THODOROU ISLAND - LAZARETTA

Agioi Theodoroi are two small uninhabited islets off the coast of western Crete with rich history and legends to tell. Since the Minoans, through Venetians and and early Christian times the islands had different uses but according to the myth the two islands weren’t always there. The legend says that in early Christian times a huge monster with its baby approached Crete and threatened its inhabitants. The locals that  without success tried to kill the beast by throwing spears and shooting arrows pray to survive. Their prayers were heard and both monsters were petrified creating the two islands. One of them with its mouth open. The cave aka the mouth of the monster is visible in the southern part of the island. Thodorou Island now home to the famous Cretan Ibex Kri-Kri and Eleonora ‘s Flacons, Thodorou have been recognized as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International and is a protected Natura Reserve. In order to protect the Cretan ibex or Kri-Kri, the state declared Thodorou a National Park and banned any human activity there.  The island dominates the coast west of Chania it is visible from the mainland but accessible only by boat. You can enjoy a tour around the island, seek out the rare Kri-Kri  or swim in the crystal clear blue waters.

Lazaretta is a small, uninhabited island just outside of Chania harbor. The Venetians used it as a leprosarium for Chania, like it was done on most islands opposite of cities. On the island are the remains of a building where the lepers were housed. The building was largely destroyed by the Turks in 1645 when they placed there a large cannon in order to besiege the city of Chania. In some places you can see metal fragments from bombs that fell during military exercises during the Second World War by the Germans. The island is also home to a shrine of Agios Nikolaos built by a local man in 1954. In the 1950s long distance swimmers used the islet as their starting point in competitions while Chania's inner harbor was the finish line. The small sandy beach that is ideal for snorkeling can be visited only by boat, making the spot a perfect place to swim close to Chania