Nature

The cedars of Crete (Juniperus macrocarpa and Juniperus phoenicea) form some of the most important ecosystems in Greece, the cedar groves on the dunes of southern Crete. The ecological importance of the dunes is enormous for the biodiversity and the existence of rare animals and plants.

At the exit of Aposelemis, a beautiful sandy beach with shallow cool waters is formed. Although it is very close to big hotels and tourist areas, the beach is not very well organized, compared to the rest beaches of the area. There are a few umbrellas and sunbeds on the beach.

Voidomatis or Vouidomatos (i.e. ox’s eye) is located 62km south of Heraklion and 2.5km east of the hamlet Treis Ekklisies. The area is situated on the southern slopes of Asterousia Mounts. The impressive gorge of Mesosfini with towering walls and wild cliffs, a very common landscape for Asterousia, stops in Voidomatis.

Vatos is located 18km west of Ierapetra and 3km east of Myrtos. It is a small settlement that can accessed through the asphalted road from Mirtos. The locals work with banana and vegetable crops in the greenhouses of the area. The village is situated at the exit of a fertile valley, which begins northern, at village Gdohia.

Rodents is the second largest group of mammals in Crete, after bats. Apart from the hedgehogs, the dormice, the Cretan spiny mice, which have beed described in different articles, Crete hosts the countryside wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), the broad-toothed field mice (Apodemus mystacinus), the cityside house mice (Mus musculus), the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the black rat (Rattus rattus). Let’s look at them.

Dreros beach is shaped inside a hotel at Tsifliki area, 13km north of Agios Nikolaos, near the road that connects Elounda to the picturesque village of Plaka. It is shaped in a region surrounded by many olive groves and has wonderful views of the lagoon of Korfos (mainly known as Elounda lagoon) and the former leper colony, the fort of Spinalonga.

The wider area of Agios Ioannis at Sfakia province hosts one of the most beautiful pine forests of Crete. The most famous trail in the area is the ancient stone paved path that connects Agios Ioannis with Agia Roumeli, after reaching the beach with the church of St. Paul at position Selouda.

Petres Gorge is located 13km west of Rethymno and its mouth is situated on the beach of Episkopi. The river of the gorge is fed by the waters of Kollita Gorges and the surrounding area, covering almost half Rethymnon Prefecture. It has water all year round and forms an important wetland of Crete, especially at its mouth near Episkopi.