Apart from the ascetic Centre of Asterousia Massif, the plane of Messara and the south outskirts of the Ida Range hosted numerous small monasteries, which are today deserted. Here we do not meet many cavernous hermitages, in contrast to Asterousia, but mainly organized small communities.
Church of Saint Charalambos in Paliama 
The impressive two-naved church of Agios Charalambos and Panagia is preserved in the green valley with the deserted settlement of Paliama. The temple interior bears fragmentary traces of frescoes, but its main feature is the presence of ancient architectural parts on the walls.
The two-aisled church of Saint Kiriaki (Agia Kyriaki) is one of the oldest in the settlement of Zaros, as one of the two aisles dates back to the 14th century and the second to the 17th century. The temple has undergone modern interventions and its interior does not bear frescoes.
The almost deserted village of Panagia in the province of Kainourgiou was named after the three-aisled Byzantine church of Panagia, which is dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God (Koimisis). It is believed that the church originally, in the 15th century, was the center of a religious complex or monastery, which over time evolved into the settlement of Panagia.
The Church of Our Lady of Angels (Panagia Aggelon) is located in the rural area of Fradio, between the villages Roufas and Moroni. The church was the temple of the Catholic monastery of Our Lady of the Angels of theFranciscan monks that operated here in the 15th century.
The church of Agios Georgios Kontaras dates back from the 11th-12th century and inside it bears frescoes from the Venetian period.
