Nature

Some meters west of Koutelos beach, there is the secluded beach of Leska. Its name means “Steep Place” or “trap” in Cretan dialect and is taken after the steep cliffs around the beach. It is a pebbly beach with sand in some places, while on the west there is a very small cove with stony seabed. It can be accessed mainly on boat, as walking along the coast from Koutelos beach is risky due to the collapsing grounds and the high cliffs.

The green valley of Symi in province Viannos is known for the pine forest and its springs, that have cool water throughout the year. There are many waterfalls in the wider region. The most famous stream that forms waterfalls is Krya Vrissi, which starts northwards from the sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite, passes through Ano Symi and continues to the gorge of Symi.

The Cave of Maridon is located about 300m east of Adrianos village and is accessed by a short path. It is a small cave, just 20m long, with a relatively large entrance (5m high and 4m wide). At the first part of the room, it is 4m wide. A stone wall separates the entrance from the rest of the cave, which extends to 6m and is used as a goat pen.

The common minke whale (scient. Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is a small whale species, worldwide distributed, which is found quite often in the seas of the western Mediterranean Sea and less in Greek and Cretan Seas.

One of the most well kept secrets of Akrotiri Cape is the cave of Haviare, one of the most beautiful of Akrotiri that has a very rich cave decoration. However, the beauty is not limited inside the cave but continues in the surrounding area. A few meters away from the beautiful and imposing entrance of the cave, we see several crystals.

The Cretan bellflower (Campanula Cretica) is one of the most beautiful wild flowers of Crete and at the same time is one of the most rare and endangered endemic plants on the island. Despite the fact Greece is home to 70 bellflower species, making Greece as the country with the largest variety, this is met only in a small geographical area of the White Mountains, mainly Samaria Gorge, and elsewhere in the world.

Βoufanis gorge is formed southeast of Selakano and finishes between the villages Chirstos and Metaxohori of Viannos Province. Hiking is usually done by the old path that connects Selakano with Metaxochori and it passes high and parallel to its bed.

Parasfougario beach is located in the area of Achlada, province Malevizi, about 22 km northwest of Heraklion. It is located on a steep point between the popular beaches of Lygaria and Agia Pelagia.