Sitia

Toplou Monastery is located in the northeastern tip of Crete, at the base of Sidero Cape, 10km east of Sitia and 6km north of Palekastro. The monastery is one of the most historic monasteries of Crete and is known for its vast real property. In religious circles it is known as the Monastery of Panagia Akrotiriani, while the locals just call it the Great Monastery.

The Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni (Revealed Virgin Mary) in Trachilas area of Sitia is located on the edge of a steep area between the Cape Trachilas and Babakia, about 1.5km away from the sea and 8km west of Sitia town. It is built in a lush green area, next to the small gorge of Agii Pantes (All Saints), ideal for an easy walk.

The Monastery of St. John in Kapsas is located 9km east of Makrigialos next to Goudouras. This is owned by Toplou Monastery, near Sitia, and is dedicated to the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, celebrated on August 29.

Agia Sophia is an old abandoned monastery located on the plateau of Armenochantrades. The monastery is surrounded by walls and in the center there still stands the church of Hagia Sophia. All around there are the ruins of the monk cells and some renovated buildings.

The Church of Transfiguration of Christ is located in the beautiful canyon Orino and you will meet it during the descent of the trail that leads in Koutsouras. The church bears remarkable frescoes in very good condition and has impressive architecture, as it is a single-nave barrel-vaulted with two equal-sized rooms on the sides.

Below Liopetro Peak there is the very old church of St. John that once operated as a monastery, accessible through a very bad road starting from the main road connecting Lassithi to Sitia (initially cement road). The background to the towering phyllitic rocks of Liopetro is impressive.

On the hillside just before the palm grove of Vai, province Sitia, we meet the picturesque chapel of St. John the Theologian. Saint John is a typical temple of east Crete; it is single aisled and quite old. It belongs to the neighbouring monastery of Toplou. From the temple, the view to the palm grove and the wider valley is very nice. The church is very old but the interior does bear any frescoes.

At the western village of Sitia province, Lastros we meet the church of Panagia Myrtidiotissa at position Sygomalia. The chapel celebrates every year on September 24th and is one of the few called "Myrtidiotissa" in Crete. The church is located at an idyllic countryside location overlooking the sea and the village of Lastros. The area is covered by maquis vegetation of wild olive, oak, locust trees and brushwood.