The Patsos gorge, tucked into the western slopes of Psiloritis in Crete’s Amari region, offers a shaded escape into a green ravine where history and nature intertwine. Known also as the Agios Antonios gorge, this short walk leads through plane trees and past a cave-church carved into the cliff, a site sacred since antiquity. Wooden … Read more
The Kotsifou gorge is a short limestone canyon in the Rethymno region of southern Crete, threaded by a narrow paved road that runs between the village of Sellia and the coast at Plakias. Sheer rock walls rise high above the road, and a stream bed cuts along the canyon floor below. A whitewashed chapel of … Read more
The Fortezza is the Venetian citadel that crowns the low hill of Palaiokastro above the old town of Rethymno, on the north coast of Crete. Its low, star-shaped ramparts and angled bastions were built to absorb cannon fire, and inside stand a domed former mosque, a gunpowder store, cisterns and the rector’s residence. The walls … Read more
Melidoni Cave rises above the village of Melidoni in the Mylopotamos area of Rethymno, offering visitors a single vast chamber where geology and history intertwine. Known also as Gerontospilios, this cavern sheltered ancient worshippers and, according to legend, the bronze giant Talos who guarded Crete. Its most poignant chapter unfolded in the nineteenth century, when … Read more
Panormos sits quietly on the northern shore of Crete, a small fishing village that has kept its unhurried rhythm while bigger resorts expand along the coast. Stone houses cluster around a tiny harbour, tavernas line the waterfront, and two sandy coves invite gentle swimming. The ruins of an early Christian basilica and a Venetian fort … Read more
Zoniana clings to the northern slopes of Psiloritis in the Mylopotamos area of Rethymno, a mountain village where stone houses cluster around narrow lanes and shepherds still drive their flocks to high pastures. The village has earned its reputation primarily through the Sfendoni cave, the largest and most spectacular show cave on the island, where … Read more
Axos rises on the northern slopes of Psiloritis in the Mylopotamos area of Rethymno, a traditional mountain village built on the foundations of an ancient city. Stone houses cascade down the slope beneath plane trees and springs, while scattered ruins and old churches preserve centuries of history. The village sits on the scenic route climbing … Read more
Argyroupoli rises in the green hills of Rethymno province, a village built directly over the ruins of ancient Lappa where cold spring water gushes year-round from mossy rock faces. Huge plane trees shade the lower quarter, where channels and small waterfalls feed pools beside traditional tavernas serving fresh trout and local dishes. Roman tombs carved … Read more
Ancient Eleutherna stands on the north-western slopes of Mount Ida in the Rethymno region, offering one of Crete’s most thoroughly excavated archaeological sites. Founded by Dorian Greeks, this city flourished continuously from the Dark Ages through Archaic, Classical, Roman and Byzantine periods. The rich necropolis has yielded gold jewellery, weapons and evidence of Homeric burial … Read more
Margarites sits on a hillside in the Rethymno region of central Crete, a small village where the ancient craft of pottery still shapes daily life. Family workshops line the narrow lanes, their wheels turning out tall storage jars and decorative ceramics using techniques passed down through generations. Stone houses climb the slope between flower-filled alleys, … Read more