Tsoutsouros located 60 km from Iraklion, on the south coast of Crete is the idyllic village of Tsoutsouros (GR:Τσούτσουρος, also known as Tsoutsouras) built next to the ruins of the ancient city of Inatos. Mainly a fishing/ farming community of about 100 permanent residents, is becoming a popular base of operations for visitors who prefer a less intense style of vacations, than that offered by big towns.
History
The ancient city of Inatos, used to stand were Tsoutsouros is now. Inatos served as a port to Priansos a renowned city – state of the time, located near the village of Kasteliana.
Excavations by archaelogists have unearthed ruins of the Greek and Roman times. In a cave, where the ancients used to worship “Eileithyia” the godess of fecundity, were found many statuettes and idols from the archaic and Greek period. At the Heraklion museum (gallery XX) are today on display the two small statuettes of “NIOVIDES”, depicting Artemis to shoot with a bow the children of NIOVI.
Tsoutsouros played also an important role during the German Occupation. One of the first organizations against the german invadors – founded in the areas of Viannos and Malevizi – managed to helping allied soldiers to escape to Egypt. The first submarines came to Tsoutsouros in 1941 and approached to KERKELOS – a promontory to the west of the village – from where the allied soldiers and Greek patriots were embarked.
Sights
There are not serious findings from the ancient Inatos to be visited. The axcavations in the area did not proceed that much and many interesting relics were stolen by smugglers and sold abroad.
Antiquities are not however the only point of interest of the visitors. The natural beauty of the place invites you to admire the wonderful beaches, located in both sides of Tsoutsouros and the small valleys and gorges with rare spacies of the Cretan flora and fauna. The area is a stopping- place for migratory birds while some of them spend here a good part of the year.
There are plenty of, more or less , secluded beaches around the village. Some of them to the east are accessible by foot and others on the west, like Maridaki or the monastery of Agios Nikitas and further more the “Palm forest” (yet uknown to most people) are accessible by boat.
There is also a small river, Midris, that ends to the beach. The river bed is easy to follow, and attracts quite a few visitors, especially during autumn and spring.
