NEAPOLIS

Neapolis is located 15 km westwards of Agios Nikolaos on the way to Heraklion from where it is roughly 50 km far. Neapolis is built in the green valley of Mirabello.
In the period of the Venetian domination its two settlements were named "New Village". But when the seat of the Prefecture was transferred from Fourni to the “New Village” this last was renamed to Neapolis. Neapolis was maintained as the capital of the prefecture of Lasithi till 1904. After that date Agios Nikolaos became the new capital.
Neapolis constitutes, even today, an important administrative, social and ecclesiastical centre assembling various services such as the County court, the Children’s Home, the Metropolis seat. Moreover it organises, in annual base, important cultural events.
Neapolis is a beautiful city with a nice town planning, big public gardens and imposing buildings. In the main square is the imposing and majestic church of the Virgin Mary built in the place of the Turkish mosque.
It was also the birth place of important personalities, like Petros Filargos or Fjlaretos, who was born in the settlement of Kares (destroyed by the Venetians in 1347)and who became Pope of Rome in 1409.

Among the historical monuments of the area a big number of churches is included, dated from the Venetian domination, as it is revealed by their stone-sculptured lintels. The church of Saint George constitutes a Christian and historical reference and in its locus was organised a "concealed school".

The city disposes of an appreciable folklore museum. Among its important folklore collections there are considerable Cretan hand-woven fabrics.
The town disposes also the “Iliakio” Municipal library operating for 50 and more years and accommodated in a two-storey building of important historical and architectural value. It has an historical value because it constituted the residence and the headquarters of Kostis Adosidis, (governor of the Prefecture of Lasithi and later-during the Ottoman domination- governor of Crete), and secondly an architectural value since it constitutes a typical pattern of the Ottoman public buildings. The same building had been used, from 1924 and up to the end of 80’s, as an orphanage.

Neapolis administers various settlements:

VRAHASSI- SISSI

Seven kilometres from Neapoli is the settlement of Vrahassi spread out on the rocky slopes of Anavlohos. There are not historical details about the very first settlement. It was probably built at the same period than the settlement of “St George of Vrahassi”. It is an extensive area reaching down the Cretan Sea, rich in agricultural and livestock products.  Going downhill the road of Vrahassi, in a distance of 4 kilometres on the National road we reach the captivating monastery of "Saint George of Sellinari", built by a person of Rhodes. Continuing to the direction of Heraklion we come to the coastal village of Sissi which is a tourist area with modern hotel complexes and infrastructure with splendid and serene bights and beautiful beaches.

FRARO – LATSIDA

A very nice walk for any visitor is the distance between Neapolis and the settlements of Fraro, Voulismeni and Latsida In the mid way between Voulismeni and Latsida, the settlement of Fraro planted all over with trees and vineyards, was first appreciated in the 13th century by the Franciscan monks who were looking for a suitable place to built their Catholic church. Voulismeni maintained for centuries its nobleness and is considered even today one of the most beautiful and tidy villages. At the west side of the village there is the church of Agia Ekaterini of the Venetian period with exceptional sculpted icons.
Four hundred metres from the village at the foot of the mountain Kavalara is located the Byzantine Church of the "Virgin Mary- the Vigliotissa", an old church destroyed by the Ottomans. Some ruins of the old cells are still saved and under the ruins there is a water spring.
Latsida, a small traditional and picturesque village, is at one kilometre westwards from Voulismeni.

HOUMERIAKO- ARETI

Houmeriako is eastwards from Neapoli in the valley of Mirabello and is spread on 3 small hills. In the old days, it constituted the seat of the Municipality with its depended villages Vrisses, Limnes, Nikithiano, Exo Lakonia and other small settlements. It is one of the oldest villages in the area. On this land many interesting churches are preserved: Agios Panteleimon, Agia Triada, Agios Georgios, Agios Kirikos and Agios Antonios. The "Romana Portella"(Roman Gate) that used to be the residence of some unknown sovereign, is an important monument.  Nikithiano is a settlement next to Houmeriako, at 2 km from Neapolis. Small and picturesque, this settlement is known for its windmills; 15 windmills in a straight line.   
We reach the next village, Fourni, by going upward the slope. Fourni is constituted of 3 villages, Kastelli, Pano Horio and Kato Horio. The famous "School of Kerapolitissas" functioning in the past was the centre of intellectuals.
Hardly one kilometre from Kato Horio is another settlement, “Doriees” reporting to the Hellenic nation of Dories. In the next settlement of “Karidi” visitors could see the church of “Timios Stavros” (Holy Cross), the ruins of “Kardamoutsa” an old monastery as well as the Byzantine church of “Agii Apostoli” which has been qualified as archaeological because of its impressive murals.
At the end of the way we discover the historical abbey of "Areti”, dedicated to Saint Trinity and situated in the middle of a stony and arid valley planted with some olive trees, cypresses and almond-trees.
The Abbey was built during the Venetian period and has reached a big prosperity. It was the Seat of Bishops during the Ottoman domination. Today is completely restored and constitutes a unique attraction.

KOUROUNES-FRATHIA

Kourounes (carrion crows) is in the middle region of northern Mirabello, in a distance of 4 km from Neapolis. Kourounes has got its name (at one version) from the birds, carrion crows which were living in the area. Another version says that its name is originated from the ancient town “Koroni” which was annexed to Driros.
Going north we reach the settlement of Frathia first and then the settlement of Perambela. Other smaller settlements next to Perambela, in a different and surprising landscape, are Petros, Peronides, Nofalias, Dilakkos, Adravatos, Romanos, Amigdalias, Souvlos and Finokalias.

MILATOS - Ancient name "Militos"  

Milatos is a coastal very picturesque summer resort not far from the National road of Agios Nikolaos – Heraklion, with an extensive view to the Cretan Sea, with clean beaches, small bays and abundant fisheries.
The last years it is in continuous tourist growth and offers a multi-type accommodation and large choices of traditional fish taverns at the seaside.
At the north-east side of the village is the known historical cave of Kastellos located at the homonym site. At that place was built the ancient city “Militos” mentioned by Homer as one of the 7 big Cretan cities that participated in the Trojan War.   

MILATOS CAVE

It has been qualified of a big national interest. It is located at 2,5 km on the eastern side of  Milatos and in 155 metres of altitude. We arrive at its entry after a 15 minutes walk. It has 8, small and big entries on three different levels and at 46 metres length. It is extended at 2.100 m2 and its total length is 73 metres. The far-reaching width is 63m and the height of the roof oscillates from 0,5 m to 3 m.
The main entrance leads to the central and biggest department of the cave. In this natural environment are registered more than 30 cave-dwellers species. The last gallery of the central department is used for the hibernation and the reproduction by three species of bats. The fauna of the cave is mainly spiders, scorpions, isopods, orthopterons, coleopterons, generally a lot of invertebrates and endemic Cretan species the most of them colourless and blind. Only three species of spiders and one kind of scorpion are known. This cave throbs with life and is a window to the subterranean world of Mirabello.
The cave is also an historical reference. In the first main department of the Cave was built in 1935 the small church of Apostle Thomas. It is celebrated locally the Sunday of St Thomas and is a National Feast. Next to the church is the ossuary with the bones of the victims (most women, children and old men) slaughtered by the notorious Hassan Pasha in 1823 during the devastation of Lassithi.

THE ANCIENT CITY OF DRIROS

The first archaeological findings of this ancient city were discovered at the North-west side of Neapolis. Driros was completely unknown until 1855 when the plough of two farmers revealed the stone signboard with the oath of adolescents of Driros. This important finding, despite its weight, was transported by the Turkish authorities to Heraklion and later to Istanbul. It’s an important archaeological site. To be visited!

TSAMBI-ANOGIA

At the north side of Neapolis there is a road leading to small villages and settlements reaching down to the Cretan Sea.  The visitor could access these villages from Milatos too. The first settlements are Kounali and Tsambi and then the small village of Agios Antonios. A bit further to the north we come upon the settlement of Anogia built on the slope of the mountain and not far from the sea. It’s a place known for its clean atmosphere. At the end of our way we face the splendid and unique view of the Cretan Sea and we can swim in the clear-crystal waters of this completely isolated beach of the area.