Sitia

About Sitia

Sitia is a small and pleasant coastal town, built in a semicircle on the western side of the Bay of Sitia, a typical, peaceful Mediterranean port. It is the capital of the county with the same name and is sited 73 km east of Agios Nikolaos.
Visitors in Sitia particularly enjoy the climate and the wonderful beaches. The highest temperature in the summer is approx. 30 C. and the lowest in winter is 7 C.
Sitia is the seat of administrative and public services for the county and has road and sea connections with various places in the island and with Pireaus and other Aegean islands. There is also a small airport with connection to Athens, Kassos, Karpathos, Rhodes.

History
The name Sitia is derived from the ancient city of Itia, birthplace of one of the seven wise-men of the antiquity, Mison. In the site that the town is built today only few archaeological findings have been excavated. Middle-Minoan and Late-Minoan tombs, Geometrical and Hellenic statues and shells, Roman buildings and an Early-Christian Basilica.
Sitia existed during the Late-Minoan period and until the Venetian period. During the Venetian occupation the town of Sitia was destroyed three times. In 1508 by a terrible earthquake, in 1538 by the pirate Barbarosa and in 1651 by the Venetians so as not to fall in the hands of the Turks.
For two centuries Sitia ceased to exist as a town, until 1869. The present city was built in 1870. Since then, Sitia is developing to one of the most important urban areas in Crete.

Sights
The most imposing monument of the past that dominates Sitia is the fortress of the castle today called Kazarma from the "Casa di Arma". Kazarma was one of the buildings of Medieval Sitia, and it served as soldier's barracks and army headquarters. Kazarma and the imposing wall around it were originally built in the Late Byzantine period. The walls were repaired by the Venetians many times and especially after the terrible earthquake of 1508 and the attack by the pirate Barbarosa in 1538.

Tripitos is a small peninsula sited 3 km from Sitia. An artificial shelter for ships dug in the rocks, has been found there and is dated from the Hellenistic period. A Hellenistic city extends to all the peninsula, and several parts of its settlements have been excavated, as well as its strong wall in the south part of the city. A big number of clay pots, coins, jewels and lead weights have been excavated. The excavations are still going on today.

Sitia is the birth place of the great poet Vintsenzos Kornaros, who wrote a masterpiece of Medieval poetry, "Erotokritos". The poem narrates the story of the princess Aretousa, daughter of the king of Athens Hercules, and Erotokritos, son of Pezostratos, member of the king's court.

Sitia possesses an excellent library and an important Folklore Museum, with many exhibits, mainly handwoven materials, embroideries, local costumes, furniture.
There is also an Archaeological Museum where significant archaeological finds of the area are exhibited. The Museum exhibits cover a period of 4000 years, from 3500 BC to 500 AD.
An event that should not be missed by the visitor, is the celebration of soultanina (a type of raisin) that takes place every August in Sitia. It is a public feast that is famous beyond the borders of the island.

In Sitia the visitor can find many hotels, pensions and houses with rooms for rent, as well as a youth hostel. There are also many restaurants, taverns and cafes in the city and along the quay side.
Although the town is increasingly developing, it keeps its traditional character and the hospitable character of its people. The people are polite and friendly.
The Touristic Club of Sitia, the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Sitia and the educational and cultural association "Vintsenzos Kornaros", play an important role to the cultural life of the city. In particular the "Vintsenzos Kornaros" association has founded the library and the Folklore Museum in Sitia.
Sitia is a good starting point for several excursions throughout Eastern Crete. Some of the most important places to visit are Toplou Monastery>, Palaikastro, Vai, Zakros, Makri Gialos, Itanos.

See
It has been inhabited since the Minoan period. At Petra, to the east of the town, a section of ancient settlement has been excavated. There is a waterfront with restaurants and cafes, a large public beach, and an archaeological museum which holds many of the findings from Palekastro.