Sitia - city and village at the
same time
Sitia is the economic centre in the east of Crete. Already to
minoan times there was a small port which however never had the
meaning of the one in Itanos more east. The Venetians built the
first settlement which you can recognize today by the sketch of
the city and the venetian castle "Kazarma".
Little tourism
Today some 9,000 people live in Sitia. Tourism is secondary
matter, although Sitia got a long and beautiful sandy beach
along the road leading to Palekastro. The few hotels are
usually sold out during the summer but nevertheless the
beach is never overflowed. Sitia is the centre for the farmers
of the region. Here we have workshops for cars and tractors,
the Agricultural Cooperative has its home in a large building
at the road to Agios Nikolaos. All considerable banks of
Greece has a branch and finally the hospital is the medical
centre of the east.
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| Old buildings along
the port |
The "Promenade"
In the evening everybody meets on the picturesque promenade
along the port. Noisy scooters are around and boys and girls
is looking for everyone hoping to be "seen". Along
the port there are numerous restaurants and bars, prices are
low and appropriate.
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| The "Promenade" |
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| Airport Sitia
in 2004 - Dust and rust |
The future
In the past years the ferry boat harbour was substantially developed
(Piraeus, Sitia, Karpathos, Rhodes).
The long promised start-up
of the extended airport
 above
the city
was planned in 2001 but still in 2004 there's just
a new runway but
nothing else then dust and rust. Still it
is unknown whether European charter companies will ever approach
Sitia. But surely the connection to the ''world'' will change
the cities face and the region - if it ever happens...
LASITHI REPORT
[Crete-TV 6/17/04]
The first reports from the Tourism Organization of Lasithi show
a 15%-20% reduction in incoming tourist charter flights and a
20% reduction in the buying power of the tourists.
Much is blamed to fears of possible terrorism, which the TO
believes have been exaggerated; it is also blamed in the recession
of the economies in several European countries, especially
that of Germany's. (It is estimated that Germans make up 1/3
of the tourist visitors in Sitia.) In addition to this, fears
for possible inflated hotel prices due to the Olympics have
created a negative picture for summer holidays in Greece.
Adding to this is the delay for the refurbishing of the local
Sitia airport which lies in shambles. According to reliable
sources, the Mayor of Sitia will soon publish the bidding rules
for the Companies who want to bid on this project. It should
be noted that the Mayor of Sitia has been openly criticized
for delaying this project which had a proposed completion date
as of November 2003.
The newly elected president of the Sitia Hotel Association,
Michael Antonidakis stated his disappointment about the delays. "Unfortunately" he
said, "Sitia will remain a small holiday destination unless
the airport is refurbished and charter planes can land easily
here. Inspite of the Mayor's promises everything is at a stand
still. Results of this delay will show and have effect on Sitia's
tourist economy in the years to come. I want to remain optimistic,
but at the present time I have no reason to do so."
In spring 2004 there are some domestic flights with Olympic Airways
to Sitia, see the time table here.
More on Sitia here .
East
side secrets ,
by Diana Farr Louis in Athens News, September 2003
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