General Information about the Akrotiri Municipal Unit

The Municipal Unit of Akrotiri is located in the north and east of the prefecture of Chania and is based in Pythari. It is a coastal municipality, which according to the 2001 census, has a total of 10,321 inhabitants and an area of ​​112,644 acres. The municipality includes 5 municipal districts and 24 settlements. The municipal districts are of Aronios, Kounoupidianon, Mouzoura, Sternon and Chordaki.
The peninsula east of Chania, formerly called Kyamon, is known as Akrotiri.
The Byzantines called it Harakas, today it sounds like Akrotiri Malecha.
Its largest mountain peak is Skloka 528 m, and the northern hills were called Arkoudovounia, a name that comes from the cave of Arkoudaina in Gouverneto. The peninsula of Akrotiri acts as a dam that protects the gulf of Souda from the strong north winds. Akrotiri has several interesting areas. On the north coast there are sandy beaches wonderful for swimming, while on the northeast there are several old monasteries. The airport and military bases dominate the central and southern part of the peninsula. Many visitors come to Crete to admire the many species of rare and wild plants that grow in Akrotiri, in the period January-April.

Gorges:
Kalatha – 8 km from Chania
Porofarago – 14 km from Chania
Agiofarago – 16 km from Chania
Agios Antonios and Katevatis – 18 km from Chania
Poros Mavre – 16 km from Chania.

Caves:
With rich stony wealth, fantastic stalactites and stalagmites are a total of 15, all visitable and within the route of the gorges. The most important of these are:
Lera – At Stavros where the film “ZORBA THE GREEK” was shot, with Anthony Quinn.
Arkalospilio – 3km from Gouvernetou Monastery
Achairospilio and Agios Ioannis Cave next to each other in Katholiko in Agiofarago, 3 km from Gouvernetou Monastery
Arkoudospilio, next to the monastery of Koumarospiliou between the Monastery of Agia Triada and Gouvernetou.
All this is next to the hotels and only 10-20 km from Chania.

Below the village of Sternes, was the ancient Minoa in the small creek.
In the revolution of 1821, the inhabitants of Akrotiri to save themselves resorted to caves, monasteries, and boats, which were in Souda.
In 1822 the Akrotirians, together with Daminos, came down from Malaxa and slaughtered all the Turks of Akrotiri, without any loss.
Akrotiri took an important place in the history of Crete in the revolution of 1897. At that time about 1,000 revolutionaries gathered under the leadership of Antonios Sifakas and the revolutionary committee with Ethnarch Eleftherios Venizelos, established its headquarters in Profitis Ilias, where the tombs of B are located today.
In 1897, fleets of (protective) forces from the port of Chania bombed the positions of the revolutionaries, in order to help the Turks who had been put in a difficult position by the revolutionaries. A shell shattered the pole of the Greek flag that was waving at Profitis Ilias.
Seeing the greatness of Cretan Heroism, the Italian Admiral Felice Cannavaro, ordered the ceasefire.
The popular singer immortalized the event with the following verse:
“My proud Cape, your glory is so Punei written up there, it will never melt”
In the settlement of Plakoures above the plateau of Vothonas, the first meetings of the revolutionary assembly took place, where the provisional Government of Crete was elected, consisting of Ioannis Sfakianakis as president, Eleftherios Venizelos as vice-president and Ant. Hatzidakis Emm. Zacharakis G. Mylonogiannis and M. Giamalakis, who ruled until 1898 when Prince George came.
The statue of Ethnarch Eleftherios Venizelos was erected in the place of Frydia by the Prophet Ethnarch Eleftherios Venizelos in 1935, a work by Thomas Thomopoulos.
Ethnarch Eleftherios Venizelos and his son Sophocles are buried in the same place.
During the Turkish occupation, Halepa was the seat of the municipality of Akrotiri. The consulates of all the Great Powers were also in Halepa.
The Treaty of Aleppo was signed in Halepa in October 1878, by the then commander Kostis Adosidis, Pasha, who granted several privileges to the Christians, which were later abolished by the 1889 decree.

Near Marathi there is also an archeological site, called the “Small Palace of Minos”.
The distance from the airport to the various parts of Akrotiri, ranges from 3 to 7 km while from the port of Souda, 10-12 km.
Monasteries:
Monastery of Agia Triada Tzagarolon – 16th century, 14 km from Chania
Gouvernetou Monastery – 15th century, 4 km from Agia Triada and 18 km from Chania.
Katholiko – The oldest monastery in Crete (6th-10th century) with hermitages such as those of Meteora, 3km from M. Gouvernetou and 21 km from Chania.
Convent of Agios Ioannis in Korakies – 17th century, 7 km from Chania.
Monastery of Agios Ioannis the Merciful – 17th century.
Metochi of Agios Antonios and cave cave of Arkoudiotissa, next to the Monastery of Gouvernetou.
Cave church of Agios Georgios of Apidiotis – 14th century, in the settlement of Pazinos in the gorge of Mavre.

“Akrotiri, the Mount Athos of Crete, the Acropolis of Chania…”
In Akrotiri there are the tombs of the Venizelos, the headquarters of the National Revolution, the airport and the port of Souda.
It is the closest and largest cape of Chania, just 10 km, from the Venetian port of the city of Chania.
With the best dry climate and the first quality early watermelons, melons, grapes and vegetables of the Prefecture. It is the place of nature trails, gorges with diverse unspoiled nature and all the natural beauties and living traditions.
The picturesque sandy beaches that all have blue flags, the monasteries of the first in Crete, its churches, caves with rich stony and archaeological interest, and many other archaeological and historical monuments.
The traditional villages with the hospitality of their people, the traditional taverns, the cafes and the category of tourist complexes and accommodation, will make your vacation unforgettable with the most affordable prices and the remarkable service. There are also 4 children’s camps, with impeccable service and unique hospitality.
Also in the area there are many taverns of traditional character, supermarkets and mini cafes, gas stations, bakeries, patisseries, pharmacies, private clinics, shops, bank, post office.
Among its picturesque beaches stand out those of Kalathas, Agios Onoufrios – 8km from Chania – Tersana, Machairidas – 12 km from Chania – Stavrou (15 km from Chania) and Marathi (16 km from Chania). Next to them are hotels and tourist accommodation, as well as in other parts of the area.