Travel guide: What to see and do in Agios Nikolaos in Crete

Α Decrease font Enlarge font
Travel guide: What to see and do in Agios Nikolaos in CreteBesides swimming and sun, of course…

While the port town of Agios Nikolaos in Crete can be very much a resort town overflowing with tourists and cruise ships, there is plenty to see and do on the island besides swimming and sun. Here are a few things to check out on your trip to Agios Nikolaos.

Archaeological Museum of Agios Nikolaos

Even though Agios Nikolaos didn’t become a famous tourist destination until the 1970s, the town was built thousands of years back by a sect of the Ancient Greek known as the Dorians. With such a rich history of the town and surrounding areas, visitors will want to make a trip over to the Archaeological Museum. The Museum features a variety of Minoan artifacts and artworks. In fact the Archaeological Museum of Agios Nikolaos ranks second behind Heraklion’s Archaeological Museum for its collection of Minoan artifacts.

Like many museums, the Archaeological Museum has a pièce de résistance. The Museum’s prized possession is a statue dating back to 2500 BC called the Goddess of Myrtos. The ceramic depicts a woman clutching a jug and was found down on the southeastern coast, on what was the Minoan settlement of Myrtos. Many visitors and critics alike have commented on the sculptures modern and contemporary styling, even though it is well over thousands of years old.

Lake Voulismeni

Lake Voulismeni or “The Lake” as it is commonly called is a small pool just inside the harbor of Agios Nikolaos that is connected to the Sea of Crete by a very narrow canal. The Lake is the focal point of the town and it a popular destination for tourists thanks to its natural beauty its central location in the city. Alongside the Lake visitors will find numerous cafes and coffee shops that overlook the body of water. Additionally the Lake features a small park with walking trail and an amphitheater.

Visiting the Lake is a treat for the eyes as multicolored fishing boats are often docked in the Lake. Tourists can see the local flora and fauna including ducks, vibrant green foliage, and natural red rock that surround the lake. The Lake originally was a freshwater lake fed by an underground river but became mixed when the canal was built in the 20th century. Popular legends about the Lake include one that it is bottomless (though proven to be over 200 feet deep), it was connected to the island of Santorini, and that it was the bath of the Greek Goddess of Athena.

Folk Museum of Agios Nikolaos

Built in 1985 by the Cultural Association of Eastern Crete, the Folk Museum takes residence on the first floor of the Port Authority building. This building is one of the oldest buildings in Agios Nikolaos and is located adjacent to the lake. Inside you’ll find Cretan handcrafts including weavings, textiles, and embroidered pieces. Additionally there are artifacts that were discovered across Crete and a model of a traditional Cretan house. Visitors are able to view the house as well as all of the amenities of the time including Cretan household goods and cooking tools and utensils.

Source: greekboston.com

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: GreeceGreek tourism newsTourism in GreeceGreek islandsHotels in GreeceTravel to GreeceGreek destinations Greek travel marketGreek tourism statisticsGreek tourism report

Tornos
  1. 16/03 13:01

    Greek Deputy Foreign Μinister meets her Slovenian counterpart in Athens

  2. 16/03 12:56

    Greek-Canadian Diaspora to welcome Greek Prime Minister to Toronto

  3. 16/03 11:28

    Greek Migration Minister visits refugee hosting facilities in Kavala, Drama and Serres

  4. 15/03 21:50

    Greek Minister announces conference on defence ecosystem in Athens from Lithuania

  5. 15/03 13:45

    PM: More than 80 hospitals and 156 health centres being upgraded in Greece

  6. 15/03 12:55

    Piraeus Port and Genoa Chambers of Commerce ink memorandum of cooperation

  7. 14/03 23:43

    President of Hellenic Republic meets Prime Minister of Slovakia in Bratislava

  8. 14/03 22:58

    American Express report highlights Global Travel Trends during 2024

  9. 14/03 22:52

    Four hospitals in Attica Region already organizing afternoon surgical procedures

  10. 14/03 22:49

    US Ambassador to Athens: More flights from the United States to Greece and Thessaloniki

  11. 14/03 22:43

    Greek archaeologists discover ten ancient shipwrecks off Aegean island of Kasos

  12. 14/03 19:32

    No new intubations for Covid-19 recorded in Greece for the first time

  13. 14/03 18:36

    Extra road safety measures adopted for Greek pre-lent carnival and Clean Monday

  14. 14/03 14:48

    HRADF eyes bidders for Lavrio Port majority share

  15. 14/03 12:54

    Electric buses to be deployed on the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki by May

  16. 13/03 22:23

    Chairman: 2023 was an exceptional one for AEGEAN Airlines

  17. 13/03 20:11

    Prices of basic lenten products either lower or equal to last year's in Greece

  18. 13/03 19:15

    US Ambassador to Athens: Greece secures NATO readiness via Alexandroupolis

  19. 13/03 17:19

    Greece shines at 1st European Cruise Exhibition

  20. 13/03 12:26

    Greece shows new costumes for revamped Olympic Flame-lighting ceremony

  21. 12/03 22:46

    Epirotes Society of Philadelphia ‘Omonia’ organized 16th Annual ‘Tsipourovradia’

  22. 12/03 21:38

    The President of the Hellenic Republic to visit Slovakia on March 13-15

  23. 12/03 20:29

    First afternoon surgeries in Greece kick off at Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki

  24. 11/03 23:58

    Greek Foreign Minister: We stand behind Montenegro's European perspective

  25. 11/03 23:47

    Visa Express for Turkish citizens to commence on five Greek islands in March

  26. 11/03 19:40

    Amadeus acquires travel payments expert Voxel

  27. 11/03 18:49

    Microsoft Data Center construction kicks off in Spata next to Athens Airport

  28. 11/03 17:53

    Dodecanese Federation marked 76th Anniversary of Unification with Greece

  29. 09/03 22:23

    The future of travel planning is multimodal and interactive

  30. 08/03 14:27

    Prime Minister: Radical change in Greek education and a brave reform for growth

  31. 08/03 14:24

    Traffic restrictions expected in Athens mid-morning to evening on Friday due to protests

  32. 08/03 14:24

    Applications to out-of-court settlement more than doubled in Greece in February

  33. 08/03 13:18

    Metro station 'Maniatika' near Piraeus Port to be closed on Saturday and Sunday

  34. 07/03 14:12

    Athens wins World Travel Award 2024 as the top city-break destination in Europe

  35. 06/03 22:51

    WTTC data show Greece and Portugal lead league for growth in tourist arrivals

  36. 06/03 20:28

    Greek Tourism Minister at ITB: 2024 will be another excellent year for sector

  37. 06/03 19:47

    Greek Foreign Minister to meet UAE Minister of Industry and Technology on Friday

  38. 06/03 18:43

    European Union actions of 274m euros to support cultural heritage in Greece

  39. 06/03 16:37

    'Odontotos' rack railway temporarily stopped until landslides issue is resolved

  40. 06/03 14:40

    Minister: Bringing about the return of Greeks abroad 'a moral duty'

  41. 05/03 14:28

    Archdiocese of America Eparchial Synod to meet on March 14-17 in Florida

  42. 05/03 14:21

    The 'Lent Basket' to be launched in Greece on March 13

  43. 05/03 14:11

    ITB BERLIN 2024 opens with excellent bookings after global rise in travel in 2023

  44. 05/03 12:24

    Greek PM at Athens supermarket: Consumers 'can already see lower prices on the shelf'

  45. 04/03 22:02

    Greek Health Minister: Afternoon surgeries at state hospitals to begin shortly

  46. 04/03 21:47

    Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Whitestone Community marks 49th Anniversary

  47. 04/03 20:27

    Labor chief: Greece to train 500,000 workers in digital, green skills by 2025

  48. 04/03 19:44

    Foreign Ministry to organize event on 'Women, Peace, and Security' on Friday

  49. 04/03 15:12

    Athens Riviera | The summer experience with Athens as a background

  50. 29/02 22:54

    Consumers to see price cuts up to 18.1% in 3,000 Greek supermarket products as of Friday

  51. 29/02 21:44

    Greece and Germany set up Working Group on shipping cooperation

  52. 29/02 21:30

    Wyndham Rewards’ Member Month offers 5 weeks of deals, discounts, and bonus points

  53. 29/02 21:03

    Temple of Poseidon at Sounion near Athens to get new lighting system

  54. 29/02 21:02

    Greek Tourism Minister meets with Ambassador of Qatar

  55. 29/02 20:47

    Greece is represented by 60 firms at GULFOOD 2024 exhibition

  56. 29/02 19:58

    Greek government gives 1+1 month extension for cash register-integrated POS terminals

  57. 29/02 19:49

    Archangel Michael Church Dance Program shines at Folk Dance Festival in SF

  58. 29/02 15:39

    'Renovate-rent' programme to be launched, Minister tells Greek Parliament

  59. 29/02 12:39

    Rio-Antirrio ferry line in central Greece closed due to strong winds

  60. 28/02 21:34

    Weather with heavy rain and storms in Greece as of Sunday night

  61. 28/02 17:31

    CEO: The goal is for PPC to become a leading player in Southeast Europe

  62. 28/02 17:04

    New Wyndham Hotels Market Managing Director of Central and Eastern Europe

  63. 28/02 12:21

    Minister: Transactions with the Greek State will be further simplified in 2024

  64. 28/02 11:57

    24-hour strikes halt trains and ferries in Greece

  65. 27/02 17:25

    UN Tourism hails Saudi Arabia's historic milestone of 100 million tourists

  66. 27/02 15:00

    Greek Prime Minister: Relations with Armenia can become even more productive

  67. 27/02 14:26

    Wyndham: New growth cycle in Greece for the largest hotel chain franchise in the world

  68. 27/02 13:15

    Price cuts of up to 15% in important product categories in Greece after March 1

  69. 27/02 12:46

    Athens taxi drivers' protest rally in progress from Athinon avenue to Messogion

  70. 26/02 18:30

    Annual Summit of Women Political Leaders (WPL) to be held in Athens in April

  71. 26/02 18:27

    Culture Ministry: Schwartz Mansion in Ampelakia near Larisa to get new lighting

  72. 26/02 17:25

    Greek president organizes reception for diplomats at Presidential Mansion

  73. 26/02 16:33

    Trapped rack-railway passengers returned safely to Diakopto in Peloponnese

  74. 26/02 16:21

    Public transport, ferry and taxi strikes in Athens on Wednesday

  75. 25/02 12:30

    Greek island of Ikaria among the Blue Zones for Health Eating and Longevity

  76. 24/02 20:39

    Greek PM meets Qatar Emir: Focus on bilateral cooperation and investments

  77. 24/02 18:25

    Prescription cannabis for medicinal use legally available in Greece for the first time

  78. 24/02 17:19

    MInister: The aim is to make fishing and fish-farming a key pillar of the economy

  79. 23/02 23:36

    Greek Prime Minister arrives in Doha to be received by Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi

  80. 23/02 23:26

    The Festival of Greek Dances takes place in the Metropolis of San Francisco

  81. 23/02 21:32

    Revealing "70 Years of Friendship: Greece's photo journey through the Korean War"

  82. 23/02 17:15

    16 Greek firms showcase at international fashion exhibitions in London

  83. 23/02 14:09

    Flights to and from Heraklion airport in Crete resume on Saturday

  84. 22/02 18:15

    Bill for non-state, non-profit universities being tabled in Greek Parliament on Thursday

  85. 22/02 18:13

    Temporary residence for displaced Ukrainians extended in Greece to March 2025

  86. 22/02 18:10

    American Hellenic Institute Golden Jubilee celebration Includes concert on April 12

  87. 22/02 18:09

    Tourism Minister stresses importance of strong relationship of Greece with Serbia

  88. 22/02 17:58

    Education protest rally ends and traffic resumes in Athens city center

  89. 21/02 19:47

    Twistic and WeavAIR startups clinch the UN Tourism Hospitality Challenge

  90. 21/02 18:34

    Greece's key aim is enhancing relations with India

  91. 21/02 18:13

    Traffic in Athens returning to normal after tractors depart from the Greek capital

  92. 21/02 13:01

    Greek Tourism Minister in Belgrade for International Exhibition

  93. 21/02 00:55

    Resilience through diversity and investments the aim of UN Tourism visit to Jamaica

  94. 20/02 23:38

    Rally concludes with farmer tractors leaving Athens on Wednesday morning

  95. 20/02 20:43

    Greek Prime Minister on official visit to India as of Wednesday

  96. 20/02 16:51

    Minister: Greece wants to become India's gateway to the European Union

  97. 19/02 21:19

    DEFEA Conference to be held at Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Athens on May 15

  98. 19/02 19:06

    Traffic restrictions for farmers' rally in central Athens on Tuesday

  99. 19/02 18:11

    Greece wins top tourist destination award at Grand Travel Awards in Sweden

  100. 19/02 14:23

    Health Minister: Option of afternoon surgeries at public hospitals start in Greece