Agios Nikolaos, a picturesque town in East Crete with a cosmopolitan feel...
This Agios Nikolaos page is from the Towns and Villages of Crete section of the Completely Crete website. Agios Nikolaos (alternative spellings Aghios Nikolaos, Ayios Nikolaos) is the capital town of the prefecture of Lassithi on the Greek Island of Crete. This lovely town retains a traditional, quaint and tranquil fishing town lifestyle, which hasn't lost any of its charm despite the vibrant tourist industry. The pretty town lies east of the island's capital Heraklion, north of the town of Ierapetra and west of the town of Sitia.
Voulismeni Lake A famous central landmark of the town is Agios Nikolaos lake, known as "Voulismeni". According to Greek Mythology, the goddesses Athena and Artemis bathed in the lake that is supposedly bottomless. It is an especially charming location with many open-air cafes and restaurants along the bank. Small fishing boats bob gently alongside ducks and geese on the lake and add character and atmosphere to this relaxing location. Try an ice-cold café frappe here as you sit watching the world go by. Byzantine Chapel
The town is named after the charming 7th century Byzantine chapel of St. Nicholas, erected on the spot called "Nissi" during the 7th century AD, with its bell tower, drum and dome. The chapel has a number of well-preserved frescoes of the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries and rewards its visitors with a breathtaking view of the town and bay.
Agios Nikolaos Marina
Jewellery Shopping
Shopping is also a lot of fun in Aghios Nikolaos with many quaint shops selling local ethnic products like honey, herbs and spices and olive oil. Of particular note are the gold and silver jewellery shops. Many of which have their own goldsmiths busily crafting in their workshops at the rear creating beautiful designs that glisten and glitter in the front showrooms.
There are a number of brilliant beaches around the town including Aghios Nikolaos Beach which is included in our Best Beaches Guide. Spinalonga Leper Island
Click here to learn about this intriguing Spinalonga Island.
Two museums of note are found in Agios Nikoloas.
The Folk Museum of Aghios Nikolaos is where you can see some fine examples of Folk Art And Creative Crafts including lace making, Cretan embroidery and weaving. The small Folk Museum of Agios Nikolaos can be found at the Port Authority’s building next to the Tourist Information Office beside the bridge of the canal connecting the Voulismeni Lake with the sea.
Agios Nikolaos is accessible from the mainland and the whole of Europe through Nikos Kazantzakis airport at Iraklion, and the many daily ferry services in Heraklion. Two ships connect Aghios Nikolaos daily with the ports of Piraeus and the Dodecanese. Check out Flights to Crete There are a number of really good car rental companies in and around the Aghios Nikolaos area that can give you the freedom to explore the east Crete. A brilliant and cheap bus service KTEL connects Agios Nikolaos with many of the villages of eastern Crete including Istron, Kalo Horio, Kritsa, Sissi, Amoudara and Elounda. Staying in Agios Nikolaos The excellent and varied choice of accomodation in and around Aghios Nikolaos makes this beautiful town the perfect place to stay for a holiday in Crete. A wide range of top luxury hotels, waterside hotels, suites and comfortable apartments and studios are available in this picturesque town. Living in Crete If you are thinking about buying a property in Crete you will find some excellent real estate agencies to help you with your choice. Whether you are looking for a permanent home and hoping to be living in Crete, thinking about buying a holiday home in Crete or an investment property there are some really good and inexpensive Crete properties for sale on this the biggest and best Greek Island. Check out our Crete Property Guides for property throughout the island.
If you love Crete then you'll love the romantic Greek island of Santorini. Visit our sister site of Simply Santorini. Com for all you'll need to know about Santorini. To our Crete Property Page
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The town has a wonderful international marina and port with many large yachts mooring here. You'll often see large cruise liners at the harbour, unloading their cargo of tourists and day trippers, to fill the bars and restaurants around the lake and the bay. You can enjoy a gentle stroll around this beautiful marina and harbour, enjoying the sights and sounds of a busy port.
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An Agios Nikolaos museum to visit is the Archaeological Museum of Aghios Nikolaos is a light and airy building housing tastefully exhibited collections of Minoan artefacts from the eastern side of Crete. The Museum houses archaeological findings from the cemetery of Aghia Photia, dating back to 2300 BC. The collection includes more than 1500 vases. Together with the Minoan treasures, the Museum also exhibits the skull of a young Roman athlete, adorned with a gold olive-leaf wreath dated to the 1st century AD.
