- Region
- South Lasithi
- Sights
- Kales fortress, Kato Mera, museum
- Boats
- Chrysi island in summer
- Nearby
- Myrtos, Koutsounari, Agia Fotia
Kales fortress
At the entrance to the old harbour stands the Kales, an early Venetian fortress of the 13th to 15th centuries, repaired in the Ottoman period. It is a protected monument and a good place to start a walk.
Kato Mera
Behind the fortress, the Kato Mera quarter has a mosque with a minaret, an Ottoman fountain and narrow lanes. A house here is traditionally said to have hosted Napoleon for a night in 1798, on his way to Egypt.
Chrysi island
In summer, boats run from Ierapetra to Chrysi, a low island with cedar forests and shallow turquoise water, about an hour away. It is protected: stay on paths and take nothing away.
Beaches
The town beach runs east from the centre. For quieter beaches, go 13 km west to Myrtos or east to Koutsounari and Agia Fotia.
Questions before you go
Is Ierapetra the southernmost town in Europe?
It is commonly described that way.
How do I get to Chrysi island?
By excursion boat from Ierapetra in summer, about an hour each way.
What is the Kales?
A Venetian fortress at the entrance to Ierapetra's old harbour.
