The coastal settlement is just 7 km from Gazi and 8 km from Heraklion. The settlement has about 255 permanent residents. It is known for its homonymous beach and the Venetian castle that dominates the big rock south of the beach.
The settlement's name comes from the Venetian castle, which played a significant role during its heyday. Together with the castle of Koules, which is in the port of Heraklion, protected the bay of Ammoudara. In fact, it is said that the shots from the cannons of the two castles intersected at the height of the Almyros river, thus preventing the enemy ships from approaching the shores.
In front of the settlement, a small bay, where the homonymous pebble beach is located, is formed. The beach is organised with umbrellas, sunbeds and showers. Just above the beach, visitors can find cafes and fish taverns, while at the southern end, there is an old lime kiln.
