The village of Sissi, a picturesque village 40 km east of Heraklion and 25 km west of Ag. Nikolaos. Sissi is a beautiful fishing village with strange nature. On one side of the village the nature is wild, with a small river flowing into the sea, a number of palm trees on its banks, ducks and geese swimming peacefully. On the other side there are sandy and gravel beaches, caverns in the rocks and deep clear water, full of many kinds of fish. A place that gathers the nature of different places of Crete.

The exhibited objects in the Museum come from all over Crete. These objects show that the folk culture of Crete is characterized by an amalgam of influences in which Minoan (2000-1000 BC), Archaic (1000-500 BC) and Byzantine models prevail, especially in agriculture, stock breeding, pottery and basketry.

The monastery of Odigitria is a monastery of great importance and historical value and one of the oldest in Crete. It is located at the west edge of the Asterousia mountains at an altitude of 250 m.
The monastery was surrounded by walls, part of them still stands. The temple of the monastery is dedicated to the assumption of Holly-Mother and to the Saint Apostles (Peter & Paul). Inside the temple there are valuable frescoes, icons of famous painters and iconostasis.
The monastery is connected with the legendary freedom fighter 'Ksopateras' (1788 - 1828)
In the area of the monastery at Agioi Eftihianoi was found an ancient (Early Minoan) cemetery.

Vori is a beautiful, traditional village of the county of Pirgiotissas in the Messara Valley. It is located 60 km south of Iraklion and in the western part of the Messara Valley. The village stretches in a slope, by the side of a small river. The archaeological site of Phaistos is 2 km to the south and the coast of Messara 4 km to the west.

Ierápetra (GR: Ιεράπετρα), the southernmost town of Crete, combines a brilliant past with a present of economic growth and extension. The temperature seldom falls below 12°C, and the mean annual temperature is 20°C, also it is the sunniest and hottest region of Greece. It has a long sandy beach and clean blue sea, a picturesque port with the castle "Kales", an archaeological Museum, and many more attractions. Visitors will find a wide range of accommodation facilities and lots of interesting things to do and see in the town and the wider area as well.

Neapolis is located 15 km westwards of Agios Nikolaos on the way to Heraklion from where it is roughly 50 km far. Neapolis is built in the green valley of Mirabello.
In the period of the Venetian domination its two settlements were named "New Village". But when the seat of the Prefecture was transferred from Fourni to the “New Village” this last was renamed to Neapolis. Neapolis was maintained as the capital of the prefecture of Lasithi till 1904. After that date Agios Nikolaos became the new capital.

Ammoudara (GR: Αμμουδάρα) is four kilometre long sandy beach that stretches from the west end of Heraklion to Linoperamata near the village of Gazi. The sand is fine and blond and extends several metres to the land and the sea is clear and safe. The predominant winds during the summertime are N, N-W usually "meltemi" that get more fresh at the western end of the beach, where the windsurf school is located. Along the shore there are hotels, some of them very large complexes, taverns, restaurants, bars, cafes etc that offer umbrellas and sun-beds on the beach. There are also lifeguards in some spots.
The area in general is touristic and offers a full range of facilities, among them the modern multiplex "Technopolis" with cinema and an open-air theater.

Kamilari is a quiet, traditional village, with a panoramic view to the endless olive groves of the Messara valley on the one side, and to the Libyan sea on the other side. It has been inhabited since the Minoan period. One of the seven wise men of the ancient world, Epimenidis, a great wise man and a soothsayer, lived in a small community outside Kamilari, called Metohi.

The "Royal Villa" at Ayia Triada which is situated very close to Phaistos, was built in about 1550 BC. i.e. just before the new palace at Phaistos, and was destroyed by fire in l450 BC, like all other important Minoan centres. It succeeded the first palace at Phaistos as the economic and administrative centre of the regions depriving the new palace there of this role, and appears to have had connections with Knossos. The two wings, with an open-air space between them, consisted of groups of interconnecting rooms (polythyra), storerooms and stairways. On the site of the ruins, a Mycenaean megaron, the so-called "Agora" and an open - air shrine were subsequently built.
In the villa's disaster layer from the fire in 1450 BC, excavation revealed a valuable group of exceptional works of art, precious materials, records in Minoan script and seals. The famous black serpentine vessels, the "Harvesters' Vase", the "Boxers' Vase" and the "Chieftain ‘ s Cup", the wall paintings depicting the natural landscape, the sarcophagus, the bronze and clay figurines of worshipers and the copper ingots from the Treasury are among the most noteworthy findings.

The village of Pitsidia is located 65 km southwest of Iraklion at an altitude of 80 m a.s.l, just before the magnificent bay of Messara. The village with aproximately 700 inhabitants is the oldest village of the area and is refered (by S. Spanakis) that it was the place where the soldiers of Nikiforos Fokas, commander of the Byzantine army, settled. The army, famous for its bravery, came from Pisidia of the south Asia Minor, and this is probably the origin of the name Pitsidia.

Agiofaraggo (GR: Αγιοφάραγγο the gorge of Saints) is a small gorge at the southern shores of Heraklion close to the village and the beach of Kaloi Limenes and 6 kilometers south of the Monastery of Odigitria.

Martsalo (GR: Μάρτσαλο, Mártsalo) is located on the mass of the Asterousia Mountains between Kefali (Cape Lithino) and Agiofarago. It is an impressive gorge about two kilometers long, which belongs to the hermitages of the Holy Monastery of Odigitria. Inside the gorge there is rich vegetation as well as a small palm forest in the middle of its route. The impressive cliffs are home to a large number of caves (similar to eagles' nests) inhabited by many of the area's ascetics. Gorge Martsalo is particularly steep and rough and ends at the Libyan Sea, where there is a small protected cove with a sandy- pebbly beach.

Well protected Marina by all weather condition, build to European standards and capable to accommodating up to 255 boats all year round. The Marina of Aghios Nikolaos is located in the heart of the town, provides all the necessary facilities for a pleasant short or long stay for yacht passengers and a safe environment for the boats.
Facilities:
Water/Electricity:Each berth has access to a service box where fresh water and 220 / 380 volt electricity available.

The plateau is located in the center of the Ida mountain range at an altitude of 1400 m. It can be accessed from various sides but the only asphalt road is from the town of Anogeia. It has a roughly triangular shape and is almost flat. Visitors can enjoy the wild landscape, take a walk to the entrance of Idaion cave or to the freedom fighter sculpture, made with boulders from the mountain. An other interesting attraction is the various Mitata scattered all over the area.
Those are circular domed buildings made with stones and used by shepherds for accommodation and storage of cheese.
There is also a tavern with traditional food.
The area of Nida, in earlier times, before the systematic farming and logging damage the flora of Psiloritis, was covered by forests in which mythological and traditional tales put different events. Here Dimitra fell in love with the mortal Iasion.
http://www.anogialand.gr

Agios Nikolaos General Hospital (GR: Γενικό Νοσοκομείο Αγίου Νικολάου) is located in Agios Nikolaos in the prefecture of Lassithi. The St. Nicholas Hospital is a large modern hospital that provides full medical treatment and services to the population of the area since 1940.

One of the most beautiful sandy beaches of Crete, extends from a clump of rocks riveted in the shallow waters in the south to the Kalamaki settlement in the North. In Minoan times there used to be the ancient port of Phaistos. The antiquities lie just a few meters away from the sea.

Lake Voulismeni (Gr: Λίμνη Βουλισμένη) or just "the Lake" for the locals, is located at the centre of the town of Agios Nikolaos. It has a circular shape of a diameter of 137 m and depth 64 m. The lake connects to the harbour of the town by a channel dug in 1870.
A panoramic view of the lake can be seen from a small park situated above it. According to legend, the goddess Athena bathed in it. Every year at midnight turning to Orthodox Christian Easter day, the majority of the population of the town gathers around the lake to celebrate with fireworks, and firecrackers.
It was reported that the German army during their withdrawal from the area at WW2, disposed parts of their weaponry and/or vehicles into the deep lake.
A local urban legend has it that the lake is bottomless. That notion is potentially based on its impressively disproportional high depth compared to its width (64m depth on only 134m width) or/and on locals noticing disturbances at the surface or also the level of the water during the Santorini (Thera) earthquake of 1956. Because of the latter, many assume a possible geological relation of the two locations, but this claim has not been substantiated by known scientific surveys to date.

The Archaeological Museum of Aghios Nikolaos is one of the most important in Crete and has been in operation since 1969. It houses collections of very important archaeological finds from the whole of Eastern Crete, an area extending from Malia as far as Zakros. These are displayed in chronological order from the Neolithic period (5700 - 2800 B.C.) to the end of the Roman times (100 B.C. - 400 A.D.) Its showcases include more than 1350 vases from the 3rd millennium B.C. as well as gold and copper finds (the most ancient found in Crete).

Agios Nikólaos (GR: Αγιος Νικόλαος), with 9.500 inhabitants, is the capital of the Lassithi province of Crete. It is built around a picturesque lake at the north-western side of the Mirabello bay, the biggest bay in Crete. Major administrative, cultural and communications center, Agios Nikolaos is one of the most developed tourist areas, not only in Crete but in Greece in general. Thanks to the beautiful coasts, the great sights and the cosmopolitan life, this lively city hosts every year thousands of visitors without losing one bit of its tranquility and traditional hospitality.

The Folk Art Museum of Aghios Nikolaos, in collaboration with the "Cultural Society of Eastern Crete", founded in 1978. All the original and important material was generously offered by the Touring Club of Aghios Nikolaos. Since then more objects have been added to the collection.
A visit to the Folk Art Museum will help you to become familiar with the sort of work and activities the people of this area had in the old days. The Museum houses a rich and beautiful collection of hundreds of genuine samples of Cretan popular art and mainly hand woven and embroidered pieces, some of which are unique.