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The village and the beach of Frangokastelo or Frangokastello in Crete 
Frangokastelo or Frangokastello (it has even more ways of spelling it as happens often in Greece) is a village in the south of Crete, 16 kilometers east of Chora Sfakion. The village can be reached on the Vrises - Embrosneros - Imbros - Chora Sfakion - Frangokastello road. The village of Frangokastelo is dominated by a 14th century Venetian castle (built in 1371), of which only the outside walls remain, with on each corner a tower. The biggest tower in the south west corner was a waiting house for the main gate (above the gate you can still see the Venetian lion of the holy Marcus). |
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The battle of FrangokasteloOriginally the Castle was named after the nearby Agias Nikitas Chapel but the local Cretans re-christened the name into Frangokastello (meaning "foreign castle"). A general word for the Greeks to name western Europeans is "Franks". On May 28, 1828 a big battle took place at the castle when there was an uprising against the Turks. The Greeks, lead by a man from Epirus on the mainland (Hatzimichalis Dalianis) took over the castle. The Turks sent reinforcements and 385 of 700 Greek "rebels" in the castle were massacred. Next to the castle the statue of the Greek rebel Hatzimichalis Dalianis can be seen, next to a statue of a local hero from the uprising (Nik Deligianakis from the Sfaka area). The tale goes that at dawn of each anniversary of the battle shadows of figures on foot and on horseback can be seen in the mist, marching from the Church of Agios Charalambos to the fort. |
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The beach of FrangokasteloFrangokastelo is located in a sort of a swampy bay with a tiny village and a large beach (hard sand though here and there - but not everywhere - because a river floats into the sea here). A little bit further west you can find another beach. The beaches are very shallow and remain undeep untill far in the sea, so perfect also for families with small children. There are sunbeds and umbrellas for rent on the beach. There are enough accommodations (hotels, studios and apartments) and taverna's in Frangokastello to choose from. This part of Crete is still quiet and unspoilt, for the people that want to avoid the mass tourism that you find on some other places on the island. Plenty of space on the beach and a nice area for making walks. The beach of Frangokastelo is quite large and in the area are plenty of other quiet beaches to choose from (Lakki Beach, Koutelos Beach, Fata Morgana beach, just to name a few). |
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The Early Christian Basilica of Agios NikitasIf you continue on the road from Frangokastelo eastwards you will see a small chapel on your left hand side after about 300 meters. This chapel stands on the grounds of the former Christian Basilica of Agios Nikitas, which dates from the second half of the 6th century A.D. This basilica was 26 meters long and the remains can still be seen. There are large mosaic floors that are in pretty good condition, depicting geometrical patterns and images of animals. The basilica was abandoned when the Arabs raided the island and in later times its stones were used by the Venetians to build the Frangokastelo castle. The small church that now stands on the place of the old basilica is the Venetian Agios Nikitas church which dates from the 13th century. It is built with materials and the mosaic floorings from the old basilica and decorated with wall paintings. |
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Mary Beach Apartments near Frangokastello / Chora Sfakion
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Dolphin Apartments in Frangokastello - spacious apartments in a large gardenNestled amongst 5,000 m² of beautiful gardens, close to the beach at Frangokastello, Dolphin Apartments offer spacious apartments with private verandas featuring sea views, along with free private parking. Dolphin Apartments offer just 8 spacious apartments. You can prepare meals in a fully equipped kitchen and enjoy them in the dining room. Enjoy views of the apartments’ beautiful natural surroundings and the Libyan Sea. You can also spot Frangokastello Castle, where the legendary Drosoulites may appear. During the day, take a stroll around the gardens or along the sandy beach. This is a great area for fishing and the shallow waters make it one of the safest beaches for children in West Crete. A mini-market is conveniently situated next to Dolphin Apartments for all your shopping needs. There are also taverns and restaurants nearby. The apartments are ideally situated for guests who wish to go on short local excursions, including Gavdos Island. You can also enjoy free private parking during your stay. Check availability and prices & book Dolphin Apartments on Crete CLICK HERE |
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Tip by Rita Woldringh - another naturist beach near FrangokasteloWe regularly go to this lovely beach near Frangokastello. Maybe an addition to your list? You can reach it by taking the road just before reaching Frangokastello (coming from Plakias) where it says "Fata Morgana". Above the beach is a tavern, where you can park the car. When you arrive on the beach go left and the end there is (as often) a naturist part. Surrounded by cliffs and sand dunes it is a heavenly place. The sea is shallow and the beach is sandy also when you go into the water. Attached are two photos of the beach (see above). |
Hans Huisman, http://www.angelfire.com/super2/greece/ 2009