Monastery Toplou, Palekastro, Eastern Crete

Moni Toplou (Greek: Μονή Τοπλού) is a 15th century monastery located in a dry and barren area in the Prefecture of Lasithi, on the eastern part of the island of Crete in Greece. It is about 6 km north of the village of Palekastro and 85 km east of Agios Nikolaos. The monastery was originally called Panagia Akrotiriani (Virgin Mary of the Cape), after the nearby Sidero cape.

Its current name literally means "with the cannonball", thus called by the Turks for the cannon and cannonballs (Turkish: top) it had in its possession for defensive purposes.

Kouremenos is located 1,5km east of Palekastro and 21km east of Sitia and just 300m norh from Chiona beach. Around the Palekastro area, the “Meltemi” wind increases its strength through the local thermal and funneling effect that gives the surface wind an additional 2 Beaufort. This makes Kouremenos bay one of the most wind-certain spots in Europe with wind statistics of 20-28 wind days per month from April to October.

The long archaeological and historical research at the Eastern Crete - Sitia area has brought to light rare and valuable finds and information of all civilizations from the Neolithic Age and the Minoan period to the New Age.

Xerokambos beach and village is located 10 km south from Zakros village and 28km from Palekastro. In Xerokampos the landscape is arid and truly eerie, characterized by bare rocks and steep mountains. The vegetation is limited to bushes and there are some places with a few olive groves. A small tourist destination has started developing during the last years, especially after the roads were paved with asphalt.

Xerókampos (GR: Ξερόκαμπος) is a beautiful coastal settlement 10km far from Zakros village and 28km far from Palekastro, in a place of natural beauty.
The distance from Ziros is 20 km and from Heraklion airport 175 km. The wonderful beaches, the healthy climate and the important ancient places of interest attract both Greek and foreign visitors.

The Folklore Museum of Sitia was founded in 1975 by the educational and cultural association "Vintsenzos Kornaros". It contains many important folklore exhibits; mainly hand woven materials, embroideries, local costumes, furniture:

Zakros, one of the biggest villages in the Eastern Crete, known for the Minoan Palace in Kato Zakros but also for the abundance of water, the springs and the ravines with plan trees.

Recent surface excavations have proven that the area has been populated since the prehistoric times and is of great archeological interest. In the site of Katsounakia a large Minoan settlement was found but has not been excavated yet. In the hill of Trachelas a sanctuary was also found but had already been desecrated.

Itanos had been one of the most important coastal cities of eastern Crete from the Minoan years until the first Christian era. Nowadays it is known under the name of Erimopolis. Its citizens were dominating throughout the coast of Sitia, from the Samonion cape (today cape Sidero (iron)) to the Erythreon cape (what is today called Goudoura) and the island of Lefki (Koufonisi).