Welcome to Neapoli, Crete

Many people on Facebook and social media often ask where is the best place to go when coming to Crete “how long will it take me to get from Agios Nikolaos to Elafonissi Beach?” around 4 hours on a good day and 270kms. See how Crete compares in size to other popular Greek Islands. Wherever you plan on staying the first thing you must consider is that Crete is a BIG island and is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands and bounds the southern border of the Aegean Sea. Crete has an area of 8,336 km2 (3,219 sq mi) and a coastline of 1,046 km (650 mi) and as of 2020, Crete had a population of 636,504. The island is divided into 4 administrative regions or prefectures; Heraklion (Central Crete), Rethymnon and Chania (West Crete) and of course Lasithi (East Crete) where you will find Neapoli. Neapoli was maintained as the capital of the prefecture of Lasithi until 1904 but thereafter Agios Nikolaos became the new capital of the region. We know just how quickly the days pass by when on you’re on holiday but would encourage you to try and take some time out to see and experience life beyond the resorts when visiting Crete and check out some of the villages and towns like Neapoli in order to get a “real feel” for Cretan life.

Getting to Neapoli

Neapoli is easily accessible from all the main resorts and is located next to the National Highway of Heraklion-Agios Nikolaos - the European route E75, which starts in Norway and ends in Sitia, Lasithi. To help you get to Neapoli we have included links to google maps driving directions from Malia, Sissi, Hersonissos, Elounda and Agios Nikolaos. Neapoli is on the main bus route, which passes through all the coastal resorts between Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos. There is a bus stop on the main square with buses regularly coming to the town every hour or so. It is very easy to get to Neapoli by bus from all major resorts, so why not stop off, enjoy a look around our lovely Town and have an ice cold beer with a meal or snack and just watch the world go by. Here is a 4K video of Neapoli - courtesy of Polychronis Drone…

Eats and Drinks in Neapoli

As you walk around the town you’ll come across some beautiful courtyards, small and large squares dotted throughout the town. The main square of Neapoli is called Eleftherios Venizelos Square and is central to the Town and is where you will find most of the Cafes, Bars and Taverna situated. You will also find two traditional Kafenion situated on the post office road (Eth. Antistaseos) and Estiades grill house on Mpoti Sfakianaki 31 running parallel to the square. Neapoli is surrounded by several villages and it is well worth visiting some of these local nearby Tavernas. Neapoli is renowned for its production of Soumada and other speciality drinks. Soumada is called “the drink of happiness”, because traditionally, Soumada, is served at happy occasions such as weddings and engagements because of its distinctive white colour.

Megali Panagia Church

One of the main attractions of Neapoli is the Church of the Assumption, or Megali Panagia, as it is more commonly known, which dominates the central square. The church is open most days and provides a major focal point for the Town. There are numerous small churches scattered throughout Neapoli with each of them celebrating their “name” day at some point during the year; you will see the little flags (bunting) outside the church on these days. All of them have their own history and offer the opportunity for a quiet moment of reflection.

Around Neapoli

Neapoli is surrounded by the beautiful Cretan countryside and the surrounding area is quite mountainous with the rich olive groves of Lasithi. Take a stroll around Neapoli’s streets with its small traditional houses and the larger neoclassical ones that make up the neighbourhoods of our small town. As you walk around the town you’ll come across some beautiful courtyards; small and large squares dotted throughout the town. Here you can find additional information about the town. The Municipal Garden is between the central square and the Court’s Square, with its characteristic fountain, is at the heart of Neapoli and you can take a stroll under the shade of its tall trees and enjoy the cool that it offers. It’s also a great meeting point for little friends as it has two playgrounds and space for carefree play and also boasts an outside gym for the more adventurous. Also on the main square and adjacent to the church you will find the Folk Museum with a rich collection, which will take you on a journey into the past of the beautiful province of Mirabello. Neapoli has everything you would expect to find in a small town with a good selection of local shops and services that serve the population of the area and visitors. Also an important service for the lives of residents and visitors is the "Dialynakeio" General Hospital, serving the needs of the entire wider area after the Agios Nikolaos General Hospital which is located a few kilometers away.

Staying in Neapoli

Crete is a summer paradise for tourists from around the world, who flock in their thousands to enjoy the brilliant blue skies, pristine, sandy, white beaches, crystal clear seas and the luscious vegetation. However, it is worth a visit during the colder months out of season, in order to see the snow-capped mountains and smell the olive wood burning from the village chimneys. Winter days on Crete are quite sunny but windy and it is 15-17 degrees on average. Neapoli is a great place to stay at any time of the year with a Hotel and growing number of Air BnB. Unlike all the tourist resorts, it is open all year round and it is an ideal place to base yourself to tour Eastern Crete. Eastern Crete has many hidden gems , beaches, hiking and a great to deal to offer visitors to the region and is very easy to get around. Take a closer look at what Eastern Crete (Lasithi) has to offer you. The whole Island comes alive during Springtime and many streams and rivers are flowing from the mountains as the snow and ice melts. It is a wonderful time to visit and enjoy all the wild flowers and blossom around the town. A drive up into the mountains and a visit to Lasithi Plateau will reward you with views that simply cannot be seen during the warmer months Simply Breathtaking. There are several daily flights from Athens to Heraklion and Neapoli is around a 50 minute drive…and with direct flights also starting much earlier in the year Crete is now so much easier to get to. Naturally, we have focused on the Eastern region of Crete and feel it would be wrong not to include information for the whole of our beautiful Island. Whatever your travel plans for visiting Crete might be, we are sure you will be able to find some valuable holiday tips here at We Love Crete.

PHILOXENIA:-

This literally means hospitality and the people of Neapoli have it in abundance. “In Crete, the stranger is still the unknown god. Before him all doors and all hearts are opened.” “There is a kind of flame in Crete – let us call it “soul” – something more powerful than either life or death. There is pride, obstinacy, valour, and together with these something else inexpressible and imponderable, something which makes you rejoice that you are a human being, and at the same time tremble.” Nikos Kazantzakis, Report to Greco. Cretan Hospitality Video