Voyager Info Crete

29/12/2024

The Foundation of the Holy Cross "St. Raphael" is an informal small monastery at position Tria Kamarakia, next to the highway of Rethymnon - Chania, which is mostlycharity- oriented. The main temple is a three-aisled basilica dedicated to the Neomartyrs (Raphael, Nicholas and Irene), the Holy Cross and Saint Ephrem.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Holy Cross Foundation, Kalyves cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/religious-monuments-on-crete/monasteries-in-crete/holy-cross-foundation-kalyves-agios-rafail

26/12/2024

The historic Monastery of Panagia Odigitria on the way to Agiofaraggo hides many treasures. Beyond the monastery itself with such great history and the tower of Xopateras, it conceals another surprise north of the monastery. This is the prepalatial necropolis of Odigitria, named after the monastery, as we still don’t know the name of the town it belonged to.
We still can say that today the area of Odigitria, the surrounding hills, the area of Agiofarago and the land of Asterousia till the tip of Cape Lithino, attracted the attention of man who settled here and formed settlements, places of worship and burial.
The Prepalatial Cemetery of Odigitria, as its name suggests, was developed before the glorious period of the palaces in the early stages of the Minoan era. The necropolis was looted by illegal excavations, like so many other places in Asterousia Range. It was used continuously by the Minoans for about a thousand years. The first formal archaeological excavation took place in 1979-1980 by archaeologist Nota Dimopoulou and was continued by Antonis Vasilakis. The illegal excavations prior to the official one unearthed numerous finds, many of which concluded in the private collection of Konstantinos Mitsotakis, the former Prime Minister of Greece coming from Chania. The rich finds included ceramics, stamps, metal objects made of gold and other metals, and stone tools.
The prepalatial necropolis with the old graves occupies a large area and consists of two domed tombs, rooms for offerings, an ossuary and a paved courtyard with altars. It is open to visitors and it has been maintained by the archaeologists. To find the site, there is a sign inside the monastery.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Odigitria Prepalatial Cemetery cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/history-of-crete/archaeological-sites-in-crete/minoan-times-palaces-and-sites/odigitria-prepalatial-cemetery

25/12/2024

23/12/2024

Elounda is located 10km north of Agios Nikolaos, near the northwest side of the bay of Mirabello. The area is a renowned tourist resort with luxurious hotels for the most expensive tastes. Each year Elounda hosts in utmost secrecy several heads of states and celebrities of the international economic, political, athletic, and artistic elite. Indeed, it is no coincidence that Elounda has the most landings of private helicopters in Greece!
Apart from its glamorous face and the €10000/ night bungalows, Elounda has to offer to its visitors some of the most beautiful landscapes in Greece. The small town of Elounda is not particularly graphic, but it is built on the edge of the idyllic lagoon of Korfos Bay, which is formed between the Spinalonga Peninsula and Crete.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Elounda Town cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/cities-and-towns-in-crete/elounda-town

22/12/2024

The Monastery of Agios Nikolaos is a small dependency of Vrondisi monastery, built on Mount Sanida above the village Skourvoula. The old ruined monastery was restored by the monk Iosif Androulakis and reoperated in 2014. The interior of the temple is adorned with nice modern frescoes, while from the courtyard one can admire the nice view to the shores of Messara.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Saint Nikolaos monastery at Skourvoula cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/religious-monuments-on-crete/monasteries-in-crete/saint-nikolaos-monastery-at-skourvoula

21/12/2024

The gorge of Rocca, Roka, Rocka or Rokka is located 32km west of Chania, in the area of Kolymbari. The 2km gorge starts from the village Deliana and ends at the village of Roka. In the settlement there is Trouli hill, where you can still see the ruins of a Byzantine fortress.
Though hiking through the gorge is quite easy (takes about 2 hours) and is recommended on early summer, it is hard to cross it without getting wet when there is still some water in the narrowest parts. In the gorge there are many plane trees that offer their refreshing shade while walking. At some points the vertical gorge sides are very high and imposing. Walking is mainly along the riverbed (which has no water in summer).
At the exit of the Roka gorge you will meet the settlement Mesonisi and then, through the dirt road, you will reach Roka village and the hill of Trouli. You can ascend to the castle and enjoy the amazing views of the surrounding areas. You can also relax in the local coffee shop.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Roka Gorge cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/gorges-and-canyons-in-crete/west-crete-gorges-chania/roka-gorge

20/12/2024

This trail of E4 European path descends from Nida Plateau to Kamares village, via Akolita plateau, and is signed with red marks. The trail offers some spectacular views to the plane of Messara and its highlights include, apart from the amazing views, the historical cave of Kamares and the course in a wild landscape with oak-based vegetation.
We initially follow the trail to Timios Stavros and get the trail to Akolita plateau. We descend to Skaronero spring and meet the starting point of the trail to Kamares Cave. We follow the trail, cross the amazing Kamares oak wood and reach the cave. The cave was one of the most important sanctuaries of the Minoans and has been linked to some of the most beautiful pottery samples of the Minoan Era, the eggshell vases of Kamares type, as they were found here.
We return back to the junction of the first path and keep descending to Kamares village. The last steep part of the route is along the cement water channel transferring water to Kamares.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Trail Nida - Akolita - Kamares cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/what-to-do-in-crete/outdoor-activities-and-adventure/trekking-and-hiking-in-crete/the-e4-european-trail/e4-nida-akolita-kamares-cave

19/12/2024

Petsofas peak is located near Palekastro and above the archaeological site of Roussolakos. In Minoan times here a peak sanctuary was founded where rituals included the deposition of clay figurines of cattle, men and women.
One of the main features of Petsofas is that initially it was almost naturally landscaped with minimal architectural interventions. Later the temple was replaced by a five-room building, one wall of which still stands to a height of 1.80m. The addition of a building is a common feature of the few peak sanctuaries that were not abandoned after the end of the Middle Bronze Age.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Petsofas Peak Sanctuary cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/history-of-crete/archaeological-sites-in-crete/minoan-times-palaces-and-sites/petsofas-peak-sanctuary

18/12/2024

Theriospilios is a small cave in the position Chyloftes - Therio, northwest of the village Kavoussi at an altitude of 50m, on a steep windswept slope above the sea. Visitors can reach the cave from Kavoussi after driving in a bad dirt track heading to Chryssokamino and then descending 5 minutes in a steep rocky slope. The entrance is hard to find without the coordinates, as it is very small and not visible even from a short distance.
Theriospilios has a total length of 44m, 25m maximum width and height 0,5 - 7m. After the entrance of the cave, the visitor enters a low hall with dimensions 7m x 8m. The following room is spectacular, with dimensions 37m x 25m and 1.6-7m high, with sloping floor. It bears rich decoration, while there are many bats, especially in spring, while guano (bat excrement) forms small hills.
Small and large columns are scattered everywhere. Groups of stalagmites shape impressive complexes, while a high white stalagmite is really magnificent. Two stalagmites have been broken; the one is laid on the floor and the other one is inclined. This phenomenon is rare and has caused the interest of cavers. The far left of the hall is a blocked cesspool, from which water flowed when the cavern was a river bed.
Near the cave is the "Chrysokamino” with dimensions 40m x 13m. According to Paul Faure, it is the remaining part of a mining kiln from the later medieval period. According to all evidence, this has been used by Gypsy copper-workers.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Theriospilios Cave at Kavousi cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/caves/theriospilios-cave-kavousi

17/12/2024

Southeast of the village Partheni and near Epanosifis Monastery, emerges a wild stone massif. In the middle of the rock, several waterfalls are formed during the rainy season, which are completely unknown even to locals. The place can be reached through a dirt road that reaches the base of the lower waterfall.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Partheni Waterfalls cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/waterfalls/partheni-waterfalls

16/12/2024

Ano Viannos, or simply Viannos, is a small town with about 1000 inhabitants, which is the capital of the Municipality of Viannos in southern Heraklion prefecture. It is built at an altitude of 550m on the southern slopes of Dikti, over a large and fertile plateau, where mainly olives are grown, while its inhabitants also deal with livestock.
A little further to the west, there was the ancient city of Viennos, from which Viannos gets its current name. Ancient Viennos minted its own coin, depicting the goddess Artemis (Diana) and a flower with the word VIANI. Viannos was destroyed by the Ottomans in 1822 and 1866, but the largest of the disasters was the Holocaust of the province of Viannos by the Germans in 1943, when nearly 500 men, women and children from various villages in the region were executed in retaliation for teh sabotage of Symi. Every year, on 14 September, a memorial to the victims of Na**sm takes place.
The visitor will love to walk in the narrow alleys of the village and cool down under the ancient plane tree of the central square, the meeting point of the village. Viannos is the birthplace of a famous Greek writer Ioannis Kondylakis, who is considered the father of the Greek chronograph, and whose statue adorns the square. Next to it one will admire the old restored watermill and the Folklore Museum of Viannos.
Inside the village there are dozens of churches, of which Agia Pelagia stands out with the exceptional 14th-century frescoes. Other churches are Michael Archangel, Virgin Mary, Agia Marina, Agia Aikaterini and Agios Dimitrios. Some kilometers away there is the old monastery of the Agia Moni and the church of Agios Georgios.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Ano Viannos cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/cities-and-towns-in-crete/ano-viannos

15/12/2024

Gouverneto or Gderneto Monastery is located 19km east of Chania, on the north side of the Cape Akrotiri of Chania, near the monastery of Agia Triada Tzagarolon. It can be accessed through the Agia Triada, where there is a sign leading to the Gouverneto.
It is situated on a rocky site at an altitude of 260m, near the entrance of the gorge Avlaki and is built with fortress architecture and four towers with bastions protect its corners. The Gouverneto monastery was built before 1537, as proved by an inscription at the entrance of the fortress, being one of the oldest monasteries in Crete. It is believed that the monastery was founded by hermits and monks of the seaside Katholiko Monastery, who may built the new monastery over a pre-existing ancient temple so as to protect themselves from pirate raids.
The church of the monastery is dedicated to Virgin Mary, so it is also called Kyria ton Agelon (Lady of the Angels Monastery). It has a cruciform shape with a dome, while the entrance is decorated with relief representations of monsters. It was started being built during the Venetian Era, but the construction finished 2.5 centuries later, as the Turks invaded Crete and forbid building Christian temples.
Around the church of the monastery, which is located in the center of the courtyard, there are the other buildings of the complex. Among them are 50 monk cells in two floors, the dining room, a small museum, etc. Also, next to the church there are two chapels dedicated to Agii Deka (Saints Ten) and Saint John the Hermit.
St. John the Hermit lived in a cave in the gorge Avlaki, adjacent to the monastery, and is considered as the founder of the monastery. You can walk in Avlaki gorge by following the stone paved trail that descends to the sea. After 20 minutes of descent you will meet the Arkoudospilio Cave, and after a while the ruined monastery Katholiko and the cavernous church of St. John, where the hermit lived. After more 10 minutes, the gorge ends in a narrow rocky fjord with green waters.
The monastery is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (9:00 to 12:00 and 17:00 to 19:00) and on weekends (9:00 to 11:00 and 17:00 to 20:00). Also, make sure you are decently dressed, and shorts, swimwear etc. are not allowed.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Gouverneto monastery cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/religious-monuments-on-crete/monasteries-in-crete/gouverneto-monastery

14/12/2024

Kallikratis Canyon is a relatively small gorge in the southeast region of Lefka Ori (White Mountains) in the province of Sfakia and is part of the E4 European footpath. The gorge connects the mountainous pasture lands with the lowland villages of the Frangokastelo plane. Hiking in the gorge is a very pleasant walk, offering great views of the South Cretan Sea. The entrance of the gorge is located at the plateau Kallikratis, which you can reach through a paved road from Askyfou, Asi Gonia, or Frangokastelo.
Wander the almost deserted villageKallikratis with the picturesque church of Panagia and start descending the gorge that ends in the village Patsianos. From the village Kallikratis follow the asphalt road that leads to Patsianos and passes parallel to the bed of the gorge. At some point follow the riverbed, which is getting deeper and deeper, letting the road run high above you. About half an hour later, the road has now risen very high to the left and the stream is quite deep. In some places, the trail has been partially altered due to rubble disposed of during road construction.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Kallikratis Gorge cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/gorges-and-canyons-in-crete/west-crete-gorges-chania/kallikratis-gorge

13/12/2024

This is one of the most popular and well signed parts of the E4 European Trail, ascending to the highest peak of Crete, Timios Stavros (2456m). The course offers amazing views to almost entire island, as in clear days, we can see even Gavdos island. We usually meet snow from early winter months to early summer.
The E4 course starts from the chapel of Analipsis in Nida plateau, just below the sacred cave of the Minoans, Idaean Cave. We follow the signs to Timios Stavros and cross the arid stony landscape. As we ascend to Agathias saddle, we see that vegetation almost disappears. We reach the peak of Timios Stavros, named after the stone built chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros). The chapel celebrates on September 14, when pilgrimages arrive here from all places of Crete, most of which stay overnight (from September 13) in tents.
If we want to reach Toumbotos Prinos shelter in the return, we follow the trail back to Nida and we turn southwards in the trail to the shelter. We can stay on the shelter overnight, after having contacted the Mountaineering Club of Rethymnon.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Trail Nida - Timios Stavros - Toumbotos Prinos cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/what-to-do-in-crete/outdoor-activities-and-adventure/trekking-and-hiking-in-crete/the-e4-european-trail/e4-nida-timios-stavros-toumbotos-prinos

12/12/2024

Traostalos peak (or Tragostalos) was first excavated in 1963-1964 and in 1978 by the archaeologist group of Kostis Davaras. The excavations revealed one of the many peak sanctuaries in East Crete. Along with the usual clay human and animal figurines common to peak sanctuaries, Traostalos has, notably, a female figure with a swollen leg. Other finds at Traostalos include ceramic boats and stone altars. A rescue excavation from April to October 1995 was led by Stella Chryssoulaki.
The summit is located at an altitude of 515m. It can be accessed via a dirt road starting from the village Azokeramos, Sitia province. The peak sanctuary seems to have a religious connection with the Pelekite Cave, located on the western slopes of the hill, above the sea.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Traostalos peak sanctuary cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/history-of-crete/archaeological-sites-in-crete/minoan-times-palaces-and-sites/traostalos-peak-sanctuary

10/12/2024

The cave of Vreiko or Latsida is one of the most famous caves in province Sitia and located about 2km north-east of the village Pefki in the wider are of Makrygialos. The cave can be accessed very easily through a clear path and proper marking. Hiking takes just 5 minutes from the nearest parking lot. The cave belongs to the category of sinkholes, as it grows on three levels with a great variety in its internal formation. It is locade very close to the second known cave in the area, Apoloustres.
Its entrance is steep (there is a steep descent of 7m), but nevertheless it is easily accessible with a ladder that has been installed by the locals authorities from Pefki. Inside the cave there is also a human intervention in the northern part that facilitates the visitors, with a handrail placed in the most downhill points. This large room has dimensions of 60m length and width of 15m, while the ceiling height in some places reaches 12m. The rich decoration of this room breaks the room into parts, creating the impression of many small rooms.
The south room is also large, reaching 1500 sq.m. with a lower roof height. This room has more moisture than the previous one and much richer decoration while the indications on the walls show that some parts of it were flooded in earlier times. At this point, small concentrations of horseshoe bats are identified, a species threatened and protected by a number of international and Greek projects. Below the south hall and with easy access via a narrow downhill corridor, a third room of smaller dimensions, 31m long and 7.5m wide, is being formed. And this room is quite damp, but with less decoration.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Vreiko Cave cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/caves/vreiko-cave-pefki

09/12/2024

The dunes of the central narrowest part of the island of Chryssi, we meet one of the most important juniper wood (sp. Juniperus macrocarpa) in Greece, which has prevailed (erroneously) with the name cedarwood. In other parts of the island, such as west and east, we encounter vegetation with Juniperus phoenicea being the main plant.
The wood occupies about 350 acres and includes junipers of an average age of 200 years. There are trees exceeding 10 meters in height and aged above 300 years. Juniper retains the sand with its vast roots. Walking in the forest is normally forbidden, although unfortunately this is not the case.
The presence of thousands of daily visitors who walk illegally in the wood and camp in the forest has burdened the state of the junipers, as the surface of the sand has descended as from 25cm to one meter at the base of the trees. The result is that the roots come to the surface, get dry and the trees die or cannot withstand the strong winds.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Juniper Wood of Chrissi cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/islands-and-islets-around-crete/chrissi-island-gaidouronisi/juniper-wood-of-chrissi