Palekastro
By minoa.info/Juhani
Updated 07.12.2012
One of the easternmost villages in Crete, Palekastro (Palaiokastro),
lives its 
peaceful life free of mass tourism, at the crossroad of one of
the eastern mainroads. There are about one thousand inhabitants in
the village and they earn their living mainly from agriculture, by
growing olives and grapes, tourism is only a part of the economic
structure. Outside of the village centre there are some small
family hotels, most of them close to the beaches. There are a
few shops and taverns in the centre of the village, one fish
tavern is close to the Chiona beach and also some of the small
hotels offer a possibility to dine.
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From the centre square of Palekastro the main road divides in two; one road takes to the south and the other one to the north. In the south there are the Zakros, Ziros and Xerokampos villages and in the north the famous palm beach of Vai and nearby there are also a few gorges such as Zakros and Hohlakies (look at the “Gorges”).
In the Palekastro village one can just relax, enjoy the beach life or
make a tour to the Minoan excavation area
The beaches are quite far away from the centre of the village, but close to the north beach there are small family hotels from where there is only about one hundred metres walk to the beach (look at the video) and the beach is also popular among the windsurfers.
The sunken harbour of Itanos (north from Palekastro) is known from the ancient history; from the harbour Palekastro and other east Cretan villages made trade primarily with the eastern countries of the Mediterranean Sea. The Minoan excavation area, close to the Chiona beach, has proven how important the harbour was for the east Cretan villages.
Close to the village, on the Kastri hill, there has been a Venetian castle.
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The centre of Palekastro; from the centre square, close to the church, the main road divides both to the south and north. Hotels are located mostly in the olive groves outside the centre of the village. Services have concentrated around the centre square.
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Coming from south to Palekastro (show a bigger picture).
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The centre square and the church of Palekastro
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Most of the village taverns are shown in this picture of the centre square.
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This road takes to the north where there amongst others is the palm beach of Vai, only about ten kilometres away.
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In the northern beach area of Palekastro there is a road, paved with stones, and by the road there are small family hotels side by side close to the beach. That beach area is shown on the map page and driving through the road here on the video.
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In the last years Palekastro has become the Wind Surfing Center. Especially at the Kouremeno beach.
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The northern beach area; here the family hotels are close to a nice beach where there is both fine and coarse sand.
(show a bigger picture).
Sources:
Palekastro’s brochures
Wikipedia
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