Kato Zakros - Crete

The place - Kato Zakros

Small and personal, quiet and well - it's somewhere you feel a sense of ownership about the moment you arrive. At the end of a dazzling, exciting narrow winding road, descending from the plain around Zakros itself. The journey to Zakros builds and improves the experience that "you've really traveled" to get there. You are in the East. You've reached this wonderful coast and there is nowhere further to go! You are by the sea with a large pebble beach and often-dazzling waters. It's quiet, feels as "real" as a beachside place can, there is a little tourism as such and what there is mostly consists of daytime visitors to the Palace of Zakros archaeological site. The site is a prized destination for many and we've heard numbers of people call it the site that has most impressed them in Crete. There is a lack of mobile phone reception which delights some and will require adjustment from others!
 

How to get there - Kato Zakros

Sitia is the likely starting point by car, motorcycle or bus (bus info). From Sitia a bus to Kato Zakros exists and otherwise a wonderful car drive (about 1 - 1.1/2 hours). For the adventurous there are some wonderful and most indirect routes along unpaved roads - including an easily traveled (with slow pace and great care) one from Xerokambos. Or for stunning mountaintop views of the sea, gorges and mountainscapes, a journey made via Roussa Eklissia, Mitato to Adravasti is hard to match and most memorable - what a sense of achievement you feel after that journey! Another most enjoyable transition from any time spent in Sitia would be to travel to the beach at Vai (try to be there close to dawn or dusk to avoid crowds), perhaps including a visit to the fascinating Toplou Monastery (recommended-see more about it in Sitia) on the way and stop at Palekastro (many places to stay) and/or Zakros for refreshments or more solid food intake!
 

Where to stay - Kato Zakros

Athena Rent Rooms and below it, Coral Rooms. Both are just beyond the Akrogiali waterside taverna and have wonderful beach and sea views (closer, you could not be). The two have a total of seven rooms between them and communal terrace areas.
Poseidon Rooms, continuing a little further from where you come into Kato Zakros, is absolutely at water's edge, on a cliff about 8 metres (25 feet) above it. Poseidon is a lot older looking than the other two; room 6 definitely has a sea view, with room 7 of the side rooms being closest to the sea - these have a view along the beach and the edge of the sea. Akrogiali taverna can rent you rooms in all three of the above places. More information and photographs see website for Athena, Coral and Poseidon Rooms & Akrogiali taverna.
George's villas are away from the sea front beyond the Palace of Zakros. If all fails you can stay in Zakros (the Zakros Hotel looks somewhat lacking in character but would serve you well and they have a minibus for local trips) or Palekastro where there are many places to stay - many of them very obvious from the road as you drive through.
Winter does not appear in the picture at Kato Zakros but the Zakros hotel is open and you might find somewhere in Palekastro. Otherwise for winter a good bet is to use Sitia as your base.
Contact Details:
Athena Rooms, Coral Rooms and Poseidon ask Nikos Perakis at Akrogiali taverna: see their website.
George's Villas, tel. 28430-26883
Zakros Hotel, tel. 28430-93379
All Price category: H5 and H4.
(Phones: see Calling Crete)
 

What to see/do - Kato Zakros

The views, swim, walk (E4-path goes from Zakros through the Gorge of the Dead (5.5 km approx. very slow going, sid to take 6.5 to 8 hours!) to Kato Zakros where the gorge reaches the coast. Eat fresh fish and more at the tavernas, read, write, make conversation and visit the minoan Palace of Zakros.  Tour the mountain villages and other coastal points nearby, including Xerokambos (many roads are still unsurfaced, but an ordinary car will cope providing you take care). Go scuba diving at Vai beach.
Palace of Zakros: Open Tuesday to Sunday 18.30 to 15.00 (last entrance at 14.30) 500 DR (1.47 euros).
 

Where to eat & drink - Kato Zakros

Akrogiali taverna represents many people's ideal of a taverna on the sea front. Casual, with the hint that good fresh fish would be a fine thing to eat. One could sit here and enjoy savouring much for many moons. Three further tavernas offer a variety of dishes and are almost as close to the water's edge. Price category: D
 

Special Comments - Kato Zakros

Liked the place on Christmas Day 2000 - of course it was virtually deserted and not a cafe, taverna or domatia was open. But this undeveloped eastern coast gem is somewhere to get to and hold off the world's hubble and bubble for a while, in whatever way YOU choose. Later visits with other people around have also been a delight. It's just plain and simple, it's unpretentious. We're going back for another look, gaze and daze!
 

Photo album - Kato Zakros

To see more of Kato Zakros, click here to go to its photo album.
 

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Simple map - Kato Zakros

We have drawn  a simple map of Kato Zakros, to give a better idea of where things are. See Kato Zakros simple map.
 

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