GENERAL INFO

Climate

Lasithi is located in the easternmost part of Crete. Its climate is a typical Mediterranean climate with hot and sunny summers and mild winters with moderate rainfalls and cold. Especially in August, strong southern winds, called Meltemia, that make it difficult to access by boat the islets at the north, such as Chrisi Islet.

Telephone

The national prefix for Greece is +30 if you are calling from abroad.  All numbers in the capital Athens start with the prefix 210 and are followed by 7 digits (e.g. 210-3227400). The Area Code for Agios Nikolaos is +30 28410, for Ierapetra +30 28420 and for Sitia +30 28430. If you wish to call abroad, you have to start by dialing the other country’s national prefix (i.e. 0049 for Germany, 0044 for England etc.) and continue with the area code and the number where you wish to call.

Currency

Euro € It is not always easy to receive change for 200 and 500 Euro Notes.

GETTING THERE

By Air

The airport of Sitia is connected with Athens airport and also with Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos islands. You can also catch a flight to Heraklion and then take the long distance bus (KTEL) to Lasithi (about 65km).

• Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos: www.aia.gr
• Sitia Airport: +30 28430 24424

• Olympic Airways: For accurate timetable and ticket costs visit Olympic Air website www.olympicair.com Athens Office: +30 210 355 0500, 8018010101

• Aegean Air: For accurate timetable and ticket costs visit Aegean Air website www.aegeanair.com Tel.: 801 112 0000/+30 210 6261000

By Boat

The port of Piraeus is connected with the port of Agios Nikolaos and the port of Sitia via Milos and Santorini in Cyclades. The trip lasts about 12-18 hours but the itineraries are subject to changes each year. There is also the option to travel from Piraeus to the port of Heraklion, since there are frequent routes and the trip is much shorter (about 6.5 hours). From there you can travel to Agios Nikolaos by a long distance bus or private vehicle.

• Minoan Lines: For accurate timetables and ticket costs visit Minoan Lines website: www.minoan.gr Tel.: +30 210 3376910 E-mail: [email protected]
• Anek Lines: For accurate timetables and ticket costs visit Anek Lines website www.anek.gr Tel.: +30 210 4197470 E-mail: [email protected]
• Aegeonpelagos: For accurate timetables and ticket costs visit Aegeon Pelagos Lines online booking engine: booking.aegeonpelagos.gr

• Piraeus Port Authority: +30 210 42 26000
• Agios Nikolaos Port Authority: +30 28410 90108
• Ierapetra Port Authority: +30 28420 22294
• Sitia Port Authority: +30 28430 22310

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Local Buses

The long distance bus service (KTEL) is connecting the three major towns of Lasithi between them and with the city of Heraklion. From the central stations, KTEL busses reach various villages and settlements too.

• KTEL Agios Nikolaos Tel: +30 28410 22234
• KTEL Ierapetra Tel: +30 28420 28237
• KTEL Sitia Tel: +30 28430 22272

Taxi Service

• Agios Nikolaos: +30 28410 24000
• Ierapetra: +30 28420 26600
• Sitia: +30 28430 22700

Rent a Car / Motorbike

Crete is ideal for renting a car or a motorbike. The routes are unique and the landscape can change quickly from seascape to mountainous sceneries and from landscapes with lush vegetation to bare, lunar landscapes. However you must pay attention because, except for the National highway, the roads are usually narrow, winding and not well maintained.

LOCAL SERVICES

Banks and ATMs

In the three major towns of Lasithi you will find branches of almost all Greek banks. ATMs are more usual in smaller settlements too.

Money Exchange

Banks exchange all major currencies, traveler’s cheques or Eurocheques. Post offices exchange cash, but not traveler’s cheques, and usually charge lower commissions than banks. Travel agencies and larger hotels exchange cash and traveler’s cheques but usually charge a higher commission. Credit cards are widely accepted in shops and restaurants, however, in local cafes, especially in villages you will most probably have to pay only in cash.

Post Office

The Greek post office is called ELTA. Post Boxes in Greece are YELLOW for normal post, usually with 2 slots for INTERNAL POST (meaning inside Greece) and post for ABROAD. RED Post Boxes are rarer and they are used for URGENT mail. REGISTERED mail is always handled and given a receipt for at the POST OFFICE.

• Post Office in Agios Nikolaos Tel. no: +30 28410 3744
• Post Office in Elounda Tel. no: +30 28410 41312
• Post Office in Ierapetra Tel. no: +30 28420 22271
• Post Office in Sitia Tel. no: +30 28430 22283

Police Station

• Agios Nokolaos Police Station. Tel.: +30 28410 91406
• Ierapetra Police Station. Tel.: +30 28420 90160
• Sitia Police Station. Tel.: +30 28430 22259

Municipality of Agios Nikolaos

Municipal Tourist Information Office of Agios Nikolaos

• Tel.: +30 28410 22357
• E-mail: [email protected]

Municipality of Ierapetra

• Tel.: +30 28423 40300
• Website: www.ierapetra.gr

Municipality of Sitia

•  Tel.: +30 2843340513
• Website:
  www.sitia.gr

USEFUL NUMBERS

• Tourist Police: 171
• Elpa (Car breakdown tourist information service): 174

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

International Press can be found easily in the three major towns of Lasithi. So we suggest that you get supplied with your favorite newspaper or magazine from there in order to avoid being left without during your excursions, even though international press could be found in smaller tourist settlements throughout the prefecture.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

• Police: 100
• Fire Department: 199
• Ambulance: 166

Health

A central hospital is found in any of the three major towns of Lasithi.

• Agios Nikolaos General Hospital: +30 2841066000
• Sitia Hospital: +30 28433 40100
• Ierapetra Hospital: +30 28420 90222

Pharmacy

In every town and big settlement you can find at least one pharmacy. Pharmacists are highly trained and well-qualified to deal with the majority of minor medical complaints. The opening hours are listed at the front door or the windows of each Pharmacy.