| Overview | Things to do | Suitability | Country Info (Greece) |
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Just a 10 minute bus ride to the east of the bustling town of Agios Nikolaos, lies the village of Istron nestled invitingly in the Bay of Mirabello.
Istron refers to the beach area on the coast, named after the bay on which it is situated. It is a tiny, low-key resort, whose claim to fame is as the site of an ancient Minoan city of the same name. Nowadays little remains of its ancient heritage, apart from a small museum of local history and folklore, and such tourist accommodation and activities as there are straddle the main coast road overlooking the main beach. The scenic coastline of the "Cretan Riviera" along the Gulf of Mirabello sweeps away in either direction. Meanwhile, life for the 800-odd inhabitants of the traditional inland villages of Kalo Horio, Pirgos and Prina remains relatively unchanged. This resort is suitable for beach- and nature-lovers, walkers and anyone with an interest in archaeology. Popular with both young, budget-conscious families and independent mature visitors doing their own thing. Definitely not for midnight revellers. There is a handful of hotels, but mostly self-catering apartments and rooms of reasonable standard and price. Locality: Istron is towards the east end of the north coast, 7 mls S of Aghios Nikolaos, 50 mls SE of Heraklion and its airport. It is nestled deep in the Gulf of Mirabello, backed by high, gently sloping hills with olive groves to the W. Fairly level terrain in the heart of the resort, but sloping seaward where 3 peninsulas form a series of coves and bays. |
