Mountains

One of the nicest gorges of Crete is that of Vrissi on the north side of the White Mountains, crossed by the river Vrissiotis which gathers water from Melidaou area and waters Zourva and Lakki. In the gorge there is the cave - underground river with water springs, while many waterfalls of exquisite beauty are met in several places. The trail to the spring of the cave starts from Lakki and ascends along the walls of the gorge. From the spring starts another downhill trail to Zourva.

Tris Ekklisies (i.e. three churches) is a secluded seaside village located 64km south of Heraklion, amid the wild and inhospitable landscape of Asterousia Mountains. The surrounding area, one of the most isolated in Crete, is difficult to access, but has some amazing beaches. To get to Treis Ekklisies you have to drive through a rough dirt road, about 10km long, from the village Paranymfi.

The legendary olive tree in Azorias is located 1km south of the village Kavoussi and very close to the homonymous archaeological site of Azorias. This olive tree is a natural monument; it is the oldest olive tree in the world! Indeed, it is grafted on a rootstock of a wild olive tree, making it the oldest sample of grafting in the world.

In the village square of Krasi, near Malia, there are three plane trees, the trademarks of the village. The most important of them is the platan in the center of the square, which is considered to be the oldest and most majestic of the plane trees in Crete.

Through the gorge passes Havgas river that carries water from the plateau of Katharo to Lassithi. Then the water reaches Chonos (the hole from which waters of the Lassithi Plateau escape the plateau), comes out from Fleves and reaches Aposelemis dam. The river has water for several months a year. Thus, make sure you get properly informed about the weather because the canyon carries a lot of water during periods of rainfall.

Maridaki is a seaside hamlet on the eastern side of Asterousia Mount, 65km south of Heraklion and in the west side of Tsoutsouras Bay. Despite the short distance from Tsoutsouras (2-3km), there is no direct road linking the two settlements (except a footpath). The only thing that separates Tsoutsouras and Maridaki is a very steep mountain with numerous caves and karstic formations.

The gorge of Kotsyfos starts at Kannevos village and ends at Plakias. The starting point is very narrow with a width of about 10m, which gradually increases and reaches 600m. The total length is 1800m, and the almost vertical sides that reach a height of 600m. Inside the gorge, there is a small temple built inside a rocky cavity dedicated to Saint Nicholas.