Koudoumas monastery is located at the exit of Katarraktis gorge in Asterousia Mountains, 80km south of Iraklion and only 40m from a beautiful beach. It is one of the most secluded monasteries of Crete, as access from Heraklion requires 2.5 hours. There is a safe 24km long dirt road that starts from the village Sternes (accessible from Charakas), at an altitude of 1000m near the peak Kofinas (1231m).
The Fort Bonifacio or Apano Castelli is located west of the current Tsifout Kastelli village, 44km south of Heraklion, on a hill now called Apano Kasteli or Psilo Aloni. The fort is reported since 1212 and was built by the Genoese pirate Henry Pescatore.
Kofinas is the highest peak in the wild Asterousia Range with an altitude of 1231m and gets its name from its shape resembles an inverted basket (kofini in Greek). The top, with stunning views to the Libyan Sea, today hosts a temple of the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros), celebrating on September 14.
The village Charakas took its name after a large rock (charakas in Cretan dialect) on which we still see the ruins of the small Venetian fort and the church of the Transfiguration, which was restored recently. The fort consists of three rooms in which the floor is carved into the rock and covered with plaster.
Between the village Sternes and the Monastery Koudoumas, on the wild and arid range of Asterousia, we meet the abandoned village and the church of St. Nicholas (celebrating on December 6th). The church was a dependency of the monastery Koudoumas.
