The last of the four prefectures occupies the eastern part of Crete. Due to its all-year round mild climate and excellent beaches this prefecture contains some of the best resorts on the island, like Agios Nikolaos, the capital of the prefecture, and Elounda but also other towns such as Ierapetra and Sitia.

Ag. Nikolaos
Ag. Nikolaos built on the north-western side of the Mirabello Gulf, is the capital of Lasithi prefecture. A famous tourist centre with modern infrastructure and wonderful shores which offers a wide choice of entertainment and at the same time manages to keep its tranquillity and traditional hospitality. The lake of Agios Nikolaos, linked to the sea by a narrow canal, is the main attraction of the town. From there you can enjoy the view while sitting in one of the many coffee shops around it. The port of Agios Nikolaos, where most of the bars, restaurants and taverns are located, is also the starting point for daytrips to Spinalonga, Elounda and Merabello bay.

Elounda
Elounda is situated 7 km from Agios Nikolaos. Many years ago, Elounda was a small fishing village. Its community is made up of five villages, of which only Schisma is located next to the sea. A few years ago large, luxury hotel complexes were built, transforming the region into one of the island’s major tourist attractions. Today apart from the luxurious hotels, there are large number of taverns and restaurants with Greek or international cuisine and numerous coffee shops by the harbour as well as discos and music bars. For your shopping there is a good selection of shops and last but not least there is a wonderful sandy beach offering water sport facilities. Elounda is the top place of Crete’s tourist traffic, hosting some of the world’s rich and famous. At the entrance of Elounda bay is the small island Spinalonga, with a Venetian fortress which was built in 1579 and seized in 1715. Following independence for many years, it was a leper colony. You can go to Spinalonga from Elounda by caique in 20 minutes.

Beaches
Vai: Situated on the northeast end of the prefecture, a wonderful exotic sandy beach embraced by date trees. It is an organized beach with umbrellas a small canteen and a dive centre, which receives a large number of visitors every year. Chrissi: The island Chrissi is located 8 miles south of Ierapetra and is an exotic place for the European standards. Although human presence in the island dates back to Minoan times the natural environment of Chrissis has barely been disturbed during time. The shallow blue-green sea, the sandy beaches, which in some spots are full of small sea shells, and the rare cedar forest on the sand-hills are the most impressive features of the island. The island is almost flat with colorful volcanic rocks, covered in sand and aquatic fossils. It is 5Km long, it has an average height of 10m. The value of Chrissis natural environment is great and therefore has been placed in the network of European Union’s protected areas.

How to get there
By air: from Eleutherios Venizelos airport in Athens or from Thessaloniki’s Macedonia airport to Heraklion, and then by car, taxi or bus to Elounda or Ag. Nikolaos. By ferry: from Piraeus to Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos and from Thessaloniki to Heraklion.