The Lasinthos Eco Park
Lasinthos Eco Park is a working farm and craft park in the south eastern corner of the Lasithi Plateau, next to the village of Agios Georgios. The park is set up for taking part rather than for looking: visitors pick produce in the fields, then make something from it. Pottery, weaving and wood carving run alongside honey, wine and cheese making.
A farm with 20 animal species, a church, a shop, a cafe and a taverna sit within the same grounds, and 15 apartments let visitors stay on site. The park runs all year round.
Things to do at Lasinthos Eco Park
The park offers 5 main activities, listed below in the order most visitors take them.
- Gather produce from the fields. The grounds carry fruit and vegetable fields, and what you collect feeds into the rest of the day.
- Learn an old craft. Pottery, weaving and wood carving are all taught here, and you make the object yourself.
- Make honey, wine or cheese. These are the three food crafts the park runs, each one hands-on.
- Meet the farm animals. The farm keeps 20 different species, kept for handling and photographs.
- Eat what you made. Cretan dishes you have helped prepare are served at the end.
The Church of St. Ephraim
The Church of St. Ephraim stands in the middle of the park. It is dedicated to Saint Ephraim the New, a modern saint canonised for his faith and for the wonders attributed to him. Visitors light a candle here in the ordinary Greek Orthodox way.
Staying at Lasinthos
Lasinthos has 15 apartments built in village style and rated 4 stars. They look out over the Lasithi valley and are open through the year, so the park works as a base on the plateau as well as a day out.
The shop, the cafe and the taverna
The park keeps a traditional store near the exit. It sells herbs, perfumes, olive oil, raki and other Cretan products, plus the pottery, woven goods and wood carvings made on site, which is where most people find a gift to take home.
Food is served at the central square. The cafe there does lighter things and the taverna serves meals made with produce from the farm.
Things to do near Lasinthos Eco Park
Five caves, monasteries and walks lie within 9 km of the park, listed below with the nearest first.
- Visit the cave of Zeus. The Dikteon Cave at Psychro lies 3.5 km from the park, on the same plateau.
- Walk the Havgas Gorge. The gorge is 3.8 km away, with the Roza Gorge at 7.1 km and the Embasa Gorge at 8 km.
- See the windmills at Seli Ambelou. The windmills stand 5.6 km from the park.
- Stop at Vidiani Monastery. The monastery is also 5.6 km away, on the plateau itself.
- Carry on to Kera Kardiotissa. That monastery lies 7.4 km from Lasinthos.
Getting to Lasinthos Eco Park
Drive onto the Lasithi Plateau and head for Agios Georgios, the village the park sits beside. The nearest settlements on the way in are the windmills at Seli Ambelou, 5.6 km from the park, and Krassi village at 8.2 km. Malia town is the closest resort on the north coast, and its own things to do pair easily with a day on the plateau.
Other villages sit further out from the plateau rim. Askoi and Sfendyli are both within reach for a longer loop, as are the ruins of Ancient Lyktos.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Lasinthos Eco Park?
Lasinthos Eco Park is in the south eastern corner of the Lasithi Plateau, beside the village of Agios Georgios. The Dikteon Cave at Psychro lies 3.5 km away on the same plateau.
What can you do at Lasinthos Eco Park?
You can gather produce, try pottery, weaving and wood carving, make honey, wine and cheese, meet the farm animals and eat the dishes you helped prepare. The park is built around taking part, so most of what happens here is hands-on.
Does Lasinthos Eco Park have animals?
Yes, the farm keeps 20 different animal species. They are kept for visitors to handle and photograph, alongside the fruit and vegetable fields that cover the rest of the grounds.
Can you stay overnight at Lasinthos?
Yes, the park has 15 village-style apartments rated 4 stars. They face the Lasithi valley and are available all year round.
Is there somewhere to eat at Lasinthos Eco Park?
Yes, a cafe and a taverna both stand on the central square. The taverna cooks with produce from the farm, and the store next to them sells herbs, perfumes, olive oil, raki and the crafts made on site.
Location
The Lasinthos Eco Park is located at Lasinthos Eco Park, Agios Georgios. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
