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Crete was once covered with dense forests, thus its mountains were called "Idea", i.e. wooded. Unfortunately these forests have almost disappeared due to logging, overgrazing and fires. Even so, the few remaining forests are some of the most beautiful landscapes in Crete and a typical sample of the Mediterranean vegetation that once covered the entire island.

Each area of Crete has its own characteristic trees. The provinces Apokoronas and Sfakia are covered with cypresses, Thrypti has mainly pines, the lowlands of central Crete host arbutus, the humid areas of Kissamos are covered with chestnuts, while the Diktaean and the White Mountains are home to oaks.

The most important cypress woods are met at the National Reserve of the White Mountains, Kroustas, the lowlands of Apokoronas and the mountainous province of Kydonia. The greatest oak wood is located at Rouvas at Psiloritis and it is home to rare animals and plants, including the endemic Cretan wildcat and the orchid Cephalanthera cuculata. Extensive pine woods are formed at the mountain of Thripti, at eastern Dikti, Sfakia, Asterousia Range and southern Psiloritis. More specifically, the pine woods of Selakano, Vorizia and Kato Symi are the largest beekeeping areas in Crete.

Woods of special tree species are also formed in various parts of the island, such as the famous groves of the Cretan Date Palm at Vai and Preveli beach. Also, Tris Ekklisiesnear Malia is the largest forest of holm oaks in Crete, while the area of Tris Ekklisies hosts the largest native forest of carob trees in Europe.

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.75 (4 Votes)
Vromonero plateau

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.

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Prina pinewood

Prina Village is located 24 km SE of Agios Nikolaos and 14 km N of Ierapetra. The hills of Prina are covered by a very important pine forest, which sadly has been burnt several times recently.

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.00 (2 Votes)
Koudoumas Wood

The monastery of Koudoumas is located 74km south of Heraklion, on the western side of Cape Martelos and south of Kofinas Peak (the highest peak of Asterousia Mountains). The whole area is full of cavities where hermits used to live. To reach the monastery, you have to drive in a passable dirt road of 20km, starting from the village Sternes, which descends from an altitude of 1000m to the sea level. The views during the descent are shocking and could cause vertigo! The route passes between pine and cypress trees, many of which are bent by the wind..

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Hamoprina Wood at Malia

Chamoprina wood is a wood with low oak trees, located 4km south of Malia town. It can be accessed very easily from Malia, because it is located on the road connecting the old village of Malia with Krasi village.

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Agios Antonios palm grove

The small palm grove of Saint Anthony is located next to the Monastery of St. Nikitas, in one of the most inaccessible places in Crete. An oasis in the middle of nowhere, the palm grove is now protected by goats and is studied under scientific research.

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Carob wood of Tris Ekklisies

The carob wood of Tris Ekklisies is located 64km south of Heraklion, next to the village of Tris Ekklisies. The area, one of the most secluded in Europe, is very difficult to reach, as a very rough dirt road 10km long starts from the village Paranymi, runs across the wild Asterousia Mountains and ends at the beach level.

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Agios Savvas Olive wood

The Gorge of St. Savvas is the natural continuation of the canyon Trypiti, in the wild and imposing Asterousia mountains. In the arid landscape of Asteroussia Mts, the dense forest of the wild olive and carob trees looks like an oasis in the desert.

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Pefkias Wood at Vorizia

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.

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Kamares Wood

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.

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Thripti pine wood

Thripti pine wood is located at an altitude of 850m, near Pahia Ammos in Lassithi Prefecture. The scenic village of Thripti, the green landscapes and the unique pine forest in the mountains of Sitia, are some of the things that you will never forget when you come here.

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.11 (9 Votes)
Azilakodasos Wood

The holm oak wood (Azilakodasos) is located 11km west of Vrachasi and 9km south of Malia, in the foothills of Mount Selena. The small forest can be accessed either by walking the smooth path from Krassi village or by following the trail from Malia that runs uphill. There is also a small network of forest dirt roads in the area.

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.50 (4 Votes)
Pardi Wood

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.

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Vatolakki Wood

Vatolakki is located near the village of Kissos, 33km southeast of Rethymno city, close to the exit of Kissano Gorge. The forest covers an area of 600 acres and is an important green “lung” in the area of Kedros Mount.

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Keri Wood

Keri grove is located at an altitude of 300 meters, 9km west of Heraklion, near Voulismeno Aloni and south of the gorge Almyros. It can be accessed via a short dirt road that starts about 300m after Voulismeno Aloni.

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.00 (2 Votes)
Pashaligo Grove

Paschaligo is a small grove located 1.5 km southwest of Neapolis town, on the northern slopes of Mt Kavalaras. The existence of the forest is related to the history of the region, which was named after the Venetian feudal lord Fillipo Pasqualigo, who lived in a tower that was built here.

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Kormokopos Wood and Trail

The forest village of Agios Ioannis at Sfakia province is the starting point of one of the most beautiful and best marked trails of Chania prefecture, the trail of Kormokopos. The word Kormokopos means place where trees are cut, due to the dense forest of the area.

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Sohores Oak Wood at Fotinos

Almost all villages of central Rethymnon have an oak grove around. The oak trees are inherent in the landscape of central Rethymno and consist a very important green lung in the heart of the island. One of these forests is met at position Sochores by village Fotinos.

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Zourva Paradise

The area aroung the village Zourva by Chania hosts the most impressive wood of West Crete. The name of it is Paradisos (paradise) and stretches from Pises Gorge and Aliakes. The tree that dominates the area is the cypress tree, the most typical tree in the forests that cover the White Mountains. Through the forest of Paradise comes the old trail that climbs steeply from Zourva to springs of Tromarissa and continues up to the peaks of Madara.

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 5.00 (2 Votes)
Alikambos almond wood

Near Alikambos we come across a forest with maquis vegetation comprising many of wild almonds and bushes. The wood is the largest in Crete wood of wild almonds trees (prunus webbii), which very rarely form woods. The trees grow among other shrubs and reach a height of 2-3 meters. In spring the whole area offers a truly unusual sight as the almond blossom and the slopes of the region look like snow.

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Lefkohori wood

On the hill above the village Lefkochori (Voutoufou) at Heraklion we meet the wood of Lefkochori. it covers an area of 72 acres and is a green oasis in the center of Heraklion prefecture. The artificial wood mainly consists of pines and cypress trees. The place can be reached through the road that starts from the village.

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