Palekastro Village
Palekastro is a small village at the east end of the mediterranean island Crete. It stands on historical soil. Already at Minoan times the region was a centre of trade. The port of Itanos which is today several meters under the water line shows an impressive certification. And the very extensive Minoan commercial settlement Roussolakkos close to the Chiona beach, excavated by English archaeologists, proves that the region was obviously one of the most important commercial centres of the Minoan culture in the extreme east of the island of Crete.
The village remains exempted from the mass tourism. Still the main business of the app. 1100 inhabitants is agriculture. They cultivate olives and wine, there a still a few fisherman. Commercial fishing however is hard these days due to the substantial over fishing of the Mediterranean Sea. Tourism is supplementary income and it probably will remain.
At the east edge of the village visible from far away there’s the flat hill called Kastri. This mountain gave Palekastro its name in the middle ages when the region was dominated by the sovereign power of Venice. On the flat summit they had established a fortress. In the course of the centuries the stones were cleared away and used by the people of the region to build houses. Take a walk up there (app. 30 minutes from Chiona or Kouremenos) and enjoy a unique view over the village, the beaches and the mountains.
My boyfriend and I had a lovely stay at the hotel Ostria last year. We had underestimated the July heat in Crete, so taking a lazy breakfast in the cool and very cute breakfast room was just the ticket. The breakfast is good. The family who own the hotel are extremely helpful. The stylish Ostria Hotel is an excellent base for exploring the surrounding region in East Crete.
There are also some nice places to eat in the charming streets in the village, close to the hotel. Enjoy!