Top Destinations in East Crete

In East Crete, you can go from the shores of Mirabello Bay to the plateaus of the Dikti mountains and on to the palms of Vai. If you’re staying in Agios Nikolaos, you can pair a trip to Spinalonga with a visit to ancient Lato near Kritsa. For a trip inland, head up to the Lassithi Plateau.

From Sitia, you can visit Toplou Monastery and the palm forest of Vai on the same outing. If you’d rather go for a walk, Richtis Gorge has a shaded trail and a waterfall. Farther south, the beaches of Xerokambos lie between low, bare hills.

Ierapetra is a starting point for exploring the south coast and the mountains inland. At Selakano Forest, on the slopes of Dikti, pine trees take the place of the low scrub that grows along the coast.

Ancient Lato

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The name Lato is taken after the Dorian pronunciation of the goddess Leto, who probably was worshiped here. However, the patron of the city was the goddess of childbirth, Eileithyia, who is depicted on the coins of Lato. moverer in Lato was born the admiral of Alexander the Great, Nearchus (360 to 312 BC).

Selakano Wood

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The forest Selakano is located 35km north of Ierapetra, in the southeastern part of the Dikti massif, surrounded by the four highest peaks (Lazaros 2085 m, Spathi 2148 m, Afendis Christos 2141 m, Psari Madara 2090 m). The area can be accessed via asphalted road that runs through a magical route till the village Selakano and starts either in Ierapetra or Kalamafka.