Agios-stefanos page

Agios-Stefanos

420 meters above sea level.

About 110 inhabiters that live there all year round .

A other 100 foreigners that have a house there.

That love the village for his simplicity and his Greek way of living.

If you come in the village the church is something that you immediately notice. Only 2 of this kind of churches are on the island of Crete.

Every Sunday the bells ring at seven.

The papas or the locals them selves will do the service.

The inside of the church is just as beautiful as the outside.

Big chandeliers and lots of icons.

The church is the pride of Agios-stefanos.

On the square you also find 4 cafeneons where everybody go’s after church for there coffee.

Cafeneon “Zoë” owner is English name Zoë

Cafeneon “To Steki “ Young Greek couple Eri & Manolis

There you have the small rake bar on your right as soon as you come in the village on the square. Owner is Stefane

And again a cafeneon opposite of the small raki bar

You have a other blue and white stripes cafeneon.

The owner his name is also Stefane.

Lots of people find there way to the square.

Tourists and locals like to talk about what ever you like politicks where you com from where you have been etc...

Also if you take a walk true the village you will find lots of small alleys and nice houses that already been renovated.

As also at a part is still in ruins.

The oldest houses are more then 400 years old.

In the middle of the village you will find again a small square .

Where a big tree is located where you can sit and relax with a drink. Again there you find 3 cafeneons .

Petroula the cafeneon on the platanes the tree. Opens from 17h

Irini same side of Petroula a small cafeneon. Open whole day

But she has very good home made red wine. At Petroula you can order some thing to eat also. But in every café you will get meze with your alcohol. Also one big cafeneon opposit of Irini hours variës.

If you walk true the village higher up you will find the old washing place that they used in the earlier days. Not any more of course the spring water comes now in every house by tape.

If you walk higher and higher you will see that the view gets better and better.

Up above the houses you will find the remains of an old fortress. Don’t be disappointed if you are up there there is not a lot standing. And you see the walls better from a distance then on the place it self.

But to take pictures from there is really really good .

Stunning views!

So if you go for a walk do not forget your camera.

You will find people working on the land with there donkeys . Or you will see them passing true the village with there goats.

From Agois-stefanos you can see Thripti Sitia’s highest mountain peak.( 1450 m) and of course the Libyan sea when you look down.

The old name of Agois-Stefanos was Gréas.

The first mention of it is in a catalogue of Sitian villages compiled in 1577 by the venetian Francesco Barozzi.

Then the village had 305 locals.

In 1881 there were 425 inhabitants after 200 year of Turkish accupation.

Between 1902 and 1905 the name changed to Agios-Stefanos.

Taking the name from the patron saint of the village.

As Agios-Stefanos now the village continued to play an active role in the life of Eastern Crete and indeed in the life of the Greek nation.

In 1912-13 the brave young men went to fight in the Balkan wars and again at the time of the Asia Minor troubles.

In 1940-44 the whole village worked untidily for the resistance . People suffered arrest, imprisonment and exile and gave their lives in action in the struggle against the occupying forces.

Now the tourists of many nationalities sit together having a glass and relax and enjoy there company.

While looking at the surroundings and the nature that is al around.