Nature

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.

Pighianos Kampos (or Kambos) is located 8km east of Rethymno, in the middle of the vast beach of Rethymno Gulf. The name means “Plain of Pigi” in Greek, taken after the fields of the residents of Pigi village, which is located in close proximity.

The beach has fine pebbles and calm clear waters, while around you can find a lot of shade under tamarisk trees. There are no umbrellas there, but hotels and restaurants are within walking distance. Kakia Skala is located 46km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 9km east of Ierapetra. It's a pretty beach, not developed at all, although it is adjacent to the main road connecting Ierapetra with Makrigialos.

Saint Isidore is located at the northeasternmost tip of Crete, 32km east of Sitia and 99km east of Agios Nikolaos. It is situated at the northernmost point of Cape Sidero, near the Military Naval Station in Kyriamadi. The surrounding area is characterized by a unique landscape of wild beauty, which was shaped by the effect of salt and winds.