Planning a trip to Ayios Nikolaos
The Municipal Information Office (tel. 28410/22-357; gr_tour_ag_nik@acn.gr) is one of the most helpful in all of Greece, perhaps because it's staffed by young seasonal employees who have some energy and enthusiasm to them (mid-Apr to Oct daily 8am-10pm). In addition to providing maps and brochures, it can help arrange accommodations and excursions. (To the left, just around the corner, is a small Folklore Museum, open usually 10am-6pm; admission 3€.) Of several travel agencies in town, I recommend Nostos Tours, 30 R. Koundourou, along the right arm of the harbor (tel. 28410/26-383).
Getting Around
The town is so small that you can walk to all points, although taxis are available. The KTEL buses serve towns, hotels, and other points in eastern Crete. If you want to explore this end of the island on your own, it seems as if car and moped/motorcycle rentals are at every other doorway. I found some of the best rates at Alfa Rent a Car, 3 Kap. Nik. Fafouti, the small street between the lake and the harbor road (tel. 28410/24-312; fax 28410/25-639). I should point out that parking is such a problem in the center of town that you might like to know of a small private parking lot at the corner of Kyprou and Koziri, just off the square (signed) at the top of Koundourou, the main street leading up from the harbor.
Getting There
By Plane -- Ayios Nikolaos does not have its own airport but can be reached in about 1 hour by taxi or bus (1 1/2 hr.) from the Iraklion airport. During the high season, Olympic Airways offers a few flights weekly to Sitia, the town to the east of Ayios Nikolaos, but the drive from there to Ayios Nikolaos is also a solid 1 1/2 hours, so you'd do just as well to fly into Iraklion.
By Boat -- At least during the summer season, several ships a week each way link Ayios Nikolaos and Piraeus (about 11 hr.); these ships usually run from Ayios Nikolaos to Sitia (just east along the coast) and on to Rhodes via the islands of Kassos, Karpathos, and Khalki. In summer, ships may link Ayios Nikolaos to Santorini (4 hr.), and then to Piraeus via several other Cycladic islands. Schedules and even ship lines vary so much from year to year that you should wait until you get to Greece to make specific plans, but you can try checking www.gtp.gr in advance.
By Bus -- Bus service almost every half-hour of the day each way (in high season) links Ayios Nikolaos to Iraklion; almost as many buses go to and from Sitia. The KTEL bus line (tel. 28410/22-234) has its terminal in the Lagos neighborhood (behind the city hospital, which is up past the Archaeological Museum).
Fast Facts
Several ATMs and currency-exchange machines line the streets leading away from the harbor. The hospital (tel. 28410/22-369) is on the west edge of town, at the junction of Lasithiou and Paleologou. For Internet access, try either the bookstore/cafe Polychromos, at 28 October, or the Atlantis Café, 15 Akti Atlantidos; they tend to be open daily in high season from 9am to 11pm (2€ an hour). The tourist police (tel. 28410/26-900) are at 34 Koundoyianni. The post office is at 9 28th Octobriou (tel. 28410/22-276). In summer, it's open Monday through Saturday from 7:30am to 8pm; in winter, Monday through Saturday from 7:30am to 2pm. The telephone office (OTE), 10 Sfakinaki, at the corner of 25th Martiou, is open Monday through Saturday from 7am to midnight, Sunday from 7am to 10pm.
