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During summer time the airport of Heraklion (the main city of the island of Crete) is well connected with most of the European countries through daily charter flights.
The only problem you may encounter is the “flight only reservation” since most of the times charter flights are sold together with hotel reservations for well known seaside resorts on the north coast of Crete like Ammoudara, Hersonissos and Malia whose life style is far away from the Xerocampos reality. |
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The classic and easier way to reach Crete (if charter flights or the direct Low costs are unavailable) is with a stop-over to the new Athens International Airport.
The traditional national airlines plus the greek Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines have daily flights to Athens and can be booked at any agency and (except August) easy to find and between Athens and Heraklion (50 minutes) Aegean Airlines and Olympic Airways offer domestic flights almost every hour. |
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But please pay attention to Saturdays and Sundays because often the places available on domestic flights in Greece are quite difficult to find.
From Athens there is also a three times a week flight to the city of Sitia (Monday, Thursday and Saturday) which is only at 50 minutes drive from Xerocampos but the flight departs from Athens at about 07.45 am and this means for most people the need to overnight in Athens. Once landed at the Heraklion's airport Nikos Katsantsakis you have |
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different means of transportation.
The cheapest is the public bus (here named "leoforìo") run by Ktel which you will find in front of the airport (modern and equipped with air conditioning) and in 3 ½ hours drive will take you to Sitia at 15 euro per person.
From Sitia you can then take a taxi, the stop is in the central square with palm trees near the port which will take you to Xerocampos in about 50 minutes (at a cost of about 60 euro) or via the road that |
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goes in the direction of Ierapetra or via the one in direction of Palekastro because both routes, after the recent asphalting of the road between Zakros and Xerocampos (completed in September of 2008), are now the same as for total kilometers, about 50, as well as journey times.
Other possibilities of transportation (always from Heraklion) is a direct taxi that with 2 ½ hours journey (traffic permitting) will conduct you to Xerocampos (the cost is around 250 euros, thrill of speed on not beautiful roads included!). |
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And finally you can also book a car in order to find it with great comfort ready and available upon your arrival at the airport of Heraklion (with the keys in the dashboard and a quarter of gasoline, a level which needs to be reinstated on return), with prices as from the annexed tables of the page
In this case the shortest way (which will take you in about 3 hours here in Xerocampos) is exiting the airport on the left, the New |
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National Road that must be taken in the direction of Agios Nikolaos and once there at the first traffic light you have to turn right direction Sitia. After the second traffic light, bypassing Agios Nikolaos and following directions for Amoudara and Istro you will drive for about 17 km on the north coast until you will cross Pahia Ammos, immediately after this village (be careful because if you take the wrong direction and go straight on for Sitia your route will needlessly lengthen by about 50 |
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km!) to turn right towards Ierapetra reaching after 14 km the south coast. If you want to avoid to enter Ierapetra please note that at about two hundred meters before the traffic light, that signals the start of the city, there is a crossroads on the left that leads to a small and new bypass that leads directly to the south coastal road, this road which is about 29 kilometers long through various centers such Koutsounari, Ferma, Agia Galini (with its beautiful church), Makrigialos and Analipsi and then left again |
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direction north towards Lithines and then after about 5 km, just before Papagiannades, on the right, is the crossroads that will take you to Etià (known for its Venetian villa and its ghost village). Then you will find Armeni (leave that to your right without entering the village), you will pass Handràs (unmistakable landmark with its wind farm) and continuing to the right for yet another 4 km you will cross the center Ziros. After Ziros continue straight passing the entrance of the military |
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radar base direction the small almost uninhabited traditional village of Hametoulo and from there starts the enchanting view of the panoramic road which overlooks the valley and beaches of Xerocampos.
WARNING! Fill up the tank in Ziros since in the valley of Xerocampos there is no possibility of supply and the nearest gasoline station is 10 km. away in the village of Zakros.
To get to Crete (providing more time for your vacation) you may also |
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travel by ship.
Ferries from Ancona, Bari and Brindisi to Patras can be booked at any agency, the ship companies are many and with diversified and various offers.
If you travel without a car from Patras is advisable to take the coach (often offered by the same shipping company with which you have traveled and that can be booked directly on board) which will lead you |
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in about 3 hours to Piraeus (the port of Athens).
Once in Piraeus you can make the tickets for Heraklion (if you have not been able to book them in advance) at the front port agencies of Minoan Lines, Anek Lines or Superfast Ferries.
There is also an opportunity to embark on the Aigaion Pelagos (Anek domestic routes from Pireus / Milos / Santorini / Heraklion / Sitia / Kassos / Karpathos / Rhodes) to Sitia (and this is really more convenient because you save after two hours drive by car) but this is |
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a company that uses smaller vessels and even slower, about 17 hours for the journey, while a Superfast Pireus / Heraklion employs approximately 6-7 hours, then the choice is up to you and to your time availability.
Good journey, and if you have questions do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail at |
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©Web-Master Andrea Marini andrea18@otenet.gr - marinator2001@yahoo.com
Registered in the Register of the Touristic Companies of The Tourist Greek Organisation (EOT) since 25.09.2013 with authorization number 1040E 6061 01822 01 |
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