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Dear Guests,

I wish to be your host to all the marvelous places that surround Shivas Village Resort.

Personally I love this land, with the wild unsurpassable beauty, authenticity of people, ancient bonds with life and history.

Here are a few indications, that can make your visit a memorable.

Crete has much to explore. Have an enjoyable stay!

Dr.John Hatzakis

CEO Shivas Village Resort/AMEX SA.

1. Day One at Shivas Village.

Visit Matala
Breakfast from 8.00-10.00 at the hotel's restaurant.

Visit to Matala (6km), direction south west. Have a nice swim!

Lunch at a local restaurant (wide variety). Sip a nice Greek coffee later.

You can also visit "Kokkini Amos Beach", known as "Red Beach", over the mountain on your left (used to be a nude beach). Ask the locals.

Late in the afternoon return to the hotel and have a late dinner at Vafis restaurant, at Sivas Square. (You can ask for Coupons at the reception if you like).

After you can have a drink at the Hotel main bar.

Have a glorious sleep. The microclimate at Sivas is ideal. Open doors and windows, its safe, and cool.

"You can also set an appointment at the reception for a massage."
 

2. Day Two at Shivas Village.

Visit to Phaistos, Komos

Recommended early Breakfast at the hotel's restaurant. Visit to the archeological site of Phaistos . Ask for a guide. You can have a nice refreshment at the Phaistos bar, overlooking the Messara valley, and the South end of Psiloritis mountain north, (where Zeus was raised at Ideon Andron).

If you are quick, by 11.00 you can head for the Komos beach. Have a swim. The restaurants by the beach offer a good variety of local cuisine.

Legend says that the big rock that you see at the south part of Komos was thrown by the Cyclops to the boat of Ulysses. do you believe it?).

Return to the Hotel. You can have an afternoon Hamam ( steam bath), and Sauna and then a swim at the pool with a nice cool drink.

Dinner at the only local restaurant of Kousses a small village 3 Km from the entrance to Sivas. (see the sign).
 

3. Day Three at Shivas Village.

Visit Gortys, Kokkinos Pyrgos
Recommended early Breakfast at the hotel's restaurant.

Early morning visit to Gortys (where the first laws of humanity are written ob the stone walls). Ask for a guide.

After your visit there, do not miss the Praetorium 200m on the road to Ag. Deka village, and the magnificent ruins of the temple of "Egyptian Gods" and the " Temple of Apollo", the oldest priesthood of the God of Light, in the whole ancient Greece.

At about 11.00 leave for Kataliti Beach at Tympaki. Have a nice swim and lunch at Kokkinos Pyrgos, at a modest little fish tavern "The Fishermen's Cooperation", which has great fish. I personally love the place.

4. Day Four at Shivas Village.

Visit Kaloi Limenes, Lentas

Recommended early Breakfast at the hotel's restaurant.

With good walking shoes, some supplies,( refreshments, water), take the road in front of the Hotel, up to the mountains of Asterusia.

After passing through the village of Listaros you will find a little Church "St.Kiprianos". Stop and light a candle. A little story: St.Kiprianos was a very attractive man. But also a Saint in his life. A local villager from Listaros though, called "Adikimenakis"( which means in Greek not a Just Person), suspected the Saint of having an affair with his wife. So he took his head with an axe on the stone outside the Church. Locals say you can see the indent of the axe on the stone! .

Proceed to the Byzantine monastery Of Odigitria. Visit the Church the little museum, and also The "XOPATERA'S" Tower. During the Turkish occupation of Crete and Greece (which by the way regressed us for four hundred years in progress), a brave monk stood up alone to a regiment of 300 Turks, for three days not letting them conquer the Monastery. At last they apprehended him, and they took him to Heraklion where they SKINNED him alive!.

You can also see the monument for brave "XOPATERAS","ΞΩΠΑΤΕΡΑΣ".

Then proceed the road down the slope, to the Agiofarago Canyon. Leave the car at the end of the road and proceed on foot to the beach. Swim and relax!

Returning take the road South to "Kali Limenes", beautiful beach, restaurant by the beach.

Here St.Paul landed in Crete and started preaching.

All year round the waters are calm in this location.

Lunch here and then take the road to Lendas, for a coffee or drink.

From Lentas either you proceed towards Pombia town and then Sivas (longer but better road), or go back the way you came (shorter but a bit rough road as you know).

At Lendas you can have scuba diving lesson. (apply to the reception one day before). Back to the Hotel.

Dinner at Vafis. (recommended)

5. Day Five at Shivas Village.

Visit Kalamaki.

Breakfast at ease 8.00-10.00,at the hotel's restaurant. Take the road to Kamilari and turn left to Kalamaki.

You can sit in a restaurant by the sea, have Ouzo and go to the beach.

In the afternoon have a Hammam, Sauna and massage. (Please program 2 days before at the reception).

At night dinner at a restaurant at Matala, and later drink.

6. Day Six at Shivas Village.

Agia Galini, Agios Pavlos, Preveli.

Breakfast at ease, 8.00-10.00,at the hotel's restaurant.

Take the road through Kamilari,(do not turn for Kalamaki, go right, around the military airport, through Tympaki,), towards Agia Galini. Nice tourist beach town.

You can have a nice half day cruise at the little islands of Paximadi.

Wonder around have a drink or coffee.

If you like a swim, leave Agia Galini at about 12.30, head for Agios Pavlos. A beautiful beach to swim and a nice restaurant for lunch.

After lunch search for "Agia Fotini" beach about 5 km west, for a coffee break.

Early in the afternoon you leave for "Moni Preveli". The road passes through Koutaliotis Canyon, with a majestic view, and proceed for Preveli.

You will find an old Bridge going there. If you take the left road (not so good), it will take you by the sea, near Preveli river so the walk there is better.

If you head the main way, you park the car at the free parking there, and you have to go down 100 stairs. Wear walking shoes! Down there rent a sea bicycle.

You will enter Paradise on Earth. Take your pictures and be happy. Taking the way back, you can have dinner at Agia Galini and go for a late drink to a bar there." Good night!

7. Day seven at Shivas Village

Go to Heraklion.

 Recommended early Breakfast at the hotel's restaurant.

You visit Heraklion today, 60 km north, one hour drive.

You enter Heraklion go straight following the road, sea side.

You see the Harbor and the "Coules" Venetian Fortress. I would suggest that you park somewhere near Megaron Hotel, at the paid parking.

The "Archeological Museum of Heraklion" is very near, up the street.

There is also the "Historical Museum" 500 m back the road you came, and the Natural History Museum 800m back. After your Museum visits, on foot to the Traditional market of Heraklion center, and if you wish, visit my wife's Bijoux shop "KIRA" at Evans 18 St. Make your wife happy! You will have 25% discount with a card, that you can get from the Hotel's reception.

Lunch at the restaurant "Giacumis" opposite to her shop. Recommended chops or burger.

Back to your car, drive though "Ethinis Antistaseos St." straight , to Knossos Palace 5 km., heading south.

The Palace where King Minos lived. The bath that the Queen bathed in milk. The home of Minotaurous killed by Thesseus an Athenian Hero.

After your visit head back to Shivas, one hour south. Have a nice hammam (steam bath) and a relaxing sauna, a dip at the pool and choose the place to dine.

Maybe a late drink at the hotel?

After, "Morfeas the "God of sleep" may guide you to the entrances of eternity.

See you tomorrow!

8. Day eight at Shivas Village.

Visit Spilia, Rethymnon, Chania

 The road to Tympaki north to Spilia. Refreshment, and maybe souvenirs.

Then Rethymnon city. Wonder around. Lunch at the old port of Rethymnon. Visit the Archeological museum.

Early in the afternoon you leave taking the national road to Chania.

On the way visit Lake Kournas . Arriving at Chania visit the old harbor, you can have dinner there.

Back to Shivas very late.

9.Day nine at Shivas Village.

Crossing the Samaria Canyon.

6hours walk trough this monument of Nature. But you have to go there with an organized tour because the bus will wait for you at the other end of the Canyon. (ask the reception for more info the first day you arrive)

10. Day ten at Shivas Village.

Visit Heraklion Thalassocosmos Park, Hersonissos- Malia.

 Early Breakfast.

Thalasokosmos is an Aquarium at Goyrnes (5 km east of Heraklion), inside the old American Base.

You take the old road from Heraklion outside Allikarnassos, by the sea, or the national road and exit to Goyrnes (see the signs).

Then you can go to Hersonnissos, a tourist village, that gets wild at night and Malia also. Further east, Malia.There are great beaches. Do not miss "Sun Beach". There are also antiquities outside of Malia.

You can have dinner at Sissi eastern of Malia (8 km).

11. Day eleven at Shivas Village. - Nida Ideon Andron.

 Do you have the feel for adventure? Are you not scared of very bumpy road? Do not bring children with you! You have to be very careful on the road. You have to rent a Jeep or a high car.

Go to Zaros village, and then you ask for directions how to get to Rouvas Forest. After the forest you proceed straight always.

At a certain point when you feel you are lost, north on the top of a mountain you will see "Shinakas Observatory". Head there. Eventually you will get to proper road that is on top of The Psiloritis Mountains.

To the right is Anogia Village. To the left is "Nida" where "Ideon Andron" cave is located. (Do not miss it!).

Its an ancient sacred location, even from the Prehistoric ages.

There, Pythagoras discended, dressed in black, stayed in for 21 days(3X7=21), and came out dressed in white.(Symbolized the passage from darkness, to light).

You can also see the big stone, that is an Altar.

Prominent Greek archeologist, late Prof.Sakelarakis, exscavated the cave, and found very important ancient items. You leave for Anogia village, have lunch. Further away is the village of Zoniana, with a magnificent Cave you can visit, and also a Wax Museum of Greek history. The way back you go to Heraklion (35 min), and then south to Sivas(60 min).

12. Day twelve at Shivas Village. - Martsalo Canyon- Vathi.

This is a bit difficult one! Rent a Jeep. From Odigitria Monastery you follow the signs, get to Martsalo Canyon. You can cross it, if you have walking shoes.( Have water and drinks, and also some meat if you want it to be cooked at the little Tavern at Vathi.) Then you go to Vathi. swim and eat.

13. Day thirteen at Shivas Village.

- Vori-Kokkinos Pyrgos

Vori is a village before Tympaki. Visit the Ethnological Museum. Have a coffee or Ouzo at the main square. Then head for Tympaki and Kokkinos Pyrgos. Find a nice place to swim. Kataliti beach, is popular. Also there is a variety of restaurants for lunch. Dinner recommended at Zaros by the Lake at the slopes of Psiloriti mountain.