Boat cruise to Gramvousa Island
Gramvousa Island is 9 miles far from the port of Kissamos and 8,5 miles far from the gulf of Falasarna.
With our Sailing Boat the trip from the port of Kissamos or from Falasarna gulf, takes about one hour and a quarter.
We anchor in a bay with crystal water and you can swim at the small beach of the island and visit the Castle of Gramvousa.
Because it’s strategic location, Gramvousa was fortified by the Venetians on 16th century, who construct a fortified castle on the top of a steep rock at an altitude of 137 m.
It was one of the three castles to remain under Venetian dominion after the Turkish occupation of Crete (the other two were those of Sitia and Spinalonga).
Finally the castle passed on Turkish domination in 1692.
During the Greek revolution against the Turks, Gramvoussa played an important role and it was the first part of Crete that becomes free from Turkish in 1825.
The rocky island became a base for over 3000 revolutionaries but after became a base of pirates that plundered every ship that passed to the seas around the island, so with the agreement of the Greek Government a English-French military force took over the island of Gramvoussa in 1828.
South to the island of Gramvoussa is the wonderful lagoon of Balos.
In the same day we can visit and the lagoon of Balos which located one mile far from Gramvousa Island.