of both sandy and rocky beaches and majestic mountainous scenery. The high mountains are a characteristic of the Cretan landscape and form three mountain complexes, each with their own distinctive 'personality' between which lie semi-mountainous zones which form the greater coverage of the island.

The eastern corner of Crete is known as being the most uncpoilt area of the island. It has a great deal more to offer than "sun, sea and sand", it offers a real insight into the way the Cretan people live. It is therefore ideal for the individual traveler.

Eastern Crete is one of the safest areas in the world, the criminality rate has always been particularly low, almost naught. The experts claim that here you should search for the different, calm and smiley landscape of eastern Crete!

A journey to Sitia is a pilgrimage, to the springs of the European civilization!

The Minoan civilization, as known, is the first high level civilization on European ground and you find the first hubs and harbors of this civilization here at the Eastern Crete in Ζakros and Palaikastro in Mochlos and Psira. Many charming and ancient myths take reference on these places.

Zeus the king of gods, according to the myth in the form of a shining bull abducted Europa the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician King put her on his back, and carried her by the sea to Crete and let her on the seashore somewhere near Palekastro and Vai to rest and then they continued their trip to the Sanctuary of Dictean Zeus and Gortyna.

Τhe municipality of Itanos is situated at the East Coast of Crete. It is based in Palekastro, a small town 19 km from Sitia. Τhe overall area hosts important archaeological sites and spots of unique natural beauty marking this region as one of the last virgin destinations for holidays. Αt this district are also submitted the settlements Kato Zakros, Agathias, Vai, Mirtidia, Lidia, Chochlakies, the Toplou Monastery, the area of Itanos, Agios Nikolaos, Agios Spiridonas, Vagias, Kalamaki and Analoukas.

- The nature of Eastern Crete remains rich and virgin

- There are many expanded candidate "NATURA areas"

- Numerous sites of exceptional natural beauty

- Rare geological forms and sights of geological  development

- Ten (10) large gorges and geological crevices

- Three hundred (300) caves of great interest

- Two thousand one hundred (2100) species of self-sown plants, 300 are endemic and there are many aromatic or medicinal plants

- Α great number of rare animal and bird species. Here  you can find the biggest colony in the world of the Eleanor's falcon (FALCO DΕ ELEONORA)

- The richest and purest sea biotope in the Aegean (Northern of Psiros island) where even corals grow.

Αnzel Keys' renowned study of seven countries, which was published in 1980, revealed that the health level of Cretans was the highest in the world. Cancers and cardio-circulatory disease were rare, since out of 100.000 people on Crete, there were only 9 deaths attributed to these diseases as opposed to 466 in Finland. It was further proven that this was largely due to the dietary habits of the Cretan, people, whose basic ingredient is olive oil.