The bay of Panagia is located 24km northwest of Heraklion, on the western side of the bay of Heraklion. A long part of the coast is full of alternating small coves with sand and rocky seabed. The sea is usually very calm, since it suffers only from the eastern winds, relatively rare in north Crete; therefore, the Venetians used this small bay as a harbour for protecting their ships. Especially on days when northwest winds blow, Panagia is a favorite choice.