Nature

The Cretan white-toothed shrew (scient. Crocidura zimmermanni) is the only endemic mammal in Greece, found only in Crete, but it is displaced by the introduced lesser white-teethed shrew (scient. Crocidura suaveolens). Moreover, the smallest mammal of the world, the Etruscan shrew, is the third species of shrew met in Crete.

Thripti Plateau is located next to the village of Kavousi, in Ierapetra area, at an altitude of 850m. It's really one of the most beautiful places worth visiting in Crete, which is totally unknown to most Cretans. Its natural beauty is very special and so are the Thripti mountain hiking trails, which are part of the European path E4, which starts from the Iberian Peninsula, passing the Alps down to Crete, where it stops in the mountains of Sitia.

If you head 1km to the east of Myrtos you will meet the long beach of Sarikambos, that is more secluded, but the seabed becomes coarser. 2 more km on the east, you'll find a small bay next to the greenhouses of Nea Myrtos settlement. This is avoided for swimming due to the greenhouses that might pollute the water.

2km north of Agios Nikolaos you will meet the historic Hotel Mirabello. In front of the hotel there are the two bays of Mirabello with two beautiful sandy beaches. The first beach is protected by docks and a small marina. Both of them are very well-organized, with umbrellas, sunbeds, showers and bar. They are separated by a short artificial peninsula with tamarisk trees.

The first beaches of Elounda that you meet after Lenika, as you come from Agios Nikolaos, are the beaches in front of the famous hotels of Elounda at position Pigaidakia. Every hotel that respects itself here has its own harbor, where yachts can stop. Next to the piers there are small sandy beaches which offer all kinds of opulence and luxury services.

Kamini is an area with 5 pebble beaches in a series close to the famous Minoan settlement Gournia by Pahia Ammos. The area is located north of the site and was the access point of Gournia people to the sea. Therefore we still meet Minoan buildings in the area with the most important almost on the sea level.

Starting from Elounda, if you follow the road to Plaka, which passes right next to the shore, you will soon meet several small beaches with pebbles and stones at settlements Mavrikiano and Agia Paraskevi. In some places the olive trees are planted on the beach because the salty water of the lagoon is always calm and does not destroy them. In some places you will find beach bars on platforms.

The Dionysades (also Gianysades) is a small group of islands off Sitia on the northeast coast of Crete. The group includes the islands Gianysada, Dragonada, Paximada, and Paximadaki. This island group is part of an environmentally protected area with many rare plants and animals including the falcon, Falco eleonorae, which finds sanctuary here.