Many villages and towns on Crete are called Kasteli. This Kastelli is situated on a fertile plain 36km southeast of Heraklion, south of Chersonisos on the Chersonisos - Ano Vianos road. Sometimes it is also called Kasteli Pediados (after the area) in order to distinguish it from other villages with the same name. This village is a little bit larger and has more shops, taverns and facilities than the surrounding villages. Nowadays a little over 2000 people live in the village of Kasteli. There are many Byzantine churches in the area. At one time there was a Venetian castle here although there are no remains of this castle left. On the place where it was once situated now stands the village school. South of the village lies a military airport. There are plans to enlarge this airport in order to take over air traffic that is now going to the airport of Heraklion.
Besides the good tavernas Kasteli has not an awful lot to offer to the tourists. However it is fun to make a walk through the back streets of this village to look at the old houses with their wooden doors and pots with flowers. The area around the village is also quite suitable for making nature walks. In the region around Kasteli many grape plants grow that are used to produce wine, and there are also many olive orchards.
Every Wednesday there is a market in Kasteli where local products are offered.
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