Villages in Iraklia

There are only two villages on Iraklia: the port village of Agios Georgios and the mountain village of Panagia (Chora). The villages are connected by the island's only paved road. The settlement of Agios Athanasios northwest of Chora consists only of a few houses and can not be counted as a village.

It is a great difference between Greek and Swedish small islands. I tend to think of it when I visit the smaller islands in the archipelagos of Stockholm and Karlskrona, usually there are no facilities at all, at most a portable toilet and a dustbin. If Agios Georgios had been a village on a small Swedish island, I would have to sleep in a tent and prepare my breakfast and dinner on a camping stove. But fortunately Agios Georgios lies on a Greek island and therefore you will find all facilities, apart from a bakery and a bank. The bakery in Panagia deliver bread to the shops in Agios Georgios each morning.

Iraklia's picturesque port village of Agios Georgios have an extremely beautiful location, the fishing boats look like still lifes in the turquoise water. About 100 of the island's 150 inhabitants lives here. There are several pensions, a few tavernas, a bar, a supermarket and a tourist office.

The tourist office is just like an old village shop, and perform the functions of post office, café, travel agency and mini-market. An ATM is nearby. In the harbour entrance there is a large gadget that turns saltwater into fresh water, however, it is taken out of use. Unfortunately.

The sandy beach in the port in Agios Georgios.

There is a nice sandy beach with shady tamarisk trees in Agios Georgios. The beach is so good that you do not need to go to Livadi beach. However, it is small and it can get crowded during high season. A road that leads up to the village begins at the beach. The road forks shortly before the Perigiali Supermarket. One road goes through the "centre" and ends in nothing, and the other road goes via a steep uphill slope to tavernas and pensions, and eventually you will arrive at Livadi beach. In the uphill slope lies Taverna Maistrali, which I think is the best taverna on the island.

To the right is the travel agency where there is a post office, coffee shop, travel agency and mini-market. Further down are the small port, and the very good port beach.

Panagia (also called Chora), the capital of Iraklia, is around an hour's walk from the port. The village is very small, here live about 45 inhabitants, it only takes a few minutes to pass through the village. To arrive to Panagia is like stepping straight into the Greek everyday life, the chickens runs between the houses, the donkeys bray, the sheep are shorn directly on the main street, the few villagers you meet are friendly and incredibly curious.

Even the port village of Agios Georgios stand out as a metropolis in comparison. In the village is the island's only bakery, the bakery also serves as a shop, cafe and taverna. The taverna prepares Greek homely fare of their own primary products.

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