Platania Gorge is located in the Amari valley, 38km southeast of Rethymno, on the western outskirts of Psiloritis. It is a unique trail, with impressive cliffs, vertical limestone rocks, rock roofs and caves. The trail is recommended for experienced mountaineers, although the first part of the trek is quite easy and well pathed, even for children who are physically fit.
The canyon of Zoniana is located south of Zoniana village. Starting at an altitude of 950m, it ends at the village at an altitude of 650m. Through the gorge runs the "serpentine" Oaxis river that has water till spring. The gorge is easily accessible and safe for hiking, as its slope is small.
The gorge of Gaidourorachi or Kroussonas is located 3km west of the village Kroussonas and crosses the Psiloritis Mt. Starting from ancient Zominthos, near Anogia, it ends at Kitharida village, near Kroussonas.
The Goniano gorge is the unique passage which connects Sklavokampos and Gonies with Tylisos. Its length is 3 km. and is relatively wide and straight. Reaching though the exit (in the point where a monument of those killed during the 2nd World War is in the road to Gonies) the gorge turns abruptly towards south and before it comes out of the limestone mass follows an irregular and abrupt course.
The Plateau of Vromonero or Lakkos Limas is located at an altitude of 1300m, 10km west of the village Kroussonas, in an amazing location east of the summit Skinakas of Psiloritis Mt, where the homonym observatory of the University of Crete is located. It can be accessed via a dirt track running through the gorge of Halasia, which starts from Livadi plateau and ends in Krousonas.
The shelter of Samari or Toumbotos Prinos is located at an altitude of 1600m on the western outskirts of Psiloritis Mt. The shelter can be accessed by hiking 4 hours from Fourfouras village (part of the European E4 foot trail) or driving in a 12km long dirt road starting from the village Kouroutes.
The shelter is located at Lakos Migerou position by Livadia, and is accessible by paved road. From here starts the shortest path to the top of Holy Cross, the highest on Psiloritis Mount. The shelter is manged by the Cultural Association of Livadia village (+30 2834061489). The shelter has 6 beds, wc, water and fireplace.
The shelter Prinos is located at an altitude of 1100m at the eastern slopes of Psiloritis Mount. It can be accessed either by hiking 2:00 hours Ano Assites or driving from there. From here one can hike to the nearby peaks of Koudouni, Gyristi, Rouvas forest (4 hours) and Nida Plateau (7 hours). The shelter has been operating since 1967 and can accommodate 30 people.
The mountain shelter at position Samari is located at an altitude of 1417 meters on the west side of the gorge of Agios Nikolaos. It's a single-room stone building with a wooden attic that can accommodate up to 20 climbers. It has 2 W.C., fireplace and there is a possibility for cooking. There is water available from a cistern which is not potable.
The pine grove of Pefkias is the densest wood in Psiloritis Mount (denser than the forest of Rouvas) and apart from the great pines that dominate the area, you will also meet cypress and oak trees. In Pefkias, you will meet many bee hives as it is one of the most important areas in the prefecture of Heraklion for apiaries after the forests of the province of Viannos.
Just below the famous Kamares cave, above the village Kamares we meet a sizable wood. Kamares wood covers the region on the south side of Mavri peak and reaches up to an altitude of 1600-1700 meters. Its area reaches almost till the position Koutsounares where the Voriza canyon starts and continues above the village Vorizia.
The Forest Pardi is one of the finest remaining holly woods of Crete, near the village Kouroutes, 53km southeast of Rethymno. Here the steep western slopes of Psiloritis meet with the plain of Amari, creating a magical and unknown majestic landscape.
Vrontissi monastery is located 49km southwest of Heraklion, near Vorizia Gorge, between the villages of Zaros and Vorizia. The area has panoramic views of Vorizia village and the plain of Messara. The monastery is dedicated to Saint Anthony and is one of the oldest monasteries in Crete.
The Skinakas Observatory is a research facility operated jointly by the Foundation of Research and Technology - Hellas (F.O.R.T.H.), the University of Crete and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics of Germany.
The peak of Vigla is located at an altitude of 907 meters and is one of the lowest peaks of the mountain range of Psiloritis. it is located just above the village of Ano Loutraki of Malevyzi province. Despite its small height, it has very steep slopes and rises abruptly above the village and the tallest of the two peaks is a quite sharp limestone ridge.
The gorge of Agios Nikolaos, Gafaris or Rouvas is bounded by the peaks of Ambelakia from east and Samari from west. This is the most important gorge of Psiloritis and central Crete and took its name from the homonymous Byzantine church in the south entrance. This is an ecosystem with rich flora and fauna, smaller canyons and interesting geological formations and cliffs of rare beauty.
East of Voriza village, at the foot of Psiloritis, starts an arid canyon with holly trees that leads to the plateau of Nida Plateau and the cave Ideon Antron. The gorge is very steep at the beginning with small waterfalls coming from the brecciated steep limestone cliffs.
Cave Zoniana, Sfendoni or Sfendoni's Hole, is located 1km north of Zoniana village in Mylopotamos, about 43km west of Heraklion and 52 southeast of Rethymno. It is shaped on the southern slopes of the hill Halepa at an altitude of 630m. The cave is accessible and is the most beautiful cave in Crete and one of the most beautiful in Greece, with rich stalactite and stalagmite decoration. It belongs to the Natural Park of Psiloritis, which is protected by UNESCO.
The Cave of Melidoni is located approximately 1,800 meters northwest of the homonym village of Mylopotamos. Gerontospilios, as also called, is very important due to the archaeological findings, some of which are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum of Rethymnon. Moreover, the cave has played a tragic role in the history of Cretan revolution against the Turks, in 1824.
Ideon Cave (or Ideon Antron) is located on the eastern slopes of Mount Ida (Psiloritis), in the plateau of Nida. The distance of the cave from Anogia is 24km and from Rethymno it’s 78km. The cave has not any special geological value, but has enormous mythological and cultural value, as this is the cave in which, according to the legend, the greatest Greek god, Zeus, was grown up. Today, thousands of tourists visit the cave every year, especially during the summer months.
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