Ierápetra - Ierápetra

Ierápetra is a city in the southeast of the island Crete. She is on Libyan sea and with around 12,000 inhabitants it is the southernmost city in Europe.

background

Ierápetra already existed in Greco-Roman antiquity. "Hierapythna", as the place was called at that time, was a main hub for the Africa and lavender trade. In the 9th century the city was conquered by the Saracens. In the 13th century Ierápetra fell to Venicewho built the fort in the harbor, which still exists today. In 1647 the Turks conquered Ierápetra. The ruins of the mosque, a fountain house and the remains of the Turkish old town are reminiscent of them. Like all of Crete, the city has belonged to Greece since 1913, and the main occupation is agriculture, especially vegetable growing. Tomatoes and cucumbers thrive all year round in numerous greenhouses. Tourism only plays a subordinate role in the Ierápetra region.

getting there

By plane

If you want to go to Ierápetra, we recommend arriving by plane to the “Nikos Kazantzakis” airport in Iráklion. This is regularly served by large charter airlines such as Tuifly or Condor from Central Europe. Well-developed roads lead from Heraklion to Ierápetra (see roads). There are in Crete at Chaniá another international airport, but this is too far away.

In the street

Since there are no train lines in Crete, Ierápetra can only be reached by bus or car. Ierápetra is located on the south-eastern coast of Crete and has no direct connection to the island's national highway network.

• From Iráklion you drive on the E 75 Ágios Nikólaos passing direction Pachia Ammos. From there a road leads over the narrowest isthmus of Crete directly to Ierápetra (distance 98 kilometers).
• Of Sitía in the north-east also reaches Pachia Ammos (58 kilometers) or over Makrigialos to Ierápetra.
• From South Crete with Matala, Timbaki and Agia Galini you drive through the Mesara plain and the Orosira-Dikti mountains to Ierápetra (up to 130 kilometers).

Driving is unfamiliar and exhausting for the average German. In Ierápetra everyone behaves as we know it. In the mountains it starts to get disgusting at times. The Cretan is always in a hurry, for whatever reason. They just know their way around and know in the serpentines whether something is coming from the front or not. You can also see the rental car within two kilometers. These are usually small SUVs or small cars with air conditioning. They like to be shown something. The worst encounter was with a petrol tanker that overtook me while honking in the serpentines north of Ierápetra without my being able to see the oncoming traffic.

The small off-road vehicle also makes a lot of sense. Our car was spartan, but it also allowed us to drive into the mountains.

By boat

Ierápetra has a port, but there are no large ferry connections. There are nearby ferry ports in Ágios Nikólaos and Sitía (further see streets).

mobility

In Ierápetra there are a number of bus connections that connect the surrounding villages with each other. However, they are not designed for tourism and are more suitable for bringing the locals to their place of work and back home.

A rental car is compulsory in Ierápetra. This is the only way to explore the beautiful landscape around the place. In addition, most of the hotels are a bit out of the way and do not offer all inclusive. The supermarkets at the hotels are made for tourists and accordingly have little choice and are expensive. So you have to go shopping in town and if you had to do that every day by bus, it would be too expensive.

Tourist Attractions

• The port with the old fortifications (e.g. Kalés Castle) and the promenade are sure to be an attraction. You can experience history live here. The meeting of Eastern and Western cultures can also be experienced here.
• The mosque in the old town is worth a short visit, but the interior cannot be visited.
• In 1798 Napoléon Bonaparte is said to have stopped in Ierapetra on his campaign to Egypt. The house in which he allegedly stayed the night is still shown today.
• You can also discover the original charm of the old town and talk to the residents.

activities

Beach

When you come to the beach east of Ierápetra, you first wonder why wooden paths have been installed on the beach. The first step explains why. The beach is not a sandy beach, but consists of small gravel. It looks nice, the stones are light yellow and inviting, also for the sun's rays. You shouldn't walk on the gravel with bare feet because of the heat, hence the wooden paths.

The second odd thing is the parasols. They have a solid foundation and a thick, solid stand. This is also explained after the first snorkeling round in the sea. There are countless umbrellas, loungers and all sorts of things. Fall winds suddenly appearing from the mountains in the north of Ierápetra are the cause, which are very brief, but can also be violent.

The next sandy beach can be reached by driving east on the coastal road. This is not necessarily picturesque, but nice for swimming and bathing. Few waves and hardly any tourists. Here, the locals take their day off vacation. You have to bring everything, there is nothing to buy, you can just enjoy the area.

If you drive further east you will pass two sandy beaches. They are unsightly below the coastal road, but it is not very busy and does not really bother you. But they are very empty and if someone is here, then it's people from the villages around who have a nice day, mostly families.

shop

In the old town of Ierápetra there are numerous shops that offer their goods. There aren't many hotels that are visited by tourists. The shops are tailored to the locals. It takes a short day to explore the city center. Such a real shopping feeling can hardly arise. On the outskirts you can also find supermarkets that offer beautiful products from local production and in the wider range also products that are identical to the local selection. Here you can stock up and browse a bit. The markets often have a nice range of dishes including pots and pans in their selection, products that are difficult or impossible to buy in Germany.

There is now a large Lidl supermarket there and the so-called summer sale takes place in September. The weekly market takes place on Saturdays.

kitchen

In Ierápetra there is only Greek cuisine, everything else is a big exception. Be careful when traveling with children. They may like the Greek cuisine that is well known in Germany, but you don't get that here. Traditional cuisine is popular and many German children prefer to say "no!" (Own experience).

Taverns and Kafenio

There are taverns lined up from the beginning of the promenade at the large sports field in the direction of the castle. From the beginning of the beach, where the port police are also located, there are still a few taverns and in between the kafenio. It is advisable to stop there, because every kafenio has its own mezedes specialties. With every alcoholic drink (preferably Cretan raki or wine) there are one to five mezedes plates for free. In the old town near the mosque there are z. B. a street kafenio, which grills in the summer evenings and gives this grilled food as mezed with the drinks.

nightlife

In the tourist area east of the city there is an evening mood every day. There is a disco, cocktail bars and beach bars. They can get very loud well into the night. Overall, however, the nightlife can be regarded as moderate.

accommodation

There are hotels both in the city and to the east outside. There are not very many, it is not built up as you know it from other tourist areas. The hotels are of an ordinary Greek standard. The stars that the catalog promises are correct. The staff is friendly and discreet. One or the other earns something extra by brokering contracts, for example with a rental car. A conversation with the bartender secured the rental car for less money, the car was parked in front of the door the next day and was picked up again.

Furthermore, there are several guest houses with moderate prices in the old town, where you can spontaneously find overnight accommodation.

• Galaxy, Omirias 4, 72200 Ierápetra. Tel.: 30 28420 26541. Modern, clean hotel with a fantastic breakfast buffet and fair prices (at least out of season) in the middle of the city center. W-LAN & air conditioning available. The hotel parking lot is located in a vacant lot a few houses away, and you can get a transponder for the gate at the reception.last change: Jul. 2019

Work

security

Valuables and ID (copy of passport, original in hotel safe) should only be taken with you to the extent necessary and worn close to your body and no valuable objects should be left visible in the vehicle. Reports of theft and loss can be made at any police station.

The Greek-sponsored app "Traveler Rights GR" (Android and iOS) offers information on various topics, such as the loss of travel documents, but also on topics such as accommodation, rental car companies, etc.

Demonstrations are to be avoided in large areas, as they can lead to riots and the use of tear gas. As a rule, however, attacks are not directed against tourists or tourist facilities.

health

Practical note

1. It is advisable to always have the tank of the rental car half full, as possible strikes in the port of Heraklion the petrol stations are no longer supplied.
2. The Cretan raki cannot be compared with the Turkish raki. The Cretan raki is a brandy made from wine pomace - similar to grappa or fruit schnapps. The raki distilling takes place in October and November.

trips

There are several motor ships that go to the island of Chrysi off Ierapetra several times. Tickets are available almost everywhere. The island is uninhabited and - if a license has been granted - also has a tavern. Otherwise the ships sell chilled drinks. If you have booked a hotel in Ierapetra, it is not advisable to book the boat trip through the travel agent, but to go to the port yourself and purchase a ticket. You only pay about half at the port.

literature

Web links