Trail Anogia - Zominthos - Nida
This part of the E4 European trail starts from Anogia, arrives at ancient Zominthos and finishes at Nida Plateau. Due to being quite long, it is used to split the trail into two parts (Anogia - Zominthos and Zominthos - Nida). The route offers a very good experience of the typical rocky terrain of the Range Psiloritis. During winter, it is very possible to meet snow.
We start our course from Anogia and ascend next to Agios Nektarios monastery. We follow the E4 yellow-black signs to Trigiodo area, named after a local spring. We meet the church of Saint Iakinthos, which has been built in a circular stone hut (mitato). Mitata (plural) were traditionally used by the shepherds as creameries for milking the flocks and cheese maturing, when roads were away from the mountains. Agios Iakinthos is regarded as a saint of love and the place hosts a very famous festival in summers, called Iakinthia.
From Saint Iakinthos, we walk to the mansion of Zominthos, which was the most important Minoan economic centre of the area, probably serving as a stop for the pilgrimages to the sacred Ideaen Cave and coordinating the stockbreeding of Psiloritis. From Zominthos we head southwards, cross the rugged area of Petradolakia which hosts some of the deepest sinkholes in Europe (avoid with snow!) and finally approach Nida Plateau from the northeast side. In Nida, look for the traditional mitata and the Idaean Cave, where according to mythology Zeus was raised.
