Kastelli, also known as Kissamos or Kastelli Kissamos, is a small tranquil town located within the south western area of Crete, at about 40 kilometers from the city of Chania. This town is the capital of the county of same name, and is characterized by offering beautiful landscapes and sceneries as well as by being a perfect destination to all those tourists who wish to visit a place where they can relax and loose stress.
Kastelli Kissamos is a large town of approximately 3000 inhabitants which, despite of receiving important amounts of visitors on a constant basis, still conserves its peacefulness and tranquility. Besides this, this town’s climate also turns it into an ideal destination for walking around and enjoying its beautiful landscapes, due to the fact that it is warm and sunny most of the year.
The town of Kastelli Kissamos is nearby several attractive and interesting spots, such as, for example, Chania, Gythion, Kythira, Polyrina, Falassarna, the isles of Gramvoussa, the lagoon of Balos, the Georges of Topolia, and Sirikari. All these places are unique and different, and due to their variety it is very probable that visitors will find at least one appealing spot to meet among them.
The town of Kastelli-Kissamos counts with a very interesting past in such a way that its history is often among the main factors that attract visitors to its territory. The origins of Kastelli Kissamos can be traced back to the Pre-Hellenistic times, when the first settlement in this area was established. At its beginnings, this town was an important commercial center as well as a fishing village, in such a way that played an important role in the commercial life of western Crete.
According to historians, Kastelli Kissamos went through several important attacks and fights throughout its history due to a variety of factors but mainly to its strategic location. Due to this fact, this town was fortified by the Venetians with surrounding walls and several strategic constructions. Nowadays, visitors could still observe parts of these walls and constructions at different spot in the interior of the city.