Nature

The artificial lake of Bramiana was built in 1986 at Bramiana to meet the 30.000 of the greenhouses of Ierapetra. It is located 5km northwest of the town, in the road connecting Ierapetra and Kalamafka village. The lake covers an area of 1050 acres and has a capacity of 15 million m3, making it the second largest wetland of southern Greece, after Potami Dam at Amari valley.

The beach of Telonio (i..e Customs Office) starts east of the main pedestrian road of Kissamos and extends to the local stadium, about 1km eastern. Actually it is the westernmost part of the vast beach that starts from Kissamos and ends in Nopigia, several kilometers eastern.

The Common Bottlenose Dolphin (scient. Tursiops truncates) is a common species in Greek waters, widespread throughout the world. It is often found near the coasts of Crete, even very close to the shore, forming groups of up to 100 individuals. On the other hand, meeting that in the open sea is very rare. It is named bottlenose due to the animal having a short rounded snout that looks like a bottle.

The golden eagle (scient. Aquila chrysaetos) is the most dominant bird of prey in Europe, having a wingspan of 185-220cm and a body length of 75-90cm. Unfortunately, the species in Greece is endangered, with only a few pairs left, mostly in Crete.

The cave of the Cyclops Polyphemus is located between Sougia and Koustogerako settlements. The cave has no interesting decor, but one marble formation that reminds of a throne. The entrance is divided in two by a large rock, like the rock that was put by Odysseus in the cave of Polyphemus, the one-eyed cannibal Cyclops, before blinding him with a large wooden stick.

The griffon vulture (scient. Gyps fulvus) or vulture is a large, heavy raptor with a wingspan of 260cm and a body length of 97-104cm. In Crete, it is found in large numbers in almost all areas of the island.

The white sand lily (scient. Pancratium maritimum), also known as sea daffodil, amaryllis, lily of Knossos, saffron or crocus is a charming plant that overwhelms the dunes of Crete from August to October. Unfortunately, in recent years its population has been limited to a few beaches, due to the shrinking of its habitats. Thus, the lily is today considered as endangered species and is protected by Greek and international legislation.

The gorge of Rocca, Roka, Rocka or Rokka is located 32km west of Chania, in the area of Kolymbari. The 2km gorge starts from the village Deliana and ends at the village of Roka. In the settlement there is Trouli hill, where you can still see the ruins of a Byzantine fortress.