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Ξερόκαμπος 
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South of Xerokambos is the renowned beach of Argilos, where the Pliocene marl make their appearance. This marl has two unique characteristics: they contain a high percentage of clay and they are very fragmented. Thus, they can easily be broken off by hand and used by bathers to apply natural clay to their body!
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Places near Minoan Settlement
Xerokambos Salt Marsh
The Xerokambos salt marsh is on the southeastern side of the hamlet by the same name and is a large seawater lake, which in the summer evaporates, leaving sea salt deposits behind, thus called “Alatsolimni” (salt lake).
Michalis and his mother Chrisanti Theodorakis are welcoming and inviting you in Xerokambos to "Taverna Kostas". For over 20 years now, Chrisanthi cooks her Greek and Cretan specialties with passion, a unique enjoyment full of fresh vegetables. Meat and fresh fish are grilled for you on charcoal.
In our Tavern, you can of course enjoy your coffee, a cool beer, native wine or other refreshments. The beautiful Xerokampos beach is only 150 m far!
Xerokambos village is an expanding coastal settlement in the far east of Crete, 42 km from Sitia and 28 km from Palekastro, in a place of considerable natural beauty.
This wonderful unspoilt part of East Crete is open and spacious. It has long sandy beaches & many small sandy coves, all set in front of some wonderful olive groves. Here you can spend idle and restful days recovering from the stresses of everyday life. There are but a few places to stay, the same with tavernas. There are two roads to go to Xerokambos. The road from Zakros to Xerokambos is a dirt track road (9 km). From Sitia, drive the Makrigialos and Piskokefalo road. After 10 km, in Episkopi, turn left to Handras, Ziros, Hametoulo and Xerokambos (45 km from Sitia, on a new surfaced road). There is a small temporary lagoon (dry from the end of May). In March and April tavernas are not necessarily open. Xerokambos beach life at its most tranquil in a dramatic setting.
The ancients were certainly aware of the beauty of this spot and its important position on the shipping routes off the eastern shores of Crete, as the site has been inhabited since Minoan times (Read about the Hellenistic city of Xerokambos).
The water Museum and the old Watermills in Zakros Village are worth visiting within the village and the Kato Zakros beach.
The palace at Zakros has two main building phases: the old palace was built in c. 1900 B.C., and the new one in c. 1600 B.C., but was destroyed in 1450 B.C. along with the other centres of Minoan Crete.
The Palace of Kato Zakros is located 26 kms south of Palekastro. Its position shelters it from the dangerously strong north winds that pass Cape Sidero on the north-east tip of Crete.
It was the last of the major palaces to be discovered and is smaller than the other three at Knossos, Malia and Phaistos. The original excavations were begun by D.G. Howarth of the British School of Archaeology in Athens, and 12 houses in the town surrounding the Palace, whose existence remained unknown, were unearthed before the excavation was abandoned.
Nikolaos Platon resumed the excavation in 1961 and was able to unearth a palace which had not been looted at the time of its destruction. The excavations have continued until the present day. The excavation represents one of the most important for Minoan archaeology since the Second World War, and the lateness of its discovery allowed it to be excavated using more modern and more scientific methods than those adopted in the excavation of the other Palaces some 60 years earlier.
Kato Zakros Minoan Palace Kato Zakros Minoan Palace Kato Zakros Minoan Palace
The Palace of Zakros probably acted as the Minoan gateway to the east and this view is supported by various movable finds on the site which had come from the Middle East. Like the other palaces, Zakros was rebuilt after the earthquake destruction of the old palaces. The second palace was built around 1600 BC and finally destroyed around 1450 BC, along with other centres of Minoan civilisation in Crete.
Fortunately many artefacts were left in situ, probably due to the suddenness of the destruction. The palace covered 8,000 square metres, contained 150 rooms and had a Central Court measuring about 30 metres by 12 metres, smaller than that of Knossos.
Xerokampos in east Crete is a beautiful pristine isolated area which is located 48km from Sitia and 29km from Palekastro and 9Km from Zakros.
The beaches are beautiful and ideal for those who seek peace and relax vacations. At the same time the shallow crystal clear water make Xerokampos an ideal destination for family vacations.
The main beaches are:
Xerokampos main beach
Alatsolimni beach
Potamos beach
Katsounaki beach
Argilos beach
Gerontolakos beach
Tis lygias o lakos beach
Stou maznta ton ammo beach
Amatou beach
Regarding food and entertainment there are taverns – restaurants with tasty traditional Cretan food and fresh fish.
In Xerokampos there is also a mini market that can cover all your basic needs, For gas station and pharmacy you have to go either tο Ziros or Zakros.
The owners George and Haroula Platanakis take great pleasure in informing you that they have built a small family tourist complex in Kato Zakros.
The complex is located at the top of a hill offering a panoramic view onto the plain, the Minoan Palace, the village, the Gorge, and the beautiful beach of Kato Zakros. Our hillside location means that there is always a cooling breeze. There is the following choice of accomodation:
Coral rooms in coastal resort Kato Zakros for your holidays - vacation. Whether you sit on the terrace or gaze at the view of the beach and sea below from your room, Coral Rooms provide the real sea-side experience with comfortable and well cared for surroundings. Situated immediately below Athena Rooms, private bathrooms. East Crete Kato Zakros!!
A block of flats with 6 studios, air conditioning, 3 Gardens and 3 floors that lies on the same property as Taverna Kostas, into a beautiful garden, surrounded by olive trees close to Xerokampos beach.
The village of Zakros is only 10 km far and Kato Zakros 19 km.
Rock Climbing
At the entrance to the Canyon of the Dead from Kato Zakros, several climbing routes have been carved out on the vertical limestone cliffs. Most routes have permanent safeties along their entirety and include a wide range of difficulty levels, for both beginners and experienced climbers.
In one of the quietest corners of eastern Crete, in the beauty of nature, 2 km far from the spectacular beach of Kato Zakros «Ambeles Apartments» are located. Built at an altitude of 200m. with panoramic view over the eastern Cretan Sea.
The accommodation is consisted of 3 rooms and 3 apartments. The rooms of 25sq.m. each, can accommodate up to 2 people and they offer A/C, refrigerator, private bathroom and terrace overlooking the bay (shared with the adjoining apartment).
On Katsounaki beach and on the path leading to Kato Zakros is an ancient quarry in the midst of compacted Pleistocene aeolianite sandstone, which were easily excavated as they are soft rocks due to their many pores.
Katsounaki or Agrilia Gorge
The Canyon of Xerokambos
After the site Agrilia, at the point where the most of the branches of the canyon are united, a very impressive landscape with extraordinary caves is created.
The distance from this point until its exit at the beach of Katsounaki is about 1500 metres. At the beach katsounaki one may see sand dunes containing Ammophtla arenaria. The sea lilies catch the hiker’s attention, especially during their bloom at the end of July to September.
There are other flora species as well such as finokalia Thymelaea hirsuta and the sea thorn Eryngium maritimum.
Katsounaki gorge is yet another significant geotope in the Xerokambos area. It is very long and has almost vertical slopes, which inside it exceptional and very impressive landforms develop, while there is surface water runoff over most of it. One can also enjoy it using the country road leading to Xerokambos, especially when the sun is setting, lighting the landforms and offering a unique sight.
At the northern entrance of Xerokambos village, Lassithi prefecture, on the main road that runs through the village to Ziros, “Zeus” Apartments are located.
The distance from Heraklion Airport is 176 km, from Agios Nikolaos 105 km, from Sitia 45 and from Palekastro village 25km.
Midway along the trail leading from Katsounaki beach to Kato Zakros is another ancient quarry, in the midst of compacted Pleistocene aeolianite sandstone, which were easily excavated as they are soft rocks due to their many pores.
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