Agios Nikolaos (Greece)

Agios Nikolaos is a port town on the Greek island of Crete. It is located in the east of the island, east of its capital Heraklion, north of the town of Ierapetra and west of the town of Sitia, on the Mediterranean Sea. In the year 2000 the town had about 19,000 inhabitants. Agios Nikolaos is the capital of the nomos (province) of Lasithi.

The name Agios Nikolaos means Saint Nicholas. The stress lies on the second syllable of the word "Nikolaos".

Note that Agios Nikolaos or Ayios Nikolaos (alternative transliterations of the Greek Aγιος Nικολαος) is a common place name in Greece and Cyprus since Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and of all of Greece.

It is easy to reach the town by bus. There is a regularly scheduled bus service along the northern coast of Crete, and it takes one hour and a half to get from Heraklion to Agios Nikolaos.

There is a small beach near the inner city (see picture). Also, there is a small lake near the harbour, Lake Voulismeni , along which there are terraces.

The archeological museum has artifacts from the Minoan era. There is a folk museum in the city as well.

Agios Nikolaos also has a golf club a few kilometres north situated near the grassy hills of the north and forests in the middle. Hotels are near the golfcourse.

The prefecture of Lasithi

External links

• Homepage of Agios Nikolaos