Located not too far from Sitia, both Toplou Monastery and Vai Palm Beach make for a great day trip. On this page we’ve set out some of the main things to see here, as well as some food recommendations. To find out more of what to do in eastern Crete, do check out our other blog posts which has suggestions for other day trips and places to visit nearby.
Toplou Monastery
Located a 20 minute drive from Sitia, you will find Toplou Monastery, from the 15th century. Translating into “with a cannon”, to this day, Toplou remains an active monastery, and is certainly worth stopping by on your way to Vai or further east of Sitia. Similar to other monasteries on the island, Toplou played quite a role in defending itself against the invasion of the Turks, and unfortunately, a number of monks were hung during the rebellion. The monastery also served as shelter during World War II.
Toplou Monastery
Courtyard in Toplou Monastery
Today, the monastery owns a significant amount of land, and you can buy various goods that are produced on its lands- ranging from honey to wine and olive oil.
We spent quite a bit of time walking around the monastery- the buildings and courtyard are well looked after, and are quaint, decorated with various greenery. The church is stunning- we couldn’t take any photos, but it is worth stopping by the monastery for the church alone. There is also a small museum and a shop. The museum tells the story of the island, and also has various icons and religious items.
To find out more about the monastery and its history, click here.
The Church in Toplou Monastery
Vai Palm Beach
Just a 10-15 minute drive from Toplou monastery, you will find Vai beach. Similar to Preveli beach, Vai beach has numerous palm trees and indeed a palm forest, making the place feel closer to a Caribbean island rather than some place in Greece! Upon arrival and after parking at one of the (paid) car parks, we walked to the beach- to find it beautiful but also rather busy. Just like Balos, Elafonisi- there are many big groups and buses that arrive to this beach, so the number of people may make your visit here a bit less enjoyable.
Nevertheless, the beach itself is beautiful golden sand, and worth stopping by.
Views over Vai palm beach
Above: Map of Vai Palm beach
Left: Palm trees at Vai beach
There are a number of umbrellas and sunbeds you can rent, as well as various water sport offerings. We spent a little bit of time at the beach, and had some food at the Palm Beach Vai Restaurant- which was surprisingly good for a small restaurant on the beach (particularly a mushroom starter we had!) and we would recommend- see below for photos.
Palm trees on the beach – Vai beach
Ruins at the Ancient town of Itanos
Ancient town of Itanos
After spending some time in Vai beach, we took a short drive north towards the archaeological site of the Ancient town of Itanos. This was a city inhabited in Minoan times, and today you can explore the various remains- from columns to walls, and even a Basilica. There are limited signs or information provided, and entrance is free- so you can just wander over the ruins and explore at your own pace and will. There is also a small beach nearby- far less crowded than Vai, just as nice, but with no facilities.
Ruins at the Ancient town of Itanos
The Basilica in the Ancient town of Itanos
There is also a small beach nearby- far less crowded than Vai, just as nice, but with no facilities.
The beach near the Ancient town of Itanos
Overall, we would definitely recommend a day trip to both Toplou Monastery, and Vai Palm beach.
To find out more about other day trips and things to do we would recommend in Crete, check out our other blogs posts here.
Views from the ruins in the Ancient town of Itanos
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