| Island: | Crete |
| Prefecture: | Hania |
| County: | Apokoronas |
| Municipality: | Vamos |
| Tel Prefix: | +30825 |
| Post code: | 730 08 Vamos |
| Tel: | 22266 & 22930 |
| Fax: | 22266 |
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Driving from Hania to Rethimno on the international road and within a distance of 18 kilometers from Hania, a crossroad leads to KALYVES- KALAMI. Turn to the left and you are on your way to Vamos.
After the village of Kalyves, the landscape changes, and has nothing to do any more with the highly tourist developed areas that you are leaving behind you.
You are now at the area of Vamos, with the pure, authentic landscape, the traditional villages of Tsivara and Vamos, and the well known cretan hospitality.
Arriving to Vamos, you can discern a nobleness that the village as an old capital of the county still maintains.
Vamos is the seat of the municipality with 618 permanent residents built on a hill at 190 m a.s.l. It houses a Police station, Post Office, High School, Court of Justice and a branch office of Agricultural Bank of Greece.
The main products are olive oil, honey, carob-beans and diary products.
Vamos was first mentioned at the census of Fr. Barozzi in 1577 as "VAMU" and was always inhabited having, early this century, a population of 1036 inhabitants. The name VAMOS however is considered to be prehistoric.
The village due to its strategic position played a significant role to the history of Crete, especially during the Turkish occupation, when it was the seat of the Turkish commander.
Several attempts have been made by he Cretan revolutionists to capture the village and numerous blood stained battles, have taken place.
After one of those battles in May 1896 the revolutionists finally achieved to take over the place. This fact had a great effect, even abroad and gave birth to the General Revolutionary Assembly of Cretan People for the independence of the island.
Vamos Today
In 1982 a few but highly energetic people from the village had the idea to organize a cultural festival, with the support of many significant friends from all over Greece. During that festival, which lasted three days, a number of the most famous Greek artists had performed their work, and the village has been visited by 40,000 people. Next year the same festival, which lasted four days this time, had a greater success while 60,000 people visited the place.
Since then Vamos, taking advantage of its reputation, started to develop a different kind of tourism, with respect to the tradition and the environment.
The visitor to Vamos will feel the friendly atmosphere of the village, and will enjoy the traditional hospitality. A walk through the old village, which is now undergoing a restoration phase, with its narrow paved streets and the flowery yards, will bring to life the glorious past of Vamos, a stop at the square's cafe for a refreshment, a Greek coffee or a raki will make the visitor one of the "initiated" friends of Vamos.
A guest house, maintained by the Municipality and made in the pure Cretan Traditional style is available for the visitors.
It is worth to visit Vamos and become one of his friends.
Pictures from the village.
Air View of Vamos
The Municipality's Office
The Park of Vamos
The Guest House of Vamos
The yard of the guest house
Guest House's interior
A paved street
A paved street
Old House
A street
Entering to Vamos from Kalyves
War Memorial
Cafe at the villages square
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