Welcome to neapoli-crete.com
A community based website aiming to
provide information and holiday tips
about Neapoli and Crete, we hope you
find the information helpful….
Welcome to Neapoli, Crete…
Crete 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.
This community project was conceived as an attempt to provide information and holiday tips for Neapoli, the surrounding area and what Neapoli can offer visitors. We have also included some
other facts and information about Crete and Greece that we hope you find useful. Here is a 4K video of Neapoli - courtesy of Polychronis Drone…
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 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 and bus station on the main square with buses regularly
coming to the town every the hour or so. It is very easy to get to Neapoli by bus so why not stop off, enjoy a look around and have an ice cold beer and watch the world go by.
Around Neapoli…
Neapoli is surrounded by the beautiful Cretan countryside and the surrounding area is quite mountainous with the rich olive groves of Lasithi. Neapoli is a traditional Cretan town with narrow
streets and cobbled roads. It is a lively provincial town with a population close to 4,000 people and the main square of Eleftherios Venizelos Square is teeming with life with most of its cafes and
bars located on this square, where you can enjoy a cool beer or your food, while having fun with your company. One very popular cafe with tourists and the locals is the Cafe Oasis, and at the top
of the square adjacent to the park you will find The Finikas Taverna, which opened in 2020 and is very popular with the locals and visitors alike.
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. 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. As you walk
around the town you’ll come across some beautiful courtyards; small and large squares dotted throughtout the town. Neapoli is also home to a music festival that is held in early August every year
called “The Square Festival”.
The Municipal Garden 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.
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 size of the Temple impresses
as it is the largest in eastern Crete. In the Central Square you will also find the Folklore & Historical 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 such as supermarkets, local shops with products from the wider area of Mirabello and all of Crete, traditional
bakeries, butchers, clothing and shoe shops, hairdressers, a range of shops for household needs as well as freelance engineers, architects, doctors, etc. Important for the lives of residents and
visitors is the "Dialynakeio" General Hospital, which serves the needs of the entire wider area after the Agios Nikolaos General Hospital which is located a few kilometers away.
But if you're looking for something more specific - just ask one of the friendly residents; they will be more than happy to help you with whatever you might need!
Neapoli is waiting to meet you and for you to meet it!
Neapoli Site Overview…
We have tried to make the Neapoli website as easy to get around as possible and the navigation links are pretty much self explanatory but we thought it might helpful to give some pointers:-
Νeapoli - includes information about places of interest and things to see and do in Neapoli, amenities of the Town and other items of interest….
- includes T.V. and films shot on Crete, Greek songs that became international hits and the time “The Beatles nearly bought an Island”….
Holiday Reads - A small selection of books you might like to read on holiday or when you get back home….
It’s all Cretan to me - A look into life on Crete and Greece; includes Flora & Fauna, a brief look into the life of Nikos Kazantzakis, funny Greek expressions and also some audio to help you learn
a little Greek on “It’s all Greek to me”. We are adding to the website as we go along but hope you enjoy some of the topics we’ve currently added to this section….
The biggest celebration is August 15th (Assumption of The Virgin Mary). See the videos on the celebrations page to see how busy Neapoli during this fesitval. However, many celebrations take
place during the winter months and the town celebrates them all (see celebrations page) , so it might be good to think about coming out of season.
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 out of season and 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 We Love Crete.
Cretan Hospitality Video….
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.
Welcome to neapoli-crete.com
A community based website aiming to
provide information and holiday tips
about Neapoli and Crete, we hope you
find the information helpful….
Welcome to Neapoli, Crete…
Crete 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.
This community project was conceived as an attempt to provide
information and holiday tips for Neapoli, the surrounding area
and what Neapoli can offer visitors. We have also included some
other facts and information about Crete and Greece that we hope
you find useful. Here is a 4K video of Neapoli - courtesy of
Polychronis Drone…
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 google maps
driving directions.
Neapoli is on the main bus route, which passes through all the
coastal resorts between Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos. There is a
bus stop and bus station on the main square with buses regularly
coming to the town every the hour or so. It is very easy to get to
Neapoli by bus so why not stop off, enjoy a look around and have
an ice cold beer and watch the world go by.
Around Neapoli…
Neapoli is surrounded by the beautiful Cretan countryside and the
surrounding area is quite mountainous with the rich olive groves
of Lasithi. Neapoli is a traditional Cretan town with narrow streets
and cobbled roads. It is a lively provincial town with a population
close to 4,000 people and the main square of Eleftherios
Venizelos Square is teeming with life with most of its cafes and
bars located on this square, where you can enjoy a cool beer or
your food, while having fun with your company. One very popular
cafe with tourists and the locals is the Cafe Oasis, and at the top
of the square adjacent to the park you will find The Finikas
Taverna, which opened in 2020 and is very popular with the
locals and visitors alike.
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. 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.
As you walk around the town you’ll come across some beautiful
courtyards; small and large squares dotted throughtout the town.
Neapoli is also home to a music festival that is held in early
August every year called “The Square Festival”.
The Municipal Garden 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.
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 size of the Temple
impresses as it is the largest in eastern Crete. In the Central
Square you will also find the Folklore & Historical 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 such as supermarkets, local
shops with products from the wider area of Mirabello and all of
Crete, traditional bakeries, butchers, clothing and shoe shops,
hairdressers, a range of shops for household needs as well as
freelance engineers, architects, doctors, etc. Important for the
lives of residents and visitors is the "Dialynakeio" General
Hospital, which serves the needs of the entire wider area after the
Agios Nikolaos General Hospital which is located a few kilometers
away.
But if you're looking for something more specific - just ask one of
the friendly residents; they will be more than happy to help you
with whatever you might need!
Neapoli is waiting to meet you and for you to meet it!
Neapoli Site Overview…
We have tried to make the Neapoli website as easy to get around
as possible and the navigation links are pretty much self
explanatory but we thought it might helpful to give some
pointers:-
Νeapoli - includes information about places of interest and
things to see and do in Neapoli, amenities of the Town and other
items of interest….
- includes T.V. and films shot on Crete, Greek songs that
became international hits and the time “The Beatles nearly bought
an Island”….
Holiday Reads - A small selection of books you might like to read
on holiday or when you get back home….
It’s all Cretan to me - A look into life on Crete and Greece; includes
Flora & Fauna, a brief look into the life of Nikos Kazantzakis, funny
Greek expressions and also some audio to help you learn
a little Greek on “It’s all Greek to me”. We are adding to the
website as we go along but hope you enjoy some of the topics
we’ve currently added to this section….
The biggest celebration is August 15th (Assumption of The Virgin
Mary). See the video on the celebrations page to see how busy
Neapoli was this year. However, many celebrations take
place during the winter months and the town celebrates them all
(see celebrations page) , so it might be good to think about coming
out of season.
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 out of season and
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.
Cretan Hospitality….
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.
Here is a short video about Cretan Hospitality
Information & holiday tips for visiting Neapoli, Crete
A lively town with many cafes, bars, taverna & shops:relax over a cool beer and watch the world go by
Things to see & do in Neapoli
Church of Megali Panagia, Folklore Museum, Parks, Shops and Walks: Put Neapoli on your must do list when visting Crete.
Holiday Tips for Neapoli & Crete
google maps driving directions to Neapoli:open all year round with hotel and AirBnb