Platanias Presents the 8th Annual Festival of “Land, Culture, and Tourism”

Coming up Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th of  September, the Municipality of Platanias, under the auspices of the Region of Crete, will present the 8th Annual Festival “Land, Culture, and Tourism.”

The festival which debuted back in 2013,  is organized to highlight and support the touristic value and products of the region and to present Platanias’ cultural capital to the public. Organizers, with the participation of locals and visitors, will share the unique Cretan products, sites, cultural activities, and traditions that make Platanias unique.

The festival has the support of the Association of Shopkeepers of the municipality of Platanias, the Wines Of Crete, and many other local stakeholders. Giannis Malandrakis. , who is Mayor of Platanias, told reporters recently about the goals and special touristic value of this year’s fest, and about the upcoming festival events. 

Now is the season of the grape harvest and the Municipality of Platanias invites people to learn about Crete’s wine and tsikoudia making, for wine tastings, sampling wine based products, dairy products, and a wide variety of Cretan treats. Among the diverse programs to be featured,  the delegation from the Municipality of Fermo in Italy and the invited representatives from the Exhibition of Gastronomy & Tourism TIPICITA bear special interest.

In attendance will be Francesco Trasatti,, Vice-Mayor and Councilor for Culture and Tourism of Fermo Municipality, Angelo Serri, Director of the Gastronomy and Tourism exhibition “Tipicita,” and Alberto Monachesi , the organizer of the Gastronomy and Tourism exhibition “Tipicita.”

The core program will be the exhibition of Cretan products, folk are, and touristic products. The festival runs from 7:30 until 12 midnight both days. This year events on Sunday will take place at 19.30 on the square of Platanias, while Monday’s festivities are slated to take place at the OLEA Mall. Visitors will take a guided tour on Sunday of the nearby Monumental Olive Tree and the Olive Museum of Vouves, and to the Church Of Archangel (Michael Rotonda), and take part in an experiential grape harvest at a local winery. On Monday organizers have arranged a trip to the head offices of ANEK lines, to the Region of Crete –Regional Unit of Chania, and to the Chamber of Commerce and industry of Chania.

This year’s festival is a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and traditions of this part of Crete, and to discover new local products, to have fun, to dance, to participate in original actions, alongside the locals and visitors.  Admission is free to all.