Culture of Agios Nikolaos. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Agios Nikolaos is not only a popular beach resort, but also a very interesting place from the sightseeing point of view. Voulismeni Lake is an important tourist attraction, which often becomes the location of various celebrations, festivals and sporting events. The lake’s shore is home to several souvenir shops, in which tourists can buy interesting and memorable items. Odos Roussou Kondourou is considered the main shopping street of the city. Besides various shops the street is the location of many cozy restaurants and cafes.

Platia Eleftheriou Venizelou is the main square of the city. The main religious attraction of Agios Nikolaos, a beautiful church, is located on it. The building was completely reconstructed in 1980, and today its inner hall is decorated with skillful painting in the Byzantine style. Among the cultural institutions of the city we should definitely mention the local ethnographic museum, which is located not far away from the shopping street. Archaeological Museum is also worth your closest attention. The latter, in its turn, features an exhibition of thousands of priceless artifacts from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. Precious jewelry, pottery and other archaeological finds describe the history of ancient Crete in its full glory and diversity.

Vacationers are also encouraged to participate in entertaining excursions to the beautiful Spinalonga Island. Not long ago only fishermen lived on the island and there were absolutely no buildings besides their modest dwellings. Today this is a huge museum under the open sky. Every tour guide will tell you a lot of interesting legends about the beautiful island. Gulf of Mirabello is considered the main natural attraction of that place. The beauty of the gulf will impress simply any traveler. There is also a historic landmark on the island - an old Venetian fortress. It was built in the second half of the 16th century and more than once helped to save the island from pirates. Unfortunately, only a small part of the bastions has survived until the present time, but even the remaining look very impressive. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

You will find it interesting to visit the Folk Art Museum of Agios Nikolaos. Here, as the name suggests, you can get acquainted with works of art created by local masters. Now you cannot think of a better way to get acquainted with the local culture. Among the exhibits you will come across here are ancient coins, household items, paintings, and mock-ups depicting the daily life of the indigenous people – for example the layout of a Greek wedding. Not far from the city is situated another Folk Museum, where you can become acquainted with local customs and traditions. Here you will see pictures made by local craftsmen, agricultural tools, and household items.

A Cretan Olive Oil Farm is yet another compulsory place to visit, and it is equally located near the city. In addition to what you can learn about how olive oil is made, as well as a lot of interesting facts about the “landmark” of Crete, it is possible to taste the oil – that is, to combine business with pleasure. The ancient aqueduct of St. Nicholas, a monument of ancient times, is yet another place chosen by many tourists to be worthy of visiting. On the territory of Agios Nikolaos are located the ruins of the ancient city of Lato pros Kamara, or simply put, Kamara. This place should definitely be visited by all lovers of archeology, in light of the fact that the golden age of the city belongs to the Bronze Age.

A rather intriguing monument of sacral architecture is Fisherman’s Church. This is a church located near the Lake Voulismeni, inside which you can find a 25-meters crypt. The shrine itself is like nothing but a sailing museum. The decoration of the church includes not only the crypt, but also frescoes depicting saints, and old sailing stuffs (anchors, ropes, lanterns, nets). You can pray for the health of sailors here – the fact is that, in Agios Nikolao which is a port as well, this topic is very acute and pressing.

Another religious monument is the church of Panagia Kera, which is a temple with historical roots. In the church you can find interesting frescoes dating to the 13th-14th centuries. Despite the fact that the building looks quite modest, it continues to impress visitors with its neatness and taste, and it is possible to apply the epithet “modest but with taste” to it. The Kremasta Monastery is famous for its well-kept gardens, as well as the serenity and tranquility that prevail here. The shrine has a historical significance, since it played an important role during the Turkish occupation – this is where the secret religious school was located.

There are many interesting sculptures in Agios Nikolaos. Hence, among them it is worth noting the monuments to famous individuals – for example, a monument to the Greek politician Eleftherios Venizelos, and, of course, Saint Nicholas, after whom the city is named. Let’s not forget of course, the memorial to the victims of war that towers over Lake Voulismeni. It was built specifically to ensure that nothing and no one is forgotten. The statue of Europe and the Horn of Amalthea are also notable, bringing to mind the mythology of ancient Greece. An ancient pillar standing on top of Kapetan Tavla, attracts tourists due to the fact that it is a spot from which blows a light wind of history – looking at it, you can literally travel far, far into the past.