What is the southernmost city in Europe?
Ierapetra and what makes it so special
Ierapetra is the southernmost city in Greece. The cultivation of cucumbers and tomatoes determines the rhythm of life of the inhabitants of this city, which has about 8,500 inhabitants.
For us Dutch people it is nice to know that this greenhouse system was introduced by a fellow countryman. In the 1960s, farmer Paul Kuipers came to the island with the idea of using plastic greenhouses to promote the growth of tomatoes and cucumbers. He was laughed at at first, but when people saw that he had 3 to 4 harvests per year, the Cretans quickly adopted this method.
Farmer Kuipers died in a motorcycle accident in 1971. As a token of gratitude, the inhabitants of Ierapetra, near the village of Stómio, erected a statue at the place where his first greenhouse was, with the text: Paulos Kuipers, Dutch Farmer 1939-1971.
Napoleon spent the night in Ierapetra
Ierapetra was already inhabited in ancient times and was then called Hierapytna. At the beginning of the 4th century, the city was a bishop’s seat, later the Venetians and Turks used it as a fortress. In 1798, Napoleon is said to have spent a night here during his passage to Egypt.
There is talk that an airport will be built in the vicinity of Ierapetra. Not so much to receive tourists, but more to ensure that the cultivated tomatoes and cucumbers can be delivered faster, when the prices are most favourable.
Chrissy Island – Golden Beach
From Ierapetra you can take a boat to the island of Chryssi, which means gold in Greek. Only eight nautical miles south of Ierapetra, this beautiful island awaits you surrounded by its turquoise waters.
In its waters, the sea turtles ‘Caretta Caretta’ are often seen.
Available Routaki routes:
this topic is mentioned in….
Excerpt from Route 59 – ‘Kalamafka’ – Journey to Southernmost Crete: A Driving Tour from Agios Nikolaos to Ierapetra in which the following is said…..
“There is no other European city farther south than Ierapetra. That’s why the highest temperature on the island is often recorded here, along with the most hours of sunshine in all of Crete! During the spring and summer months, a hot, dry southerly wind often blows here, known as the ‘Notias’, a desert wind from Libya.
Ierapetra was already known in Minoan times as Hierapytna and was important for trade with Africa and Asia. However, you won’t find any archaeological remains reminding you of this ancient city on the Mediterranean anymore.
What you might also be interested in:
City walk Heraklion – GPS audio tour.
You can experience this vibrant city with the interactive GPS app VoiceMap. Install the app for free and select ‘Heraklion’.
In the webshop on this site, you can purchase a code that provides access to all the information you need to enjoy a fantastic day in Iraklio.
Would you like to get an impression first? Then start by reading this page about Heraklion.
Or you can read one of the following articles:
Matala with its caves is located on the coast in the very fertile Messara plain
Enjoy wine production, including at the wine museum near Peza, during a Routaki route
Visit the huge CretAquarium at the former US base of Gournes