THE MAGIC OF THE CRETAN
The senses wake up with the colorful carpet of nature. From prehistoric times people used the caves. The Cave of Melidoni is located about 1,800m. northwest of the homonymous village of the mountainous Mylopotamos, at an altitude of 220m on the south side of Mount Kouloukonas. The Cave of Zoniana, Sfentoni or Sfentoni the Hole, is located 1km northeast of Zoniana Mylopotamos, about 43km from Heraklion and 52 from Rethymno. Take a tour of the mountain villages of Anogia, get to know the Cretan culture and tradition, the natural beauty of the Nida Plateau and the picturesque village of Archanes which is a model of a preserved settlement with its well-preserved colorful houses and its folklore. Finally, tour and relax in modern Heraklion, visit its museums and take a tour of the historical course of the city.
124 Kilometers
5 Destinations
9 Hours Duration
1
Gerontospilios, as it is called, is of great interest because of its archeological findings, its rich cave decoration, but also its tragic history with the massacre of the Cretans by the Ottomans in 1823. The cave is of great historical importance, as it is associated with a one of the greatest tragedies in Cretan history.
2
The cave is accessible and is considered the most beautiful cave to visit in Crete, and one of the most beautiful in Greece, with very rich stalactite and stalagmite decoration. It belongs to the Psiloritis Natural Park, which has been included in the UNESCO Geoparks. It is also accessible to people with disabilities. Finally, the glow from the tiny crystals of calcium carbonate is particularly impressive.
3
Anogia is located 36km west of Heraklion and 52km southeast of Rethymnon, at an altitude of 750m. Here you can find genuine Cretans, who still wear traditional Cretan costumes and speak the Cretan dialect, while both in their main professions and in their way of life they remain faithful to the primary sector. Finally, it is worth visiting the plateau of Nida, which is one of the largest in Crete and is located at an altitude of 1400 meters, in the heart of Psiloritis.
4
Heraklion, as the capital of the island, hosts the most important museums of Crete. The visitor can wander in the rooms of the Archaeological Museum of the Historical Museum of Crete, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Byzantine Arts and other important collections.
5
A model village full of atmospheric neighborhoods with well-maintained houses, painted in cheerful colors. The tour of the history and tradition of the village has been taken care of by the locals with the Folklore Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the sculpture workshop, the Museum of Cretan History and Tradition.
