Nature and viewpoints in Crete

Crete's landscape is defined by dramatic geological formations and ancient mythology. This collection features the island's highest peaks, including Psiloritis and Pachnes, alongside the 16-kilometer-long Samaria Gorge. Explore the sacred caves of Psychro and Ideon, traditionally linked to the birth and upbringing of Zeus. The list also highlights historical sites like the Milatos and Melidoni caves, which served as refuges during the Ottoman era, and the diverse endemic flora found within the Botanical Park of Crete.

Nature and Viewpoints — Map

Lukáš Nevosád / CC-BY-SA

A

Samaria Gorge

A beautiful national park. Its top attraction is a point where two massive rocks form a passage just few meters narrow.

Henry Hartley / CC BY 3.0

B

Psiloritis

Mount Ida, known variously as Idha, Ídhi, Idi, and Ita, is the highest mountain on the island of Crete, with an elevation of 2,456 metres.

Pavel Dokladal / CC-BY-SA

C

Psychron cave;Psychron Cave, Cave of Zeus

Psychro Cave is an ancient Minoan sacred cave in Lasithi plateau in the Lasithi district of eastern Crete.

Jerzy Strzelecki / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Melidoni Cave

A cavern featuring impressive stalactites and a central monument dedicated to the locals killed here during the Ottoman siege of 1824. It also houses a small chapel and serves as an important archaeological site.

Olaf Tausch / CC BY 3.0

E

Ideon Andron

Psychro Cave is an ancient Minoan sacred cave in Lasithi plateau in the Lasithi district of eastern Crete.

Schuppi / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Milatos Cave

Known for its historical significance as a refuge during the 1823 Ottoman invasion, this cave contains a small chapel and eight distinct entrances spread across a 40-meter wide rock face.

Jozo Dodi Bolcar / CC-BY-SA

G

Botanical Park Of Crete

Take a walk on the foothils on the nearby mountain and discover the amazing flora of Crete. There is a lot to see, from trees to flowers.

orestakoskaialexandroulini / CC BY-SA 4.0

H

Pachnes

The highest summit in the Lefka Ori (White Mountains) at 2,452 meters. The peak offers expansive views across the desert-like high plateau and the Libyan Sea.

Tango7174 / CC BY-SA 4.0

I

Old Venetian Harbour

Historical waterfront area in Heraklion featuring the 16th-century Koules Fortress, vaulted Venetian shipyards (arsenals), and a long stone pier overlooking the Cretan Sea.

Robert Pashayan / CC-BY-SA

J

Cave of Cyclop Polyphemes

A coastal cave near Sougia mythologically identified as the home of the Cyclops Polyphemus from Homer's Odyssey.

Schuppi / CC BY-SA 3.0

K

Karfi

Karfi is an archaeological site high up in the Dikti Mountains in eastern Crete, Greece.

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