Kissamos Greece

Kissamos, Greece: A traditional village on a magnificent bay

Kissamos, Greece, is a beautiful traditional village about 40
kilometers west of Chania city. The name of the village comes from the ancient
city of Kissamos, which was built at the exact place of the village. Kissamos
is also known as Kastelli, or as Kastelli Kissamou.

Kissamos, Greece, is the larger village in the northwest part of Crete
Island. It is known all over Greece for its fine agricultural products, many of
which are organic. When in Kissamos, try the famous Kissamos olive oil and
Kissamos wine.

Kissamos,
Greece, is less developed than other destinations in Crete, mainly because of
its distance from Chania city. But
this may change in the future, because of the excellent national road that
connects Chania city with Kissamos, which was recently constructed.
Additionally, the local bus service from Chania city to Kissamos is very
efficient and frequent.

Although it
is a relatively remote destination in Crete, Kissamos, Greece, mainly due to its
big size and population, has everything to offer its visitors, from super
markets and pharmacies, to select taverns and fish taverns, cafés and
confectioneries.

The magnificent bay of Kissamos, Greece

The bay of
Kissamos is one of the most picturesque in Greece. It is formed by two large
peninsulas, the peninsula of Rodopou to the east and the peninsula of Gramvousa
to the west. These two peninsulas are the two characteristic “horns” on the
northwest edge of Crete Island.

Both Rodopou
and Gramvousa peninsulas are mostly uninhabited, with many of its villages
close to Kissamos village. The best way to explore their wild beauty is by a
4×4 vehicle or a motorbike. In the northwest of Gramvousa peninsula lies the
famous beach of Balos, the best beach near Kissamos, Greece.

The beach in Kissamos, Greece, although not as
impressive as other beaches in the area like Balos and Falasarna, is fine,
offering great view at the Kissamos bay. Near the beach, you can find stores and
mini markets for your everyday needs.

Outside of Kissamos, Greece, and to the west, there is
also a small fish harbor in a scenic location. About a kilometer after the fish
harbor, there is the port of Kissamos. From here, you can take the boat to
Balos beach, or the ferry to Kithira Island south of Peloponnese, Greece.

The
long history of Kissamos, Greece

Ancient
Kissamos, Greece, was a centre of marine and commerce, and one of the ports of
Polirinia, the leading city in the area in ancient times. Ancient Kissamos
reached the height of its civilization in the Roman period.

During
the Venetian era, and in order to protect the wealthy city of Kissamos, the
Venetians built a fortress and raised big stone walls around the city, remnants
of which can be found in the village. The Venetian fortress, the “Castelo” as
it was called, is where “Kastelli”, the second name of Kissamos came from.

There is a
small but interesting archaeological museum in Kissamos, Greece, housed in the
old Venetian governor’s palace, where there are findings from the 5th century
BC, up to recent historical periods. Don’t miss the Roman mosaics, which are
real small masterpieces.

Kissamos,
Greece, has connected its name to two personalities that are well known all
over Greece. The first is Manos Katrakis, who was born in Kissamos and was one
of the best and most productive actors in Greek theater and cinema. The other
is Bishop Irineos, who had the Episcopal Seat here, who, among other things,
founded the Orthodox Academy of Crete and was one of the founders of ANEK ferry
company, the biggest company of its kind in West Crete.

Finally, in Kissamos, Greece, many cultural activities
and feasts take place throughout the year. Among them are the Carnival feast in
February or March, the wine festival in August and the Theocharakia athletic
games in the summer. Very interesting are also the cultural activities in
August, which celebrate the anniversary of the conquest of the Gramvousa Castle
by the Greeks, during the Greek Independence War in 1825. Equally interesting is
the cultural summer festival which takes place at the open theatre at Choni,
about 5 kilometers east of Kissamos, Greece.

There
are many remote, but also very interesting, places in Crete, which require time
and good local information to discover. Kissamos,
Greece, is surely one of them.

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