WHERE TO GO

Explore Crete! Check all the locations we suggest you to visit during your stay at Kounenos Apartments. Discover the beauty of this magnificent island and create your memories!

The Palm Forest of Vai

Swim / Explore

Vai, or more specifically the palm forest of Vai, is one of the most popular attractions in Crete and at the same time one of the most beautiful and unique locations in the entire Mediterranean. It attracts thousands of visitors every year due to its beautiful palm forest. It currently occupies an area of approximately 250 stemmas and it is the largest palm forest in Europe.

The forest in Vai is protected by European Union and many related conventions. It has been characterized as an “Aesthetic Forest”, one among 19 in Greece, and a “specially protected area”.

Voulisma Beach

Swim / Enjoy

The coastline at Istron is characterised by secluded coves and crystal-blue waters. There are 3 beaches within a kilometre of the property, with Golden Beach being the best known. This Blue Flag-winning beach of golden sands is considered one of Crete’s loveliest bays.

The golden sands and crystal clear sea of Golden Beach, named locally as Voulisma Beach, are wonderful. The main beach is a long stretch of golden sand equipped with sunbeds and parasols. There are also a few rocky coves for a more secluded beach experience.

Elounda & Spinalonga

Swim / Explore

Elounda is a seaside town 20 minutes away from our Apartments. It’s an up-and-coming retreat that revolves around a colourful harbour, the main square and many authentic Greek tavernas. It also comes with a sandy beach that looks out to the intriguing Spinalonga Island.

From Elounda you can get by boat to Spinalonga, also called the island of tears. Spinalonga was home to hundreds of Greece’s lepers, who were shipped here and then forbidden to leave. On Spinalonga you can walk at its main street with the old shops and houses where the lepers attempted to live.

Palace of Knossos

Sightseeing / Explore

The Palace of Knossos, over an hour drive away from our Apartments, is the islands most popular attraction. Dating back to 1900 BC, it was the hub of Cretes Minoan civilisation. Minotaur was said to have lurked in a labyrinth. You’ll be led around the throne room and royal apartments, With your explorations over here, it’s then on to Heraklion. What you can see here is, among others, the Venetian castle at the port of Heraklion as well as the Venetial loggia that is now the town hall.

The Aquarium of Crete

Enjoy / Explore

CretAquarium specializes in the presentation of species and ecosystems from the Mediterranean, a sea of unique biodiversity which gave birth to primeval cultures and welcomes every year millions of visitors from around the world. It hosts 200 different species of the Mediterranean Sea, representing the Cretan and Mediterranean seabed in the appropriate scenery. Furthermore, the Aquarium of Crete nurses injured animals and is continuously enriched with new marine species.

The CretAquarium building complex is located at the site of the former American Base in Gournes, 50 km from Kounenos Apartments.

Lassithi Plateau

Sightseeing / Explore

The Lassithi Plateau is a picturesque valley surrounded by mountains, located in the prefecture of Lassithi, about 45 km west of our Apartments.

In the periphery of the Lasithi Plateau are built 17 villages. Above the village of Psychro is the Dikteon Andro at an altitude of 1020 m. There, according to mythology, Rhea, hidden from Saturn’s fury, gave birth to Zeus. It is considered to be one of the most important internationally known caves, with great mythological and archaeological interest. The cave, which is full of excavations, has an area of 2,200 sqm and can be visited.