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42 EXPLORE / CRETE ELOUNDA ELOUNDA EXPLORE / CRETE 43

BEHIND

ELOUNDA’S

LUXURY

JET SET LEGEND

So much more than just a coveted Cretan destination, the area surrounding
Domes of Elounda holds myriad surprises just waiting to be discovered.

BY SOPHIA McCONNELL

Just a stone's throw from cosmopolitan Elounda, you can find abandoned villages,

LOCATED IN EASTERN CRETE, north of Agios Nikolaos and south of the seaside resort of Plaka, Blue Flag beaches, magnificent monasteries and more.
Elounda was once a picturesque fishing village in the lovely Mirabello Bay which has blossomed
into a globally recognized luxury destination known for its exclusive resorts and jet set lifestyle, pro-
viding the perfect location for the sophisticated Domes of Elounda and Sentido Elounda Blue, while
Pleiades Luxurious Villas can be found at vibrant nearby Agios Nikolaos.Yet, there is a side to Eloun-
da that many don’t get to see, offering an authentic glimpse into the island’s tumultuous and con-
stantly changing history, along with its time-honored traditions and the customs and lifestyles of its
people. Explore these local attractions to find the keys to unlocking this rich world:

• Olous, the earliest recorded settlement on top Elounda and Sentido Elounda Blu
of which Elounda is built today • The restored Holy Monastery of Areti with its
• Picturesque Agios Nikolaos with its cosmopol- immaculate gardens, which dates back to the
itan atmosphere is filled with restaurants and years of the Venetian rule on the island (around 392020444.jpg
cafes. People have lived here for over 5 mil- 1200 AD)
lennia, as it was first inhabited circa 3,000 BC • The lagoon-like bay of Elounda with its boats
• Agios Nikolaos’ outstanding marina, which that rock entrancingly on the calm waters
is awarded a Blue Flag every year for its clear • The picturesque fishing village of Plaka, op-
waters posite Spinalonga
• The beautiful abandoned village of Havgas • Across the water from Domes of Elounda, the
with its panoramic views over the perfectly eerie and scenic islet of Spinalonga is filled
shaped bay with stories from the past, with Victoria His-
• The villages of Kasteli and Fourni, almost un- lop's novel "The Island" – which was adapted
touched by time into a popular TV series – taking place here Right page, from
top:
• Kritsa, a stunning traditional village with a mod- • Mirabello Bay means “Look! Beautiful!” – as Crete's own
ern twist built amphitheatrically on the hill and the Venetians exclaimed as soon as they saw it Riviera, Elounda
is near the
surrounded by olive groves, was the location of • The dreamy beaches located north and north- charming
village of Agios
Jules Dassin's film "He Who Must Die," based west of Agios Nikolaos, just a stone's throw Nikolaos. View
on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel "Christ Recruci- from Pleiades Luxurious Villas of Elounda from
the fortress of
fied." It's less than half an hour from Domes of • Lake Voulismeni at the center of Agios Nikolaos Spinalonga islet.
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