Nature

False Killer whale (scient. Pseudorca crassidens) is a large dolphin (not whale), which is very rare in the waters of Greece and more frequent in the Eastern Mediterranean (Israel, Cyprus). It is distributed in warm waters worldwide, but has not been studied in depth yet. There has never been reported a pseudorca in Crete, but the occasional visits of this kind in the Aegean Sea, make its existence around Crete almost certain.

The striped dolphin (scient. Stenella coeruleoalba) is the most common species of dolphin in Greek waters. It is usully found far from the coasts, in the open Aegean and Ionian Sea, south of Crete or close to the coasts if the water is very deep. It lives in flocks of 50-100 individuals, and often coexists with other dolphins, such as the Common dolphin and Risso’s dolphin.

Lesser kestrel (scient. Falco naumanni) is one of the most known species of falcon in Crete, but today it is threatened with extinction. The locals call it “windfuc…r” because it has the ability to hover at a fixed point in the air, against the wind, so it seems like making love with the wind!

At Tripiti, you'll meet an imposing passage, an open cave, with 200m high cliffs and amazing views to Lagada and Mesada areas. According to tradition, once the Turks stole the legendary icon of Virgin Mary from Kera monastery, but the icon used to return miraculously every time. Once, the icon flew hill and crashed to the mount, forming this cave.

At the top of the village Kalorouma at Cape Akrotiri near Chania, stands the church of Christ dating back from the 16th century in the local cemetery. A few meters to the west, we meet the cave Hristou Plai. This cave is one of the 150 large caves located at Cape Meleha of Chania, a really large number. The cave has traces of Neolithic and later habitation. This cave was well known to the locals during the Second World War who found shelter here during the German bombings.

Vourdolakos or Chlia is a remote beautiful beach with coarse gray sand formed behind the rock of Psaroharako and stretching west to Sidonia. Actually, Vourdolakos consists of several consecutive bays, separated by short rocky parts, where one could snorkel.

On the island there are several small beaches, the largest of which is located north of the site is sandy. Just below the ancient settlement (to the south) there is a small bay with two small beautiful pebble beaches. All beaches of Pseira are located on the south side of the island thus they are protected from ordinary north winds.

The Tafkos Mavri (Black Sinkhole) is located above the village Vistagi at an altitude of 1450 m and has a total explored depth of 200m with vertical rappels of 50 meters and huge halls that reach 1500 sqm. The cavers here found bones (horns) of Cretan ibex that has disappeared from Psiloritis Range since the Ottoman Era (around 1800 AD).