Gramvousa are two uninhabited islets with a rich pirate history. Crete. Excursion to Gramvousa Island and Balos Lagoon. Review
This place is definitely a must see! In all my travels, this place is on my list of the most beautiful places our planet.
After Rethymno we headed to Balos bay/lagoon and Gramvousa island.
Gramvousa Island is a small rocky island off the northwest coast of Crete. Strictly speaking, these are two islands, but we are interested in the one on which the fortress is Imeri Gramvousa. They get there on a private yacht or on a tourist ferry from the town of Kissamos. You have to sail for about an hour, enjoying the landscapes “the dream of a marine painter”, peering into the endless water distance, from which the eye now and then grabs a small boat or island. Well, if you look from one side of the ferry. From the other side you can observe deserted shores with sparse vegetation. These rocks bear the traces of an ancient earthquake, which was so powerful that the Korykos peninsula rose several meters above the sea.
At a certain moment, a kind of sea gate appears in front of you, we went into it and a view of the island of Gramvousa opened up. So flat, like a giant stepped on it. We are almost there.
We decided not to approach the shores of the island-fortress and dropped anchor into the sea. Here, on a shallow rests the skeleton of the ship. In the 70s, drugs were transported on it, but then the Cretan police caught the criminals and burned the ship.
In order to get into the fortress, you will need to make a short climb up some rather steep steps. But it's worth it.
The fortress was built in 1579 by the Venetians, who at that time ruled Crete, in order to defend the island from the Turks. Gramvousa, along with two other fortresses, remained in the hands of the Venetians throughout the Cretan War, even when Crete came under the rule Ottoman Empire. The fortresses of Gramvousa, Souda and Spinalonga made it possible to protect those who passed through here. trade routes, and in case of new conflicts with the Turks, they were supposed to serve as a springboard for the Venetians.
Unfortunately, during the new Ottoman-Venetian conflict, the Gramvousa fortress was handed over to the Turks by a Neapolitan captain, whom he received a generous reward for his betrayal and spent the rest of his days enjoying life in Constantinople.
But soon after these sad events, Gramvousa was recaptured by the Cretan rebels. For several decades, the fortress passed from the Turks to the Greeks and back, until, finally, in 1825, a detachment of three hundred Cretan rebels recaptured the fortress for a longer period.
But since Crete itself was still under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the rebels found themselves in complete isolation without food, which forced them to piracy. Over time, they got so into the taste that they robbed not only Turkish and Egyptian ships. European merchant shipping also suffered heavy losses from pirates from the fortress of Gavmvusa. The population of the island grew greatly, a school was built, and even a church, which received the name of the Virgin of the Thief.
But Europe does not tolerate when its commercial interests suffer. Under pressure from heads European states The first ruler of independent Greece, John Kapodistrias, took a course in the fight against piracy. In the end, the pirates were defeated, their ships sunk, and Gramvousa again passed to the Turks in 1831, since at that time the island of Crete was still under Ottoman rule.
The fortress walls offer stunning views of the sea and Balos Bay, where we will now go.
Coming down from the fortress
Before we got into the bay, a terrible thing almost happened to us, the engine on our yacht died out, and the Gramvus ferry was already approaching us, already at the very last moment, we were able to bounce off it. When the captain of the ship came out, he shouted something, we also shouted at him, according to all the rules of maritime traffic, he should have let us through. 
Arriving on the yacht, we had lunch and moved to the bay itself, on the way on the same boat we met Armenians who have been living in this lagoon in a tent for 20 years, they once left the USSR and have been living in this paradise ever since . They were happy to hear a familiar speech, and even meet an Armenian (my friend Karen)
Balos Bay is where you should look for the Bounty. Nature has generously adorned this lagoon with several shades of water, from turquoise to deep blue. Here you can walk along the soft white sand, as fine as flour, watch how the surf brings pink crumbs out of millions of shells, swim in warm clear waters, to enjoy the beauty that is difficult to describe in words.
The water is the warmest, few people
In 2010, the selfie was not yet mainstream))
How to get there. Gramvusa can be reached by ferry from the port small town Kissamos (Kastelli-Kissamou). I think that if you are not planning to rent a car, then this is the case when it will be most convenient to buy an excursion in one of the city travel agencies. You will be picked up from the hotel and brought directly to the port.
If you go by car, you will have to leave it in Kissamos. The road is quite difficult, especially the last 8 kilometers. You will have to go down to the bay itself (and, the most unpleasant thing, then climb back :-)).
Off the northwestern coast of Crete, where the Mediterranean pure water, there are two uninhabited islets.
Their common name is Gramvusa.
But they also have another, more romantic nickname - pirate island.
At the end of the 16th century, at an altitude of 250 meters above the sea, one of the most impregnable fortresses in Crete was built here, and even the most famous Mediterranean pirate, Barbarossa, used to visit here.
How to get there
A visit to the pirate island is included in the tour plan to the Bay of Ballos (about the Balos lagoon), they are located nearby.
Tour price is usually 50–60 euros, and it includes travel to Kissamos, from where a pleasure boat leaves for Ballos Bay and the island of Gramvousa.
The price also includes a light lunch on the ship, a stop in the bay and landing on the island of Gramvousa, on the part where the ancient fortress is located. The entrance to the fortress is free.
Regular buses run from Kissamos every 45–60 minutes, it takes about an hour to travel, the fare is 6 euros.
Those wishing to visit the island on their own must get to the port of Kissamos, where buses run from different settlements, and then take a ticket (20 euros) for one of the boats.
Excursion ships depart from 10 o'clock, to the island of Gramvousa by sea - about an hour's journey. From the place where the ships moor on the island, there is a hiking trail almost 850 m long to the fortress.
History of the islands
The Venetians built a fortress in the 70s-80s of the 16th century, the building can be called an excellent example of the art of military architecture.
The location of the fortress made it possible to defend well against attacks, as well as control the strait between western Crete (read all about the island) and the Peloponnese peninsula, guaranteeing safety in the local waters.
More than 100 years later, in 1691, the Turks nevertheless managed to conquer the fortress, not without the help of traitors who were seduced by big money. The Turks began to complete the construction of the fortress and remake it in their own way, equipping it with 70 guns.
It took the Cretans more than 130 years to recapture it, turning it into main object focused on fighting the invaders.
The fortress was built in the shape of a triangle, each side was almost a kilometer long, and on all sides the fortress was protected by high walls - two from the sea and one from the land.
Territory overview
Today Gramvusa is popular tourist attraction, which attracts hundreds of people a day.
Arriving on the island, you can stay on the beach and swim. The beaches here are wild, the bottom is rocky, but the water is clear, shimmering in various shades - from light blue to rich emerald.
The atmosphere of the pirate past is emphasized by a half-submerged ship not far from the coast.. There are several versions of its crash, but the most popular one says that the ship belonged to drug traffickers and was sunk by order of the Greek coastal security service.
Fortress of Gramvousa
But, of course, it is simply necessary to overcome the path to the fortress.
Climbing is not easy, especially if you walk in the heat, which sometimes reaches +40 degrees.
Look carefully under your feet - the steps are destroyed in some places, but the view from above is worth the effort. From here you can see from above how three seas merge.
Passing through the old gate, next to which is located a marble Griffin of the Greco-Roman period, you will come to large playground with the remains of Venetian and Turkish buildings.
Looking down is a little scary - the fortress is located on a cliff 137 meters high, but truly unforgettable experience.
We planned this trip one of the first! I really wanted to see this amazing landscape with my own eyes. You need to go there - it was not in doubt. The question was: "How?"
There are 3 ways to get to Balos Lagoon:
1) The easiest way is to buy an excursion in some travel agency. The host of Beleon-Tour offered us this for 50 euros per person. Street agencies in Bali announce prices from 43 to 60 euros per person. The price of the tour includes: transfer by bus from the hotel to the port of Kissamos, the services of a guide on the bus, a ticket for the boat that will take you first to about. Imeri Gramvousa, then to Balos lagoon and back to Kissamos, return transfer to the hotel.
Pros: no worries, visiting Fr. Imeri Gramvousa.
Cons: price, binding to the ship's schedule, a crowd of people.
2) On a rented car, drive to Kissamos and buy a ticket for the ship on your own. The price of an adult ticket at the box office is 25 euros. If you buy in advance on the Internet http://www.gramvousa.com/Cruises.aspx?id=327&lang=ru, then 22 euros.
If your hotel is somewhere near Kissamos, it is probably possible to get to the port and regular bus. For us, this option was no longer possible, because. the ship sailed at 10:20 am, and Bali is very far from Kissamos.
Pros: You may be able to save a little; visit about. Imeri Gramvousa.
Cons: binding to the ship's schedule, a crowd of people, the need to steer.
3) Drive a rented car. From Kissamos there is an 8 km dirt road almost to the lagoon. According to reviews, this journey takes an average of 40 minutes. The road is narrow, along a serpentine, uphill, there is a risk that the small car will not pull, and there is also a high probability of damaging the bottom with stones sticking out of the ground. Primer insurance is not valid, it is written in all contracts. You will need to leave the car on the mountain and then go down to the beach along the stone steps for about 1.5 km. Then, accordingly, you have to rise.
Pros: price; you are not tied to any schedule, you can leave at any time; if you arrive early, before the ship arrives, you will be almost alone in the lagoon.
Cons: risk of damaging the car; the need to climb 1.5 km up in the heat; impossible to get to. Imeri Gramvousa.
After watching a video on the Internet in which the car is trying to climb this primer, slipping and raising clouds of dust, we decided that we would not risk it. We didn’t want any problems with the rental car, especially since the bottom was not insured with us. Without further ado, we went to the agency that offered the lowest price and bought a tour there for 43 euros per person.
At 7 am we were picked up from the hotel. Since the composition of the tourists was international, on the road we were accompanied by 2 guides at once: a Russian-speaking young man and a German-speaking aunt. In turn, they broadcast something, each about his own: in Russian - about the history of the Gramvousa fortress and migratory birds in the Balos lagoon, in German (as far as we could understand) - about restaurants, bars and toilets on the ship)))
At about 9:30 we arrived at the port, the guide gave us tickets for the boat (by the way, when sold through travel agencies, the ticket price is already only 14 euros) and a receipt for paying an environmental fee worth 1 euro (if you go by car, the fee will also have to be paid ).
The ship has all the benefits of civilization: toilets, a bar, a restaurant. Souvlaki (barbecue) was cooked right in front of us. You can stay both indoors and outdoors. Even on a hot day on the open deck it was very strong wind, we did not regret that we took sweatshirts with us. In all languages of the world they announced what time we arrive, what time we depart and other important information. Friends said that in the summer this ship was not overcrowded. October is full of vacancies.
The journey to the first stop, Imeri Gramvousa Island, takes about an hour. The ship goes along the rocky shore, on which one can observe a black stripe above sea level. Until 365 AD, the island was submerged at this mark. In 365, a terrible earthquake occurred off the coast of Crete. It caused significant destruction in central and southern Greece, in Sicily and North Africa. On the island of Crete, almost all cities were destroyed. The earthquake caused a tsunami that swept along the coasts of the Mediterranean, killing many thousands of people, and the ships were thrown 3 km inland. As a result of this earthquake, the island tilted: the eastern tip sank deeper into the sea, and the western tip rose 9 meters.
6) From the water you can see the primer on the peninsula, on which cars are slowly crawling.
One of the versions of the origin of the name "Gramvusa" is associated with a hole in the rock: in the time of the Venetians, the most West Side The island of Crete was called Capo Buso (literally translated - "leaky edge"). Perhaps over time this name has changed. local population into the Greek version - "Akra Buza", and then - into "Gramvousa".
Near the northwestern tip of Crete are 2 uninhabited islands: the northern one is called Agria Gramvousa (stormy Gramvousa), and the southern one is called Imeri Gramvousa (calm Gramvousa).
12) Our ship moored at the calm Gramvousa, where the Venetian fortress has been preserved, and we went ashore.
Some of the passengers went to the beach, the rest - pulled up the large stone steps up to the fortress. At the sight of the steps, the feeling of deja vu visited us again)) We cannot do without comfortable, stable shoes here. Climbing in the crowd is not easy: you are not so much afraid of stumbling as you are afraid that some big German aunt will roll on you)).
The fortress on Imeri Gramvousa was built by the Venetians in the middle of the 16th century to protect against the Ottoman Empire. The location of this fortress made it possible to control the strait separating western Crete from the Peloponnesian peninsula. But after a little over 100 years, it was captured by the Turks. By that time, the entire island was already in the hands of the conquerors. It took the Cretans 133 years to return the fortress of Gramvousa and turn it into the center of the liberation struggle against the Turkish invaders. But the most difficult conditions faced locals in those years, forced them to engage in piracy. Almost all ships passing in these waters were attacked: Turkish, Egyptian and European. So Gramvousa gained fame as a pirate fortress. During this period, the population of Imeri Gramvousa Island grew. A school and a church were even built here.
20) The atmosphere of piracy is supported by a dilapidated ship, wrecked off the coast of Imeri Gramvousa. It sank here in the 80s of the 20th century. According to one of the legends, he allegedly transported drugs and was flooded by the Greek Coast Guard.
In 1828, an Anglo-French squadron with government troops was sent to Gramvuse to fight piracy. Pirates were expelled from the island, and their ships were sunk or captured. And the fortress was again handed over to the Turks, because. Crete belonged to them at that time.
26) The fortress offers stunning views of neighboring islands and the Balos lagoon.
Gramvousa has the status of a reserve and is protected by the state. This is the habitat of rare representatives of flora and fauna. Many species of migratory birds stop here.
You are given 2 hours to explore the island with the fortress, after which the ship sets off and goes to Balos Bay. This journey takes only 15 minutes. We were told that in bad weather they drop anchor 200 meters from the lagoon and deliver tourists to the beach in small boats. We were more fortunate: the boat moored to land near the island of Tigani (translated as "Frying Pan") and we went ashore. 3 hours are allotted for rest in the bay, then the ship returns to Kissamos.
On the beach there are changing cabins, umbrellas, sunbeds (of course, for a fee) and some kind of catering establishment, which we didn’t go to, because. ate and drank on the ship.
The crowd that poured out of the ship immediately rushed into the turquoise waters. Well, we, passing on sand spit from Tigani to Crete, they began to climb the stone steps up the mountain to capture the view of the lagoon from above.
The sea in this place has many shades from azure blue and emerald green to dark blue.
The beauty is breathtaking!
It is believed that at this point the waters of three seas merge: the Cretan, Ionian and Libyan.
It was very hot, we climbed quite a bit and then we were tired. It was the same path along which people who arrived in cars descend to the beach and climb back to the parking lot. We sympathized with them and went back down to swim.
First we tried to enter the water to the left of the spit. And they were surprised how cold it is! Despite the shallow water and the heat! We were already almost upset that we would not be able to swim. We crossed to the other side of the spit, and there was very warm water.
50) There was still time before departure, but we were already swimming and decided to return to the boat. We took a bottle of retsina and grapes.
Retsina is a Greek resinous white wine. The original taste comes from the fact that in ancient times, vessels with wine, in particular amphoras, were sealed with pine resin to prevent contact with air. With the advent of barrels, the need to use resin disappeared, but the aroma and taste of retsina were so popular that they have survived to this day. Currently, resin is specially added at the fermentation stage to give the wine a characteristic aroma.
The word "ρετσίνα" is translated as "resin". By the way, the Russian word "rubber" comes from the same Greek word
Once in Rhodes we already tried to drink retsina, but then it seemed to us a rare muck. Apparently, that was the wrong retsina. Here, on the open deck of the ship, contemplating the heavenly landscape, we appreciated this drink at its true worth.
By 18:00 we arrived at the port of Kissamos, and after 2.5 hours we were at our hotel in Bali and still had time for dinner. After such an eventful day, we dozed all the way to the hotel on the bus and were glad that we did take a tour, and did not go by car.
Balos and Gramvousa is definitely one of the most beautiful places in Crete. I recommend visiting.
My other posts about Crete.
History of Gramvousa
Gramvusa - two small islands on the northwest coast of Crete, located in the Chania region. The first one, Agria Gramvousa, did not score with special historical events and cannot boast of picturesque nature. Imeri Gramvusa is of interest to tourists. It has preserved the Venetian fortress, as well as the remains of buildings built by pirates and Cretan rebels. The history of this piece of land near the coast of Crete is very rich and interesting.
Due to its favorable location between the shores of Crete and the Peloponnese, Gramvousa was the object of close attention from all the great powers. The fortress appeared on the island in 1579 to protect against Turkish invaders. The construction continued for five years. The construction turned out to be impregnable - towering on the mountain, it allowed to view the surroundings for many kilometers and prevent enemy attacks.
In the 17th century, the fortress passed into the hands of the Ottoman army after a betrayal committed by one of the Neapolitan captains. Until 1825, it was conquered by the Greeks, then again by the Turks. After the loss of control over the fortress by the Turks, pirate activity increased on the island. The Cretan rebels not only occupied Gramvousa, but even began to establish life here: they built a school, warehouses and a church. But they soon realized the difficulties of their position. The rocky island was uninhabitable, and the rebels were forced to rob Turkish ships. Glory about the island representing serious threat, spread rapidly. The Turks began to bypass Gramvusa, and then the former rebels attacked Egyptian and European sailors.
In 1828, John Kapodistrias, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and by that time the ruler of independent Greece, undertakes to eradicate piracy. By his command and insistence European countries he sends a French-English squadron to Gramvousa. Pirate ships were captured or sunk, and Greece managed to maintain a reputation in the eyes of the British and French who suffered at the hands of pirates.
Soon the Turks, under the terms of the agreement, again take control of Gramvousa. Both islands of Gramvousa will pass to Greece only after 1913 as a fair result of the accession of Crete to it.
Today, Gramvousa Fortress, as before, rises above the sea and is visible from afar. Tourists make the ascent on the rock, hot from the sun, to be on top and admire the breathtaking views. The ascent will take approximately 15 minutes. Nearby there is an unequipped beach where you can relax after the descent. In addition to the fortress on the island, you can see the ruins of a church, and off its coast - a barge of drug dealers that has run aground.
How to get to Gramvousa
In summer, ferries to Gramvousa are crowded - tourists visit the island and then head to Balos Bay (). You can buy a tour to see two places at once. Fortunately, you won’t have to look for a long time: excursions are offered both in hotels and in street bureaus. But if you want to get to Gramvousa on your own, you need to drive to the port of Kissamos by car. Here - park and buy a ticket for the nearest ship to the island. They usually leave for Gramvuse after 10:00. It is important to take care of buying a ticket in high season in advance.
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An excursion to the island of Gramvousa is usually carried out in conjunction with a visit to Balos Bay, which I will discuss in the next article. In some travel agencies, it is also called "Excursion to confluence of three seas". A trip to the Gramvusa is rightfully considered an element compulsory program anyone who came to Crete. The most western point islands, the confluence of three seas with different colors of water, a Venetian fortress. All this leaves an unforgettable impression of the trip! But first things first.
Where is Gramvousa
If you look closely at the map, you will see that there are two islands with the name of Gramvousa. One - Agria Gramvousa(in translation - wild Gramvusa) in the north, and Imeri Gramvousa(i.e. "tamed Gramvousa") in the south. north island has always been and remains uninhabited, and has no historical or natural value. A south island, located in a better place, is just the subject of our trip.
Imeri Gramvousa Island
How to get to Gramvousa Island
Which is logical, you can only get to the island by sea. The main mode of transport is the ferry departing from the port in the city of Kissamos, which is the most western city Crete.
Ferry schedules vary depending on the season. But mostly, they leave once or twice around 10 am. It is also worth remembering that in tourist season there are so many people who want to visit the island that you will not have a chance to come and buy a ticket on the spot before departure. Online booking I didn't find any timetables for ferries in this direction.
Therefore, if you arrived at the peak of the season, then probably the only optimal way there will be a purchase of a tour to the island from one of the many travel agencies on the island. Because going to the port to buy a ticket will be more expensive than paying 10-15 euros for the services of a tour operator.
But if you arrived, as we did, in October or later, then there will be no such influx. And you can safely come to the port and take a ticket for the nearest ferry. The port has a large free parking so you can also come with a rented car. Just consider the distance. Still, this is practically the very edge of the island, and if you live somewhere in the Heraklion region, then the road to Kissamos will take more than two hours.
Other ferries that carry tourists to Gramvusa
There is also an option to rent a boat or arrange with the locals to take you to the island on an individual basis. But as I understand it, this is already a special case, which is not typical.
Travel by ferry
I'll tell you a little about the ferry itself. He's really big. I would say that it fits more than 500 people. The ferry is double-deck. The lower deck is almost completely closed, while the upper one, on the contrary, is covered with a canopy only in the central part.
On upper deck ferry
There are no tickets, so you can sit anywhere. But remember the sun. The ferry takes about an hour to the island. I personally managed to burn pretty decently during this time.
There is also a cafe on the ferry. At lunch you can eat normally. After all, you won’t have any other options to buy something.
