Attractions

Village of Frangokastello

Venetian Castle

Ghosts of Frangokastello

Monastery of Agios Charalambos

Beaches

Hiking

Sfakia

Village of Frangokastello

Fragocastello is situated in a remote corner of Sfakia region, in South Crete. On a plain of wild nature beauty, with the White Mountains in the backgroun, endless sandy beaches are spreading, along Libyan Sea. This place is one of many surprises which the South Crete nature offers to a visitor. The magic picture is completed the Kallikratis gorge with the homonymous plateau and, a bit further, the wonderful Imbros gorge. Fragocastello got its name from the famous Venetian fortress which dominates in the region, built in the 14th century.
Fragocastello is a small sea-side village in South Crete. Due to its beauty and history it became in the recent years a calm, quiet tourist site, and beside all the facilities for its guests, it still preserves its special color. There are enough taverns, cafes and even quiet bars which don’t disturb neither the peace of the landscape nor its aesthetical harmony. Even if you don’t meet the famous “dew-men”, it is very probable that in the stillness of the night, where only splatter of the sea and the muted cricket’s song can be heard, you’ll hear a voice inside you: a voice that is usually muffled by the noisy city.
Fragocastello has gorgeous beaches with sand and clear transparent water, protected from the south wind of Lybian Sea. The main beach next to the fortress, with big sandy coast and calm shallow waters is one of the safest and most beautiful in South Crete, totally suitable for young children. The sea deepens gradually and is very pleasant for kids who can play there carelessly. There are sunbeds and umbrellas and the beach is always clean. Also there is a small bar which serves drinks and snacks.
West of the fortress there is another beach with pebbles and rocky bottom, suitable for snorkeling and fishing.
About 600 m left of the fortress there is another beach, also protected from the winds. This is one of the most impressive coasts in South Crete, known as “Orthi Ammos” (Standing Sand). It is remote and quiet, far from the road, while in one part of it nudism is allowed. The sea is very clean and deepens quite gradually.
Villas Notos are just a few steps away from this beach.
In Fragocastello and the villages around it you will find many shops where local traditional foodstuff may be purchased: honey, cheese, oil, herbs. The villages you can visit are: Argoules, Kapsodasos, Patsianos, Vouves (where the oldest oil tree in the world can be seen!) and, naturally, the most legendary Chora Sfakion. From Chora Sfakion a ferry boat departs for Gavdos, the most south part of Europe.
The region is the best for walking, while for nature lovers there is a wonderful Kallikratis gorge. You can also visit the Imbros gorge, which is also quite close to Fragocastello. A little bit further the Askifou plateau lies.
Finally, besides the archeological sites that you’ll see in Fragocastello – fortress, late Christian St.Nikitas’ basilica and the small St.Charalambos monastery – you can visit Anopoli, where the ruins of big ancient settlement were found.
Fragocastello, with its natural beauty, the traditional villages around it, its authentic character and lots of various activities it offers to the visitors, is a calm and romantic place that will take your breath away!

The Castle

Fragocastelo took its name from the famous Venetian fortress built in 1371-74 as a garrison to impose order on the rebellious Sfakiá region, to deter pirates, and to protect Venetian nobles and their properties. The Venetians named it the Fortress of St Nikitas, after the nearby church. The locals, however, who never saw it in a positive light, contemptuously dubbed it Fragokastello, meaning the Castle of the Franks (i.e. Catholic foreigners), Castelfranco or Franco Castello. The name eventually stuck and was adopted by the Venetians as well.

The fortress has a simple rectangular shape, with a tower at each corner and the remains of a Venetian coat of arms above the main gate. The buildings within the walls, as well as the battlements, were constructed during the Ottoman Turkish occupation. Actually the fortress never served the aims for which it was built because no order was laid in Sfakiá region, brutal Sfakiots were disobedient, on rebel all the time and would attack the occupants' soldiers whenever they had a chance. As a result, Venetians had a lot of casualties and lost a lot of property, so there were periods when Fragocastello didn't have a single guard.

During the Turkish occupation Fragocastello kept perishing. In Orlov revolt (1770) the Turkish troops fighting the rebellios Sfakiots used to camp there.

In 1828 a revivification of revolution in Crete against the Turkish yoke brings Hadzi Michalis Dalianis, a man from Northern Epirus, to Crete, in particular to Sfakia. He and his brigade of 600 volunteer soldiers decide to confront the Turkish troops in an open battle. He ignores the Sfakiots' opinion about partisan war and even calls them cowards.

This decision, to avoid the war tactic of guerrilla movement and to face the outnumbering Turkish army on a flat plain really worked for the Turks of Mustafa Daili Pasha, Crete's governor. So, from the 600 Greeks of Hadzi Mihalis 338 were killed in that battle, and Hadzi Michalis Dalianis as well. The rest managed to hide in Fragocastello which Turks couldn't take, though they fought hard for a week. The Turk pasha realized the danger and offered capitulation to the besieged. The Greek survivors surrendered the fortress and left. Mustafa Pasha blew up the ruined fortress, so it would not be used again as rebels' stronghold.

Later, though, during the big Cretan revolution (1866-1869), he had to re-build it, in order to have better control of the island.

Fragocastello hasn't been in use since Crete was freed, but it's still standing today to remind us of its bloodcovered history, which revives every year due to the legend about the ghosts haunting it, the famous "dew-men" (Drosoulites).

Lost Souls or a Mirage?

Each year in May a strange phenomenon happens in Frangokastello. Shadows of horsemen and soldiers march from the ruined church of Agios Charalambos, advancing towards the fort. They reach the sea and disappear into it, with the first rays of the sun. The phenomenon usually last about 10 minutes. These are called Drosoulites, or dew-men, because they come with the morning dew.

Some explain this as a meteorological paradox bringing reflections from Africa. Another theory is some trick of the light because of the sun-rays diffraction in the morning fog. But these explanations are not very persuading because those who saw the Drosoulites – and there are lots of
them – always describe the same picture of soldiers marching towards the sea, and not some vague images.

It is said that, in 1890, Turkish soldiers at Frangokastello ran away in panic when they saw the Drosoulites. Many years later, when the Germans occupied Crete, a military detachment saw the ghosts and, mistaking them for resistance fighters, opened fire on them.

If you wish to meet the “Drosoulites”, come to the Notos Villas in May.

Monastery of Agios Charalambos

Near Frangokastello Castle and south of the Early Christian Basilica of Agios Nikitas, is the small monastery of Agios Charalambos. The small church of Agios Charalambos stood here until the Gregorios the monk and Magdalene the nun settled here shortly before 1821.

Thanks to their efforts, the small church soon expanded and the Monastery of Agios Charalambos was founded. The front of the church was built using stone from the ruined basilica of Astratigos. The monastery church is surrounded by battlements. To the west is the two-storey complex of monks’ cells, a typical feature of local architecture.

The wooden icon screen and icons in the monastery church are particularly interesting. The skilled craftsman who worked on Agios Charalambos is conventionally called the "Painter of Frangokastello".

Beaches

Frangokastello has superb sheltered sandy beaches. The main beach next to the castle because of its shallow calm water is the safest anywhere in West Crete if you have small children. The sandy beach deepens gradually and is a pleasant playground. There are sunbeds and umbrellas for hire on a daily basis and the beach is well maintained with a small beach bar serving up drinks and snacks.

West of the castle is another beach with pebbles and a rocky seabed suitable for snorkelling and fishing.

About 600 metres to the left of the castle there is another sandy beach protected from the winds by an abrupt drop. This one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, known as “Orthi Ammos” (“Standing Sand”) was named after the sand dunes you have to scramble down to reach the water. You may reach this beach (that is hidden from the road) by turning right on the first dirt road on the east exit from Frangokastello. The sea is crystal-clear and the bottom slopes down very gently.

Villas Notos just a stones throw from the beach. You do not need to cross a road to get there, which is particularly good for our young guests.

Hiking

You can reach the Kallikratis Plateau from Kapsodasos near Frangokastello.

You can combine the climb and the descent in a circular route. The roads are mountain roads, i.e. narrow and with many hairpin bends.

The Kallikratis Gorge runs down from the plateau to the area between the villages of Patsianos and Kapsodasos near Frangokastello. It’s about a three-hour walk.

Sfakia

Sfakia is a region in South Crete which got its name from the biggest village situated there, Chora Sfakion. Chora Sfakion is often mentioned simply as "Sfakia". The Sfakia region is the most underpopulated in Greece, and Chora Sfakion, though it is one of the most important and famous Cretan villages, has barely 300 permanent residents.

The whole region - Frangocastello is included in it - is full of wild beauty, as the mountains are combined in a unique way with the sea. From Madara (White Mountains) big green gorges come down towards the Libyan Sea, giving the impression to those looking from up there that God tore the mountains so the Sfakiots could pass! Actually, many times brave Sfakiot partisans, fighting for freedom, had to hide in those gorges during harsh and bloody, but heroic history of Sfakia. Sfakia include the biggest part of White Mountains (Madara) range, with its highest peak Pahnes (2454 meters). Also they include the Samaria gorge, the biggest in Europe and one of the most popular places of interest in Crete. There are as well such gorges as Klados, Domata, Eligia, Aradaina, Sfakiano, Imbrow, Asfendos and Kallikratis. That is why many believe that the name "Sfakia" means "a land of gorges" and originates from the word "Sfax" which means "a crack in the earth".

Sfakiots are proud to call themselves as descendants of Dorians who descended to Crete more than 2500 years before. That is why they do not look like the rest of Cretans. Here you'll meet lots of tall blonde men and women with fair eyes and skin.

At one time, Sfakiots used to be great sailors and even greater pirates, but they always were good soldiers who fought for freedom at all times.
Big Cretan revolutions opposite Venetians and later, opposite Turks, began from Sfakia, though the occupants never same to reside in it, not only because life in the mountains was sever, but because they were afraid of its rebellious inhabitants.
According to Pasley, English historian and writer, "The Sfakiot tribe is sure the purest origin of Cretans, because their purity was preserved by the mountainous and remote place that they lived in. Therefore, in Sfakia ancient Cretan customs and traditions were saved, as well as language dialects originating from the Minos epoch".
From Chora Sfakion a boat departs every day for charming Gavdos.