Souda islet is the little island located in the middle of the entrance of the gulf of Souda. In the northwest part of it and 7 Venetian steps away stands another little island, almost round, that is referred in Venetians maps as Rabbit Island.
Before it was fortified with walls, the island was a monastery dedicated to St.Nicolas and was called Fraronisi. Following the fortification, it was renamed Souda, according to the name of the gulf. On the largest island, the Venetians built one of the most important fortresses of Crete, in order to protect the gulf from hostile piracy. The fortress was undefeatable by the Turks and so it remained Venetian even half a century after the Turkish occupation. Up until 1715 when it was finally surrendered to the Turks, it had remained a shelter for persecuted Cretan patriots.