The city center of Agios Nikolaos is a bottomless lake, which is not actually a lake because it is connected to the sea and is not a sink because it does not go all the way to the other side of the earth. But it is deep enough for retreating Germans to reject all their tanks during the Second World War, and no one has ever seen them since.

Now the descendants of the Germans themselves play in the sea and in the pubs with the descendants of the British people who fought, while their ancestors are served by farmers who have defended their land with muskets against the tanks at the bottom of the bottomless lake.

Indeed, the "saint", as it is said in this is short form, is an interesting city, and somewhat less in the summer when it is so crowded with tourists that local buses can barely on the streets. Nearby is Elounda Beach, one of the most famous and successful resorts in the country. There are several sandy beaches and bays along the coast so you can pass through the crowds if you want though you will probably not find loneliness except your head inland. Although the "saint" once had the reputation of a party city , the region is now more likely to attract couples, young and old, and has a charm that is far from the popular picture that is still spreading by the guidebooks written over ten or fifteen years.