Islands around Crete |
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Turkuru: Lying offshore from Chania, it has a castle, and is populated only by Kri-Kri (the wild, native goats of Crete). Dhia: 12km off the coast from Iraklio, this island is now a Kri-Kri island. In Minoan times Dhia was inhabited.
Spinalonga: A few kilometres north of Elounda, Spinalonga was for a long time a leper colony.
Agia Pandes: a small Kri-Kri island to the west of Crete.
Kouponisi: Far to the south west, off Xerokambos, this
island was inhabited in antiquity (Minoans and Romans),
but is now uninhabited.
Chryssi: Also known as Donkey Island, Gaidoronisi, Krissi.
Just offshore from
Ierapetra, Chryssi has
daily ferries in the summertime. In winter it is
uninhibited. Good hikes, great beaches – well worth a day
trip.
Gavdos: The biggest of all the satellite islands and the
only one with a permanent population (approximately 45
people living on 50.4 km² of land). You can go to Gavdos
on ferries and postal ships the whole year round. Gavdos
has little tourism and enjoys a traditional life. There is
a very basic shop, some tavernas and a few rooms to rent.
Most tourists in Gavdos camp out at the beach. Ferries
sail most frequently from
Chora Sfakia, but you can also
catch a ferry from Paleochora. Altogether, there are about
four connections a week in summer and two in winter. When
the weather is bad, the ferries will not run. So bear in
mind that a short trip to Gavdos may turn out to be a
longer one than you anticipated! The sea between Crete and
Gavdos can be a little rough, and many tourists get
seasick on the small boats.
Gavdopoula: Gavdopoula is Gavdos’ little sister island (2.7 km²), and is uninhabited. If you want to visit it, you can hire a fishing boat in Gavdos. Pondikonisi, Imeri Grambousa, Agria Grambousa: These three islands are not too far from the deserted north west coast of Crete.
Map of Crete
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