The impressive castle on the beach is striking. It was erected by the Venetians in 1371. In May 1866 a bloody battle took place here, between Mustafa Pasha’s soldiers and 338 of Hatzimichalis Dalianis’ warriors. Legend has it that every May, on the battle’s anniversary, the shadows on the plain or “Drosoulites” are in fact the returning spirits of the heroic warriors. It’s time to begin your journey to the land of legends!
The extensive, sheltered and gently shelving sandy beach beach of Frangokastelo is truly magnificent, with sand and shallow turquoise waters, ideal for children. It is poorly organized and is quite busy in Summer (July, August). Please note that often irritating winds coming from South, transporting the sand with strength, which is so pleasant.
Fragokastello provides many rooms to stay scattered over the flat plain around the castle, restaurants, cafes and shops.
West of the main beach you will find the long beach Vatalos, which is sandy and has pebbles and rocks in parts, making it ideal for snorkelling. Walking 300 m east from the main beach for 10 minutes, you will find the magnificent beach of Orthi Ammos, famous for the large sand dunes.
Fragokastello it is famous for its Venetian castle, which is preserved in very good condition, it is beautiful beaches and the Drosoulites, the ghosts which appear at Frangokastello at dawn each May.
This phenomenon is internationally known as mirage. Considered as a kind of a reflection, it has also been observed in other parts of the world with extensive bare soil areas which become overheated by the sun. Local people claim that these forms are the shadows of the warriors who died there in 1828, at the same period, and they were named Drosoulites because they appear with the morning dew (in Greek: δροσιά- drosia).
Many monuments were built in the area through the centuries, but very few survive today. Most were destroyed in the wars and risings in the area, and the stones from their ruins used to build the castle. Outside the walls of the fortress, you will see a monument that stands there to remind the battles of the Cretans given in Frangokastelo, for the freedom of Crete.
Frangokastello lies in a surprisingly small plain in the shadow of the eastern range of the White Mountains, with the gorge of Imbros and the mountain of Kallikratis. A unique landscape and one of the many surprises the natural environment of Crete has to offer.
