Discover Astrakoi: Village and Surroundings

Astrakoi can be considered on two scales when planning your trip: as a village with grocery stores and a café, and in terms of the nearby natural and historical points of interest. At the eastern end of the village, a route to Kato Astrakon begins; the Astrakiano Gorge and Neraidospilios Cave are also nearby. Kato Astrakon itself is a ruined settlement that was abandoned in the early 1930s.

Village amenities

Astrakoi has grocery stores and a café. These amenities are part of the village itself, distinguishing them from the natural and historical points of interest in the surrounding area. If you plan to visit a particular business during your stay, check in advance whether it will be open at your chosen time. This lets you plan your errands in the village separately from your routes and destinations outside it.

Routes to Kato Astrakon and the gorge

At the eastern end of Astrakoi, a road begins at the central square, later becoming a path that leads to Kato Astrakon. From Kato Astrakon, a footpath descends to the Astrakiano Gorge in about ten minutes. This time estimate refers to the section starting in Kato, not the route from Astrakoi to the gorge. The transition from road to path is part of the route description and indicates how the route proceeds. Check the current condition of the paths before setting out.

Cave and historic settlement

Neraidospilios Cave lies below Astrakoi in the Astrakiano Gorge, north of the Astrakoi Bridge. Kato Astrakon offers a different point of reference: the ruined settlement was abandoned in the early 1930s and lies about two kilometres from Astrakoi. This distance refers to the settlement; the approximate ten-minute walk, by contrast, refers to the footpath descending from Kato to the gorge. This makes it possible to consider Kato Astrakon’s historical context separately from navigating the gorge.

Choose the right hotel location

Then compare specific hotel offers based on their respective locations and your priorities. The points of reference described here help you keep the village and its surroundings in mind as distinct aspects of your trip planning. When weighing your options, you can treat your preferred location as a separate criterion: should the accommodation be in Astrakoi itself, or is proximity to destinations in the surrounding area what matters to you? The local shops and café indicate a village location; Kato Astrakon and the cave represent different historical and natural points of interest. Then compare the location stated in each hotel offer with your priorities. This turns your preference into a concrete point of comparison.

Discover more destinations: Kounavi, Sivas, Chersonisos, Kastelli, Mathia, Amiras, Galatas, Agios Myron.

For the wider travel overview: Heraklion.