Apokoronas

Apokoronas is a region of north-west Crete, Greece, in Chania prefecture, to the east of Chania itself.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Apokoronas extends from the foothills of the White Mountains north to the coast, in a wide plain with rolling hills. To the east, Cape Drapanon rises above the plain and extends out into the Sea of Crete. The area is very green and fertile, unusual for rocky Crete. The Kiliaris river, known in antiguity as 'Pyknos', runs through the region.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Robert Pashley suggested that the name 'Apokoronas' came from the ancient city of Ippokoronas or Ippokoronion, also cited by Strabo. This city may have been located near modern Nippos, or on the site of the Venetian fortress, Castel Apicorono, on an outcrop between Kalives and Almiridha.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The major towns of Apokoronas are Vamos and Vrisses, with Kalives, Almirida and Georgioupolis the largest beach resorts. Tourism and agriculture are the major local industries, with much construction and quarrying to satisfy the demands of many foreigners eager to buy or rent properties in the beautiful and traditional villages. Gavalohori and Megala Horafia are among the more popular villages. Many residents or workers in Chania also have homes in the area.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There is now no administrative area known as Apokoronas. The area is instead divided into several municipalities, within Chania province. During the Nazi occupation, the area was commanded from Vamos.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Apokoronas was the location of much of the filming of the movie Zorba the Greek.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Crete: Crete, sometimes spelled Krete (Greek Κρήτη / Kriti; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located at approximately ....

Chania: Chania (IPA , Greek: ?????, also transliterated as Hania, older form and Italian: Canea) is the second city of Crete and the capital of the Chania Prefecture....

Robert Pashley: Robert Pashley (4 September 1805 - 29 May 1859) was a 19th century British traveller and economist....