Agia Galini TO Agios Nikolaos

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Agia Galini

TransferPlan will transfer you from and to Agia Galini as quickly, safely and comfortably as possible. Agia Galini is a popular seaside resort, located 61 km southeast of Rethymno and 68 km southwest of Heraklion, about midway along the south coast of Crete. Agia Galini in Greek means “Holy Serenity” and that’s the description everyone will give to this place as it is very peaceful and the sea always calm.

Thousands of tourists spent their holidays in this place, enjoying the old harbour, the excellent beaches and the traditional village, which looks like time has never passed. In the past, Agia Galini was a small fishing village, but in the 60’s it saw large tourism development. The whole south of Crete became popular alongside hippies and naturists, enjoying the natural beauty at its fullness. Still, nowadays the area has a lot of fans who still visit the village every year. Agia Galini is a modern resort with all amenities provided to its visitors, but still maintaining its traditional character. You will find many options for your accommodation, restaurants, shops and entertainment. The village is built on the hill of a mountain and you can enjoy a breath-taking view of the Libyan Sea.

North of the village you will see the cliffs of the Cretan White Mountain, Psiloritis. West of Agia Galini you will find many beautiful rugged caves, which you can visit only by boat, but it will worth your time. One of them is the famous Cave of Daedalus, the legendary craftsman of Greek Mythology and father of Icarus. They say that this cave was his workshop. You can also take a boat to the nearby beaches such as Preveli and St. George. Watching south of Agia Galini towards the Libyan Sea you will see two small islets, Paximadia, which you can visit by boat and swim in amazing beaches untouched by human hand.

No one really knows the origin of the name Agia Galini, but the most popular story says about a Byzantine princess who was travelling to Jerusalem and her ship fell into a storm. She then started praying to Virgin Marry, begging her to rescue them and swore to build a temple for her. Indeed, holy Mother heard her prays and the ship managed to approach the small natural harbour of Agia Galini that is never wavy. The small princess kept her oath and built a church named “Panagia Galini”, the old church which still stands in the cemetery of Agia Galini.

Agia Galini, is a small, tortuous village, with small old houses in the village which seem squashed by the larger apartments bouncing up in the area and the hotels in Agia Galini, built in an effort to accommodate rising numbers of visitors. What makes Agia Galini unique is the amphitheatrical layout of its houses on the hill, offering a wonderful view of the harbour and the Bay of Messara. The view of the village from the harbour is similarly lovely, especially in evening and at night.

Book your minivan and taxi transfer now. Enjoy a high-quality service at the lowest prices. Best price guaranteed. That’s why we are Crete’s favourite airport transfer company.

Agios Nikolaos

TransferPlan will transfer you from and to Agios Nikolaos as quickly, safely and comfortably as possible. Agios Nikolaos lies 63km east of Crete’s capital Heraklion, north of the town of Ierapetra and west of the town of Sitia, Lasithi’s capital.

Agios Nikolaos is located along a hilly terrain overlooking the coastline and the idyllic Mirabello Bay. Agios Nikolaos is unique amongst other Cretan urban centres as it manages to mix a blend of artsy, leisurely, sleepy and yet vibrant environment. It is the cosmopolitan capital of the Lasithi prefecture and boasts 20000 permanent inhabitants. The name of Agios Nikolaos is derived by the old Byzantine church located west of the city.

One of the highlights of Agios Nikolaos is the Lake Voulismeni, a lagoon of extraordinary beauty riddled by legends and myths. It is said that in its eerie scenery goddess Athena used to take her baths in it. Moreover, it was a common belief that the lake had no bottom, until 1853, when a British admiral ordered soundings to be taken and found out a bottom that reached to 200 feet in depth. Nevertheless, the assumption that the lake was indeed bottomless was used even in modern times to attract tourists in the town. Apart from taking some long walks around the lake and appreciating the mesmerising landscape, one can take the opportunity to dive into the serene waters of the lake and spend some quality time surrounded by nature.

Agios Nikolaos offers a number of other excellent attractions, such as splendid neoclassical architecture, well maintained buildings and a network of stairs around the steep city, the marina, All Saints Island which is home to the endangered species of Cretan wild goats, Kitroplatia square which houses some shops, cafes and restaurants and the Gulf of Mirabello which is of unique beauty and should be one of the 'must sees' if you decide to make your way to the city.

Book your private transfers now. Enjoy a high-quality service at the lowest prices. Best price guaranteed. That’s why we are Crete’s favourite airport transfer company.