Chrysi island description and photos - Greece: Ierapetra (Crete) (Topic)

Chrysi island description and photos - Greece: Ierapetra (Crete). Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Chrysi island.

Photo and description

Chrissi Island is a small uninhabited Greek island located approximately 15 km south of Crete (near the city of Ierapetra) in the Libyan Sea. The small island of Mikronisi is located 700 m east of the island. Both islands belong to the municipality of Ierapetra (prefecture of Lasithi).

The island is a rather narrow strip of land 5 km long, 1 km wide and an average height of 10 m above sea level. The highest hill of the island is called Kefala and has a height of 31 m. The hill offers a stunning view of the Lebanese cedar forest, possibly the last such forest in Europe. The density of trees is 28 units per hectare, the average height of one tree is 7 m and the average age is 200 years.

In the western part of the island, you can see the well-preserved old chapel of St. Nicholas (presumably the 13th century AD), a salt bowl, an old port, Minoan ruins, some Roman graves and a lighthouse. During the Byzantine period, the main income of the islanders was fishing and salt mining. Later, the pirates forced the locals to leave Chrissi, and they themselves sometimes began to use the island as a temporary refuge.

Today, the uninhabited island of Chrissi is a protected area and a favorite place for tourists in summer who want to enjoy the silence and natural nature. There is no fresh water on the island. Chrissi Island is famous for its sandy beaches and clear waters. Since the coastal waters in the south and north of the island do not exceed 10 m (at a distance of 1 km), snorkeling and diving are popular activities here. In the south of the island, there is a tavern where you can have a snack and buy refreshments.

You can get to the island from Ierapetra. Daily excursions to the island are organized from mid-May to late October.

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Topic: Chrysi island description and photos - Greece: Ierapetra (Crete).