Stivanadika

On the western side of the pedestrian zone of Kátolas lies the pedestrian street of Stivanadika, steeped in the history of the city. The name of the street indicates its origin, a place where the Cretan boots known in Crete as stivánia were once manufactured. All local men were once walking in these boots.

To be more precise, all men who could afford them. They were not as expensive as one might think. At that time everything was handcrafted. But Crete was a poor place and usually, a working man could afford just one pair, which he would wear along with his traditional clothes when going for a walk in the city or a drink in the local kafeneio. Never for work.

Today the old workshops have been turned into small retail shops selling leather goods & traditional Cretan knives, jewelry & traditional products of all sorts. Many of the old workshops still operate to this day producing their hand-made leather shoes, bags, wallets, etc but not on the street which nowadays works as their retail showroom. It is considered to be one of the most distinct picturesque points of reference of the city, a street very dear to all locals and popular with most vising tourists.