Sitia

Greece Travel Secrets discovers Sitia, the main town in eastern Crete, with its relaxing waterfront, inexpensive hotels, good food, and nearby ancient sites.

The Harbour at Sitia in Eastern CreteThe Harbour at Sitia in Eastern Crete

We loved Sitia right from our very first visit. We'd driven there from the wonderful Istron Bay Hotel, which we were sad to be leaving as we think it's one of the best hotels on Crete. It's only an hour's drive but it's a beautiful one with good winding roads and views of the mountains and occasionally the sea.

Hotel Elysee in Sitia in Eastern CreteHotel Elysee in Sitia in Eastern Crete

We'd booked a room for a few nights at the Elysée Hotel, right on the waterfront. Its two-star rating didn't bother us as we know that in Greece you don't judge a hotel by how many stars it has. Two-star hotels can be just as good as three-star and four-star hotels, and much cheaper.

The Elysée was perfectly clean and comfortable, we got a room at the front with a balcony overlooking the sea, and the owner immediately took us under his wing, introducing us to his delightful wife and young children. It was the Easter weekend and he invited us to watch some of the processions with him and his family, giving us a better insight into Greek Easter customs.

The Mountain Scenery near Sitia in Eastern CreteMountain Scenery near Sitia in Eastern Crete

Where to Stay in Sitia

The Elysée was excellent and we'd definitely recommend it, but to be honest there were two other two-star hotels along the same seafront promenade - the Itanos and the Flisvos - and I bet we'd have been happy in either of them.

We were soon wandering along the seafront and looking forward to having Sitia as our base for a while. Even though it was Easter, the town seemed very quiet, certainly compared to bigger places like Agios Nikolaos, where we'd been earlier in the week. Sitia has a much more-laid back and relaxed feel to it than most places. It's got a bit busier since we were first there, but not much.

Our Pick of the Crete Guides

Lonely-Planet-Crete-2023.png

What to Do in Sitia

Archaeological Museum

Sitia's Archaeological Museum is excellent, helped by the fact that there are a number of fine Minoan sites in the area. That's another reason we chose to stay there for a few days, as Sitia makes a good base for touring this part of Eastern Crete.

There's information about the Palace of Zakros, too, which is about an hour's drive from Sitia on the east coast. It's one of our favourite spots on Crete.

Scenery near Sitia in Eastern CreteScenery near Sitia in Eastern Crete

Folklore Museum

This was founded in 1975 and is in a beautiful building. It's worth a look-in to see its collections of traditional costumes, textiles, icons, kitchen items, furniture and especially (for us) musical instruments.

Taverna Tables in Sitia in Eastern CreteTaverna Tables in Sitia

Where to Eat in Sitia

Our absolute favourite place to eat in Sitia was a restaurant called The Balcony, but we won't tell you how good it was because it closed not long ago. Very sad.

When we didn't eat at The Balcony we simply walked along the waterfront and checked out the menus and daily specials. We liked Sitia because no-one was standing outside the restaurants trying to persuade you to come in, which can become an irritation in bigger and busier places like Chania and Rethymnon.

A Cat on a Window Ledge in Sitia in Eastern CreteSitia Cat

Sitia Tourist Office

Karamanli Street
Tel.: +30 28430 28300

Some other Crete pages

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  • Greece Travel Secrets visits Visual Arts Crete who offer accommodation and run art courses at their home and studio in the village of Kastellos near Rethymnon.

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  • The Byzantine Church of Panagía Kerá near Kritsa and not far from Ayios Nikolaos is one of the most famous in Crete, and close by is the site of Ancient Lato.

    Kritsá, Lato, and Panagía Kerá

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    Hiking in Southwest Crete

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  • Keramos Studios in Zaros on Crete is an inexpensive two-star hotel/guesthouse with one of the best breakfasts on the island using food from the family’s farm.

    Keramos Studios in Zaros

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  • Visiting Knossos near Iraklion is one of the best things to do on Crete, and this page has a history of the site with visitor information.

    Knossos

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    Zaros

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    Touring the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete

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  • Ancient Gournia is a Minoan archaeological site between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia in Eastern Crete where the visitor can see evidence of a maze of back streets.

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  • The Snails House in Plouti near Phaistos in southern Crete serves the Cretan delicacy of snails, cooked in several different ways.

    The Snails House on Crete

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  • This Lasithi Plateau drive on Crete starts in Neapoli and ends in Malia, covering a distance of 80 km (50 miles) and taking two to three hours.

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  • Studies have shown the Cretan Diet as one of the healthiest in the world, involving lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh fish, and moderate amounts of wine.

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  • Malia on the north coast of Crete is renowned for its nightlife and beaches but also has the Minoan Palace of Malia, one of Crete's many archaeological sites.

    Malia and its Minoan Palace on Crete

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  • Driving on Crete is the best way to see Greece’s biggest island and here is our driving advice and some information about Greek driving regulations.

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  • The most famous Cretan writers and artists include the painter El Greco and the author of Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis.

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  • Crete festivals and events include Carnival Easter, Whitsun, Christmas, many other religious feast days and public holidays.

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  • Crete (Kriti) is the largest Greek island and its main attractions include the Minoan Palace of Knossos, the Samarian Gorge, Chania and Rethymnon.

    Crete

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    Shopping Tips for Crete

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