information on Agios Nikolaos

[Marylandlion]

I will be taking a cruise in July which includes a morning stop in Agios Nikolaos. I have been 'cruising' the boards, but can't find much information on this port. If there are nice beaches close that would be great. If not, I am happy to walk around the town. Does anyone have any information on this town and 'not to miss' sights?

[TLCOhio]

I will be taking a cruise in July which includes a morning stop in Agios Nikolaos. I have been 'cruising' the boards, but can't find much information on this port. If there are nice beaches close that would be great. If not, I am happy to walk around the town. Does anyone have any information on this town and 'not to miss' sights?

 

There are several different ports or villages with that name. It is a common place name in Greece and Cyprus since Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and of all of Greece.

 

There is Agios Nikolaos, a coastal town on the Greek island of Crete, lying east of the island's capital Heraklion. This town has 19,000 people. It is also the name for a port town in Crete, a popular holiday village in southern Greece, a village on the Peloponnese peninsula, a village southeastern of Corfu, villages in Cyprus, etc. Any added info?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 27,375 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Hlitner]

We assume you are referring to the Agios Nikolaos located on the island of Crete. We actually were on a cruise (several years ago) that called at this port for a nice long port day. Since Crete is a very large island (worthy of several weeks of vacation time) and we think the word "tour" is a 4 letter word, we decided to simply rent a car and explore some of the eastern part of Crete. On this trip we avoided the typical places such as Knossos or Heraklion (a darn good cruise port) in favor of exploring some of the rural parts of Crete. We had a lovely time driving around and looking at the landscape and also managed to visit a few caves (there are many caves on Crete) during the day. Because of the location of Agios Nikolaos you are somewhat limited with public transportation so you need to decide whether you prefer an excursion or our kind of on your own day. If you are looking for a beach day there are many beaches located within a few miles of the port but you would need to rent a car or find a taxi. There might be some regional buses, but we do not have specific info on routes or frequency.

 

Hank

[Marylandlion]

Thanks for helping.

On a side note, I do not usually post,but read many posts in order to get ready. I, too, am a DIYer. Just wanted Hlitner to know how helpful his posts were in preparing for past cruises - thanks:)

 

The port is in Crete. Did not realize there were so many. We are in port only in the am before heading to Santoini.

[Hlitner]

Ahhh, well a short port day changes everything. We would not recommend venturing too far on a short day so perhaps you might want to simply explore the smallish port town and perhaps go to a nearby beach for a few hours. Otherwise, you might want to consider an excursion...particularly to Knossos. And thank you for the kind remarks.

 

Hank

[cberge]

I love this place...just walk around town and enjoy...stop for some coffee and relax...nice place to rest up in before the must/do/sees of other places.:D

[kate52]

There is certainly enough to see in the town for a few hours- the area round the lake is attractive. Some info here

 

http://www.interkriti.org/visits/stnik.htm

Those who have read "the Island" by Victoria Hislop would enjoy a trip to Spinalonga, the former leper colony where the story is set, but as you only have a short stop it would need to be a ship excursion.

kate