Description of the attraction
In the southwestern part of the island of Crete, on the coast of the Libyan Sea, there is the resort town of Paleochora. It sits along an 11 km coastline, including a small peninsula between two picturesque bays. Paleochora is a picturesque town famous for the hospitality of the locals. The region's economy is based on agriculture (mainly tomatoes and olive oil) and tourism.
It is believed that modern Paleochora was built on the site of the ancient city of Kalamidi. As local attractions, you can visit several old churches, which have preserved Venetian and Byzantine murals. Also in Paleochora, on a small hill, the ruins of a Venetian fortress have been preserved to this day. The fortification, called "Selino Castle", was first built in 1278 under the leadership of the Venetian general Marino Gredenigo. During its long history, the fortress has been destroyed several times. In 1332, after the uprising of the Cretans, the fortress was badly damaged and rebuilt by 1335. The Venetians built a small settlement next to it. In 1539 the fortress was destroyed by pirates and rebuilt only in 1595. In 1645, the Turks captured the city and reconstructed the fortress in their own way, but it did not last long and in 1653 it was destroyed again. For a long time, the area was empty, and a new wave of settlement began only in 1866.
Paleochora began to gain its fame as a resort in the 1970s, when this place was chosen by hippies. Today the seaside town is famous for its excellent beaches with crystal clear waters (on one side of the peninsula there is a sandy beach, and on the other - pebble) and picturesque natural landscapes. The infrastructure of the city is also quite well developed. There are services such as a medical center, pharmacies, police station, banks, post office, customs, etc.
Paleochora has a good selection of comfortable hotels and cozy apartments, a wide variety of shops, many restaurants, taverns and cafes with excellent local cuisine. The dynamically developing resort attracts more and more tourists from different countries every year.
