The city of Ierapetra (it is written with “i”, not L. So it’s not Lerapetra)  is located in the southern part of Crete, approx 1h20 mins drive from Heraklion. It is the southernmost town in Greece and some say that in Europe as well (the southernmost point of Europe is actually the island of Gavdos, belonging to Crete as well). We visited it as a first stop on our way to Vai beach and we only had 40 minutes to spend here. Also, it was a Sunday so most shops were closed, but I had a very good freddo cappuccino next to the sea.

The town itself is calm and quiet, as it is not so touristy as the ones in the north of the island. Tbh, I found the south to be much more pleasant and also I found the beaches to be more beautiful and cozy. 

Anyway, Ierapetra has a looong history, mainly because of its position. It is the only town on the southern coast of Crete and the fourth most populous on the island. Also, it is a wealthy town and its citizens used to be among the richest in Crete, as the main income comes from agriculture and almost all that is produced here is sent to export. Since the south of Crete is the most sun-kissed all year long (approx. 320 days of sun/year), you will see a lot of greenhouses as you approach it. The climate is tropical (it is approx. 300km away from Egypt) and here the citizens can grow a large variety of fruits and vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergine, zucchini, but also tropical species such as avocado, for example) and they can collect up to 4 harvests/year. Olive oil is massively produced as well, as the area is filled with olive groves.

In Greek, its name means “the holy/sacred stone”. The legend says it got it’s name from the mythological tale of Zeus. As I mentioned in my previous posts, Zeus, the lightning bearer and ruler of the Gods and Mount Olympus, is tied to Crete. Not only that the legend says he was born in a cave in the Dikti Mountains and then his mother, Rhea, hid him here to prevent Chronos (his father) to eat him. Instead of the child, she provided Chronos a stone wrapped as a baby and he swallowed it, like he did with their previous children (I know, it sounds gross, but hey, mythology at its finest). When Zeus grew up and met his father for the first time, Rhea gave him a concoction and Zeus, disguised as a cup bearer, gave the drink to his father. He immediately started to puke his children, from the youngest to the oldest. Since the youngest child was actually a stone, when he puked, it fell from the sky on the place where the city is today, thus the name of Ierapetra (from ιερή – sacred and πέτρα – stone. Mind that this is in modern Greek, couldn’t find the ancient Greek spelling).

Although the city dates back to Minoan period, it was a very important port during the Roman period, when it was called Hierapytna, in the 3rd century BC it was notorious for piracy. Then, in the 8th century AD the Arabs destroyed the city and rebuilt it as a base for the pirates and during the medieval era it became prosperous under the Venetian rule. This means, of course, that there is a Venetian fortress in Ierapetra as well, called Kales. It is also said that Napoleon stayed here after the Battle of the Pyramids and the house still exists (it is marked on maps, but it can only be seen from outside). As a remnant of the Ottoman rule, it has a mosque and a former school for Muslim children is now the Museum of Antiquities, where finds from its past are displayed.

It has a very nice and long promenade along the beach, which is pebbled and grey in colour, as most of the ones I have seen in the south. Along the promenade you will find a lot of nice cafes, souvenir shops and restaurants. 

From here you can take the boat trip to Chrissi Island, also known as the Golden Island of Crete. Chrissi is now a protected area, included in the Natura 2000, as it is the largest naturally formed Lebanon cedar forest in Europe that covers approx. 70% of the island. Its white sand beaches, crystal blue waters and the cedar forest leave the impression of a Caribbean island or any other exotic place, not 15 kms away from Greece. As the area is protected, boats are no longer allowed to dock on the island, only the small ones, so if you arrive there via the main boats that depart from Ierapetra, you might have to swim to get to shore.

Ierapetra can be a very good starting point to explore the southern coast of Crete, as you can easily reach traditional villages, such as Myrtos (Gosh, I loved that place) or you can go to Makri Gialos and take the boat to the island of Koufonissia from there (another piece of paradise). Or you can just enjoy the beautiful colours of the Libyan Sea, the golden beaches with fine sand or the grey pebbled ones. Or you can just relax in this lovely city and enjoy top-quality food (trust me, the Greek salad tastes different here and the fresh orange juice is just heavenly), plenty of sunshine and stress-free life 😊 

Next time I will dedicate an entire day in this lovely place, explore its streets and flavours and just live the siga-siga way 😊