Voyager in Crete

05/11/2026

The beautiful gorge of Milonas or Agios Ioannis is located 18km east of Ierapetra. It starts near the village Agios Ioannis, at an altitude of 500m, and exits on the beach Kakia Skala. The most imposing wild part of the gorge has 4 high waterfalls, thus canyoning equipment is necessary for exploring that all.
However, the last and highest waterfall, around 40m high, can be easily accessed through two trails; one starts from Agios Ioannis, and a second starts from the area Kakia Skala beach. The easiest way to reach the fall is from the south side; first find and follow the sign to the waterfall on the main road connecting Ierapetra with Ferma (be careful, it's on a steep curve at Kakia Skala), and then drive 5' in the dirt road to the starting point of the path. From there, a trail leads to the waterfall in about 15 – 20 minutes. The trail runs on the pine wooded east side of the gorge and the last part of it comes along an old ditch, previously used for transferring water to the village Koutsounari.
At the end of the trail, at an altitude of 300m, you will meet the 40m high fall of Milonas with a small pond with crystal clear water, ideal for a cooling bath. In winter and after heavy rainfalls, there is a second waterfall on the left of the main fall, forming a spectacular image.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Milonas Gorge cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/gorges-and-canyons-in-crete/lassithi-gorges-east-crete/milonas-gorge

04/11/2026

The Gorge Sellinari is located about 45km east of Heraklion and 21km west of Agios Nikolaos, on the eastern slopes of Selena Mount, draining the valley west of Vrachassi. It is well known to all Cretans, because the National Road from Heraklion to Agios Nikolaos runs along the gorge. Moreover, the canyon has historically been the natural passage from the region of Lassithi to Heraklion fertile north coasts.
Selinari has dense vegetation and you can enjoy it either by car or easy walking till its exit, near Milatos. A particular route worth following is the old National Road, which passes alongside the New Road and meanders through the gorge. The walls of the gorge and the surrounding mountains shelter many birds of prey. Selinari used to be one of the shelters for the rare Cretan wildgoat, but it unfortuntally has become extinct.
There are also several springs, but the most famous attraction is the historic monastery of Saint George. For the Cretans it is considered bad luck to pass a gorge, without stopping at the monastery. This has its origins in the past, when Selinari Monastery a stopping point where the travelers and their animals could rest.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Selinaris Gorge cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/gorges-and-canyons-in-crete/central-crete-gorges-heraklion/selinaris-gorge

03/11/2026

The cypress wood of Kritsa is located about 10km west of Kritsa village, very close to the asphalt road that heads to the plateau of Katharo. It is formed across a deep ravine, at the southern foot of mount Tsiva. The forest is in the middle of the ancient path that led Minoans to the plateau of Katharo, with many Minoan pottery remains found here.
The kernel of the forest is covered by cypress trees, and its surrounding vegetation consists of cypress, oak, maple, holly, wild olive and holm oak trees. Today, the wood can be accessed very easily because the nearest trail starts from the road and ends after 30 minutes of easy walking in the wood. The starting point of the path is located at position Favetoprinos, where there is an information kiosk and several benches with spectacular views of the wood and the Tsiva Mountain. The kiosk has a detailed map of the local trails and the area attractions (caves, archaeological sites, springs, etc).
During hiking, someone will meet abandoned sheepfolds, which indicate the old use of the area by shepherds. Unfortunately, even today, the goats are still roaming in the area and destroy all the undergrowth and small trees, which results in the continuous degradation of the forest. Protecting the last of cypress grove of Dikti Range must be placed in the center of the ecological acts in Lassithi, so as this area does not follow the fate of the extinct cypress forests in Crete.
After walking in the path surrounded by thymeland and crossing the paths heading to Katharo Plateau, you will end up in the woods after some time. Near the forest you can visit the cave "Englishman’s Cave”, where some Englishmen were hiding during the Second World War.
Several centuries ago, Crete was covered by dense forests of cypress, which unfortunately do not exist today. The cypress of Crete was famous throughout the world since the Minoan period, when the timber was one of the major trading products. Indeed, Crete was known as the land of cypress, just like Lebanon is known today as the land of cedar. Over-logging turned the forest to bare mountains and today a limited number of areas with cypress trees remind of the past. It is noteworthy to mention that the forest of Kritsa is the last of its kind in eastern Crete and there are only two similar woods in the White Mountains. The cypress species of Kritsa is known in Crete as female cypress or the Cypress tree of Minos. It is a tree that reaches a height of 30 meters, has high and horizontal branches and rich foliage.
In Greece, the cypress symbolizes mourning and, thus, you will find it planted in the cemeteries. According to mythology Cyparissos was a handsome young man from Kea, grandson of Hercules, who used to have a holy deer in his companion. On one summer day, while the deer was resting in shade, Cyparissos unintentionally killed it with a spear. The young full of despair, wanted to die and asked from the Sky to make his tears flow forever. The god turned him into a cypress tree, the tree of woe.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Kritsa Wood cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/woods/kritsa-kroustas-cypress-wood

01/11/2026

31/10/2026

Thank you for another wonderful summer season!
As the summer has come to an end and our fleet returns home for their winter maintenance, we want to take a moment to say a massive THANK YOU to all our amazing clients! 😎
We are grateful you chose us to be a part of your summer vacations, road trips, and wonderful adventures this year. Handing over the keys and seeing your holiday excitement made our job enjoyable and fun.
We are already getting everything ready behind the scenes to welcome you back next year with even better service.
We wish you all a fantastic winter season, and we can't wait to get you back on the road next summer! 🚗☀️
Share your favorite holiday photos of Crete with our rental car in the comments below! 👇📸

30/10/2026

Plateau Askifou is located 50km south of Chania, in one of the nicest and most authentic areas of the White Mountains. The wild mountains around and the serenity of the valley, form a magnificent landscape all year round. In winter the plateau is dressed in white many times, since the altitude is around 1200 meters, while in summer it's a haven of green and cool temperatures.
The plateau brings a lake in mind from above and its name means “cup” in ancient Greek, because of its shape. Askifou has four small villages with few inhabitants, most of them being shepherds. Some also work in tourism, since the main road connecting Sfakia with Chania runs through the plateau. So, here you will find some traditional taverns and hotels.
During the period of the great revolutions in Crete against the Ottomans, a battle took place on the remote plateau, where the rebels of Sfakia defeated the Turkish army (1821). However, in 1823, the Turks returned and destroyed the villages.
Next to the village of Goni, there is a large hill at the top with the ruins of two Turkish castles. The Koules of Askifou, as they are called, were built by the Turks in the late 19th century to control the passage to Sfakia. The southern edge of the Askifou plateau is the starting point of the imposing Imbros Gorge.
A few miles west of Askifou, two smaller plateaus, Tavri and Niatos, were formed. It is worth visiting the village of Kares and its small War Museum by Georgios Hatzidakis. The museum displays a variety of weapons dating back to 1770, with the majority from World War II.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Askyfou Plateau cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/plateaus-and-planes/askyfou-plateau-sfakia

29/10/2026

The archaeological site of Malia lies close to the north coast of Crete, about 3km east of Malia, beside the wetland and beach of Potamos. An important Minoan city developed here around the third-largest palatial complex on the island.
The palatial centre of Malia is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the serial property “Minoan Palatial Centres”, together with Knossos, Phaistos, Zakros, Zominthos and Kydonia.
The ancient name of the Minoan city at Malia remains unknown. Several identifications with cities mentioned in ancient written sources have been proposed, but none has been confirmed with certainty.
A later mythological tradition associated the area with Sarpedon, brother of Minos and son of Zeus and Europa. According to the myth, Sarpedon was expelled by Minos and took refuge in Lycia in Asia Minor. His connection with the Palace of Malia belongs to tradition and is not confirmed by inscriptions from the site.
The Minoan city and palace
The area of Malia was inhabited from the Prepalatial period. The first great palace was built around 1900 BC and destroyed around 1700 BC. A new palatial complex was then constructed over the earlier remains and forms the principal structure visible today.
The New Palace covered approximately 7,500 square metres. It was arranged around a large rectangular central court and consisted of four main wings. An organised but relatively dispersed town extended around it, with neighbourhoods, streets, large houses, workshops and cemeteries.
The palace contained administrative and religious areas, magazines, workshops, assembly halls, residential spaces and sophisticated water-management installations. The large magazines with their storage jars demonstrate the collection and redistribution of agricultural products, while the workshops provide evidence of organised craft production.
The palace was destroyed around 1450 BC, during the period when many Minoan centres across Crete came to an end. Unlike Knossos, Malia was not reoccupied as a palatial centre. Its abandonment helped preserve its ground plan and much of its architecture without extensive later construction.
The excavations
During the late 19th century, the area west of the palace attracted treasure hunters after small gold objects were discovered there. The location became known as Chrysolakkos, meaning “gold pit”. Uncontrolled digging caused the loss of valuable archaeological information and an unknown number of objects.
The first systematic excavation of the palace was carried out in 1915 by the archaeologist Joseph Hatzidakis. From the early 1920s onward, research was undertaken by the French School at Athens, which continues to study the city, palace and cemeteries of Malia.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Malia Palace cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/history-of-crete/archaeological-sites-in-crete/minoan-times-palaces-and-sites/malia-minoan-palace

28/10/2026

Today, October 28th, Greece stands united to celebrate Ochi Day (Oxi Day)—a national holiday with a profound historical meaning. 🏛️📜
In the early morning hours of October 28, 1940, Greece was given an ultimatum: hand over strategic locations to the Italian army, or face war. The answer was an unconditional "No". This 'No' was fiercely backed by the entire population, showing the world the true power of unity and courage.
Ochi Day is much more than just a day off with beautiful parades. It is an annual reminder of the fight for freedom, human dignity, and the refusal to bow down to oppression.
Xronia Polla, Greece! 🇬🇷❤️

27/10/2026

Omalos is located 38km south of Chania at an altitude ranging from 1,040 to 1,250 meters, surrounded by the high peaks of the White Mountains. The plateau is particularly beautiful in the winter, when it is frequently covered by snow. At older times, the plateau of Omalos was the shelter of the locals and the base of rebels during the two and a half centuries of the Turkish occupation, but also during all other wars against invaders. Moreover, locals grew grain and potatoes and there were many shepherd huts and "mitata" (cheese-dairies) where the marvelous cheese of the area was produced. During the German occupation in the Second World War, a small airport was also operating in Omalos for a short time.
Today, Omalos, and specifically Xiloskalo (1250m), is the starting point for the thousands of visitors of the famous 18km long Samaria Gorge. In Xyloskalo you’ll see the forest guard kiosk and the information center (museum like) about the White Mountains and the National Park of Samaria.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Omalos Plateau cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/plateaus-and-planes/omalos-plateau-chania

26/10/2026

Castel del Corner or fort Paleochora is located on the hill Kastelos south of the village Katalagari, province Pediada, at an area full of olive trees and vineyards. According to tradition, it was built by the Byzantine emperor Nicephorus Phocas after the liberation of Crete by the Arabs in 961 AD. During the Venetian rule, the castle belonged to the Venetian family of Cornaro (Corner) and controlled their feud land. Almost nothing survives today, except a part of the enclosure and the foundations of the buildings.
A few meters to the west there are many w**e presses, carved into the soft limestone, which were possibly used since the Minoan Era. During the Venetian rule, like many places in Crete, this placed produced large quantities of the w**e variety Malvasia, one of the most famous w**es in the Medieval Europe.
Just off the courtyard there is the small church of the Life-Giving Spring (Zoodohos Pigi), with murals preserved in very poor condition. A similar fortress with w**e presses and a temple dedicated to Life Giving Spring is the fortress Melissa near the village Agios Thomas.
Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Castel del Corner cretanbeaches.com
https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/history-of-crete/forts-and-castles-on-crete/castel-del-corner-kornaros-fort-katalagari