Ziros is a delightful village situated on the lower slopes of Egremno, a cliff that towers at an altitude of 590 meters on the picturesque Armeni-Handras plateau. It is the administrative center of the Municipality of Lefki and has a rich history that dates back to the 16th century. The village was first mentioned as Siros in 1577 in the Venetian Barozzi’s catalogue of the villages of Sitia. The population of the village is currently around 742, but it is decreasing. The Ziros community encompasses several other villages and settlements, some of which are only inhabited seasonally.
The Ziros region is home to numerous antiquities from various periods, including Minoan settlements, tombs, and buildings. However, no systematic excavations have been conducted yet. The area is also dotted with caves and other geological features, such as the cave of Agrilia, the cave of Lygias Spilios, and the cave of Voevodas. Furthermore, the Ziros area boasts many remarkable churches, such as the painted church of St. Paraskevi, which dates back to 1523, and the St. Nikolaos church, which has graffiti dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Overall, Ziros is an intriguing destination for history and nature enthusiasts alike, with its stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
Set 47 km from Vai Palm Forest, Arismari Apartments offers accommodation with free WiFi and free private parking.
The apartment provides guests with a terrace, mountain views, a seating area, a flat-screen TV, a fully equipped kitchen with an oven and a toaster, and a private bathroom with bath and a hair dryer. A fridge, a stovetop and kitchenware are also featured, as well as a coffee machine and a kettle.
The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 29 km from Arismari Apartments.
from
€65
/night
Located in Sitia within 37 km of Vai Palm Forest, HILL SANDALI HOUSE provides accommodation with free WiFi, a flat-screen TV and a kitchen.
Some units include a seating area and/or a balcony.
The apartment offers a sun terrace.
The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 15 km from HILL SANDALI HOUSE.
Casa di Olive, all seasons accommodation is situated in Goúdhouros and offers free bikes. This property offers access to a balcony, free private parking and free WiFi.
The villa features 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with streaming services, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with sea views.
The villa offers a picnic area. Guests at Casa di Olive, all seasons accommodation can enjoy cycling nearby, or make the most of the garden.
The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 43 km from the accommodation.
Featuring inner courtyard views, Traditional Cretan House Lithostrati Karidi Village offers accommodation with a patio and a coffee machine, around 31 km from Vai Palm Forest. It features a garden, barbecue facilities, garden views and free WiFithroughout the property.
The holiday home is fitted with 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, bed linen, towels, a TV with streaming services, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with mountain views.
The holiday home offers a picnic area. A car rental service is available at Traditional Cretan House Lithostrati Karidi Village, while cycling and walking tours can be enjoyed nearby.
The nearest airport is Sitia Public, 25 km from the accommodation, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.
from
€76
/night
Boasting mountain views, Villa Agrilia – new for 2023! features accommodation with a patio and a coffee machine, around 31 km from Vai Palm Forest. This property offers access to a terrace, free private parking and free WiFi.
This air-conditioned villa features 2 bedrooms, a flat-screen TV, a dining area, a kitchen with an oven, and a living room. Towels and bed linen are available in the villa.
Guests can enjoy the pool with a view and garden at the villa.
The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 40 km from Villa Agrilia – new for 2023!.
from
€285
/night
Featuring garden views, Villa Helen’s Olive Garden provides accommodation with a patio and a coffee machine, around 28 km from Vai Palm Forest. This property offers access to a balcony, free private parking and free WiFi.
The villa is equipped with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with streaming services, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with mountain views.
The villa offers a picnic area. There is a garden with a barbecue at this property and guests can go cycling nearby.
The nearest airport is Sitia Public Airport, 37 km from Villa Helen’s Olive Garden.
After arrival by bus in Makris Gialos to the southern coast of Crete, the boat trip begins with on the pirate ship “Eydokia” to Koufonisi. The trip through the crystal clear waters of the Libyan Sea takes about an hour. Approaching the island admire the views of caves and the steep cliffs.
The island is surrounded by 36 fantastic beaches and a walk around the island gives you the opportunity to enjoy the tranquility of the countryside, the emerald waters, and the fine golden sand.
The self-service bar is open throughout the cruise so you can enjoy lunch, snacks, salads, and drinks.
Discover the enchanting allure of East Crete with our meticulously crafted day tour.
Toplou Monastery
The journey starts as we make our way to the storied Toplou Monastery. You’ll be allotted 40 minutes to delve into its rich history, admire its distinctive architecture, and soak in the breathtaking views of the Cretan countryside that envelops this sacred site.
Vai Palm Beach
Next, we venture to the idyllic Vai Beach, celebrated for hosting Europe’s largest natural palm forest. Enjoy two hours of leisure time to swim in its azure waters, sunbathe on its golden sands, relish a tasty lunch, and take in the mesmerizing beauty of this unique landscape through your camera lens.
Sitia Town
Our exploration culminates in the picturesque town of Sitia, a gem that allows you to experience its lively beach road, enjoy a coffee at a traditional café, and indulge in exquisite local sweets over a 40-minute visit.
As the sun sets on this unforgettable day, we return to Heraklion by bus, carrying with us a treasure trove of memories from this enchanting journey through East Crete’s most cherished sights.
Start your day tour discovering the beautiful east part of Crete!
Visit Toplou, a 15th-century monastery located in a dry and barren area. Toplou monastery is one of the most significant monasteries in Crete, dedicated to Panagia (Virgin Mary) and St. John the Theologian.
Continue the tour to visit the largest palm forest in Europe, Vai Palm Beach. The palm forest draws thousands of visitors each year. They come not only for its wonderful palm forest, but also for the large sandy beach spread out at its foot.
Last stop of the day the cozy town of Sitia, with a lovely beach road and Venetian castle.
Detailed Time Schedule:
Morning Pick Up
We will start collecting participants from pick-up points in the morning.
Depending on the place of your hotel/apartment the bus drive will differ.
Bus Drive to Toplou: 2 hours amd 30 minutes
1nd stop: Toplou Monastery – 40 minutes
Our participants willenjoy a visit to the historical and beautiful Monastery of Toplou.There they will spend about 40′ of guided time and free time to take photos of the unique architecture and the Cretan Natural landscape outdoors.
Bus Drive to Vai Beach: 20 minutes
2rd stop: Vai Beach – 2 hours and 30 minutes
Stop at Vai, the biggest natural palm forest in Europe. Enjoy your free time to swim, sunbathe, have lunch and take photos of this exotic landscape of Crete.
Bus Drive to Sitia: 30 minutes
3rd stop: Sitia – 1 hour and 20 minutes
Participants will enjoy some free time to explore the town on their own pace, walk by the cosmopolitan beach road, have a coffee at a traditional cafe or taste the delicious local homemade sweets.
End of the tour – Arrival at resorts:
Embarkation in the buses and drive back to the hotels where we gathered participants in the morning.
Depending on traffic and on the pick-up places of each one, the time of journey back to the hotel will differ.
Return Bus Drive to Heraklion: Around 2 – 3 hours hours
Following collection from select areas, the experience starts from Agios Nikolaos heading east. This is an excellent opportunity for you to admire the sublime Gulf of Mirabello, which is Eastern Crete’s riviera. You will then pass through many picturesque villages before reaching the 15th-century Toplou Monastery.
The compound features a small museum with notable exhibits of Christian-Orthodox art, such as sacred utensils and chalcography by the monks of Mount Athos. There is also an olive press which produces olive oil of outstanding quality, as well as wine-making facilities. Both the olive oil and the wine produced in the monastery are exported all over the world.
You may participate in a wine and spirit tasting session (optional) at the monastery’s cellar, after which you will pay a visit to one of the main attractions in eastern Crete, the protected Palm Forest of Vai. It is unique in Europe and is located next to one of the most beautiful beaches of the island. At this location there will be plenty of time for you to enjoy swimming, as you bask in the rare beauty of the landscape. On your way back, you will stop at Platanos where you can watch the sunset in an area which boasts an enchanting view.
Enjoy the unforgettable panoramic view over the entire north-east coast of Crete. In the mountains, it smells of the most aromatic herbs that will be shown and explained to you. Our adventure will take you to the rustic mountain village “Stavrohori”. There will be time to stroll around, visit the old church and sit down to savour a refreshment. Your tour guide, who has lived in Crete for the past 33 years, will share with you some Greek secrets with pleasure as well as some little anecdotes.
Nature lovers will experience the ultimate adventure wrapped into a half day excursion!
Explore one of Crete’s most beautiful landscapes while hiking by the small river that will lead you to the 20m waterfall of Richtis. During the hike you will see some small ponds and waterfalls, as well as many different endemic plants, flowers, trees and animals. Richtis Gorge is part of the Sitia Geopark. On the path you will pass over small wooden bridges, old water mills and amazing view points. The hike is about 7km long. Richtis gorge is a green oasis where you definately want to be during the Cretan summertime.
The Heromilia beach, situated in the Agia Triada region of Sitia province (also known as Tso), is just a 2km journey eastward from the Atherinolakkos Power Station. It holds the distinction of being the most western beach of the Livari beaches.
The beach forms at the mouth of the compact canyon Tripiti. The canyon derives its name from a unique hollow rock that stands a few meters north of the coastline; ‘tripiti’ translates to “with a hole.”
To reach the beach, one must descend from the summer residences of Agia Triada’s inhabitants towards the stream and then walk towards the sea. These are the first houses one encounters before reaching the main beach of Livari.
The small beach boasts clear blue waters and fine pebbles. However, its allure is somewhat marred by the Atherinolakkos Power Station. Despite this, the sea remains pristine, and the factory smoke only reaches the beach when the winds blow from the west.
Livari, a secluded area situated 90km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 7km east of Goudouras on Crete Island, is often a solitary spot. Just 2km east stands the power plant of Atherinolakkos, the only blemish on the otherwise pristine landscape. Livari boasts two pebbly beaches and numerous small coves, perfect for those seeking privacy or practicing naturism. While there is a lack of shade, a few tamarisk trees on the east Livari beach offer some relief.
Swimming in Livari is a unique experience, offering stunning views of the surrounding wilderness, including barren mountains, steep canyons, and the exotic island of Koufonissi. In addition to Livari’s main beach, you can drive west past a small group of 3-4 cottages to reach the lengthy eastern beach of Vlyhada. The name Vlyhada, meaning a place with brackish water, comes from a year-round spring located nearby. The beach is bordered by a dirt road and tall reddish walls.
Getting to Livari from Goudouras involves taking the road to the Atherinolakkos power station. After 4km, you’ll reach a junction where the right road leads to the factory and the local fishing lodge. Instead of taking this route, continue straight to the village of Agia Triada for another 1km until you reach a junction on the right that leads to Livari beach. The road initially starts as a paved path but eventually transitions into a manageable dirt track.
If you journey eastward from Vlyhada beach at Livari near Goudouras for about an hour, you’ll eventually stumble upon the two abandoned beaches of Tihida. The surrounding region is riddled with caves and features wall-like rock formations, hence the name Tihida (Greek for ‘wall’). These formations provide much-needed shade during the hot summer months. Further east of the smaller beach, you’ll encounter the expansive Tihida beach, which sits at the mouth of the Tihida Gorge and is somewhat challenging to access. Proceeding further eastward, you’ll discover the majestic, elongated Karavopetra rock emerging from the sea.
The quaint and secluded village of Agia Irini is nestled 98km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 11km south of Ziros village. Accessible through dirt tracks originating from either Kalo Horio or Hametoulo, the village is the gateway to the rugged Agia Irini gorge, which leads to a hidden cove across from the tiny islet of Hamili.
The beach boasts pebble shores and pristine blue waters, making it one of Crete’s most remote beaches. Its location away from bustling city centres, shrouded by towering cliffs and jagged rocks, makes it a serene escape. To reach this beach, one can either navigate the formidable gorge, drive along the dirt track from the village or sail by boat from Goudouras or Xerokambos. The beach is lined with tamarisk trees, offering a perfect spot for solitude. A trail also extends from Agia Irini Gorge to Xerokambos harbour.
The Agia Irini gorge consists of two parallel canyons that converge near the sea, where the dirt road to the beach lies. The canyons, with their rocky terrain, steep inclines and towering walls, offer a wild and untamed landscape. The westernmost canyon, in particular, can be quite daunting and risky for inexperienced hikers. A hike through the gorge, starting at an altitude of 500m near the Hametoulo settlement and descending to sea level, can take between 2-3 hours and can be quite strenuous on the knees.
The Agia Irini gorge, located near the quaint town of Ziros, begins from the Agia Irini village and concludes at the stunning Agia Irini beach. An ancient path through the gorge leads to the Xerokambos area. Before reaching the sea, it converges with the Platyvolo gorge, which drains the small Hametoulo plateau where a dirt road leads to the beach.
Both gorges are rugged and untamed, characterized by steep inclines and towering walls. The westernmost branch, in particular, can be intimidating and hazardous for those unaccustomed to canyon hiking, though it doesn’t require any technical skills. A hike through the gorge typically takes between 2 to 3 hours, depending on your speed. The steep inclines, which start at an altitude of 500m and descend to sea level, can put significant strain on your knees. There are no marked trails, so hikers must navigate their own way.
The Xerokambos Canyon, also known as Ziros Canyon, Hamaitoulo Canyon, or Lamnoni Canyon, is among the driest gorges in Eastern Crete. This gorge once served as a pathway from Ziros to Xerokambos. A hike through this gorge is relatively easy, taking roughly two hours to complete. The canyon is renowned for its rugged charm, featuring towering bare walls and sparse vegetation. As you traverse the gorge, you’ll be able to glimpse the expansive South Cretan Sea in the distance. During the summer, the area can become quite hot with little shade available. It’s recommended that one person in your group drives to the top entrance of the canyon at the small Lamnoni plateau or to the second entrance near Hamaitoulo village, then meets the rest of the group in Xerokampos. There, they can enjoy the area’s stunning sea views and emerald beaches.
Traveling from Xerokampos to the Ziros plateau, the gorge’s exit is clearly visible. From Ziros, head towards the abandoned Lamnoni settlement, approximately 4 km east. Here, you can follow the ravine that soon becomes the gorge. Initially, you’ll come across a small water fountain and may need to open a few gates to allow goats to graze. From this point, you can enter the gorge and walk towards its exit near the Ziros – Xerokampos road. The gorge then extends to Lygia beach.
The Katsounaki Gorge is situated in the arid region of Eastern Crete, to the east of the Xirokambos community. It is essentially a combination of three parallel gorges that converge before they reach the shoreline. These gorges serve as a water transportation system from the eastern portion of the Sitia mountains.
The river that flows through the gorge eventually leads to the Potamos beach, which is adjacent to the stunning sandy beach of Alona. Trekking through the canyon is a simple task and the scenery, with its towering walls, is truly untamed. An alternative option is to walk in the opposite direction starting from Alona.
The Kapsas gorge, a wild and majestic natural wonder, is situated 8-9km to the east of Makrigialos and 33km to the east of Ierapetra. It is also known as Pervolakia, named after the charming and remote village located near its northern entrance. While in the area, it’s worth taking a stroll through the neighboring traditional village of Pezoulas, known for its stunning houses. The gorge concludes by the Kapsa Monastery, opening up to the Libyan Sea. Here, visitors can enjoy a peaceful swim on the serene pebbly beach, just opposite the gorge’s end.
The gorge spans approximately 4km, and hiking through it is a moderately challenging task. The trek takes around 2 hours if you decide to start from the southern end (the Monastery) and head towards Perivolakia. However, if you opt for the less strenuous route, descending from Perivolakia to Kapsa Monastery, it takes roughly 1.5 hours.
The gorge’s interior is a sight to behold, characterized by towering walls and sparse vegetation, giving it a desolate and arid appearance. The trail features several climbing points and signposts. The road that links Makrigialos and Goudouras runs adjacent to the gorge’s exit, near the Monastery. Public transportation is available, with buses running between Goudouras and Ierapetra. Alternatively, you can drive to Pervolakia or Kapsa Monastery and then hail a taxi in Makrigialos to return to your vehicle.
The gorge is also a habitat for one of the rarest plant species in Crete, the Limonium of Cornaros (limonium cornarianum). This plant is found only in certain limestone maritime rocks within the gorge and a tiny islet named Agia Fotia.
The village of Ziros is located on the lower slopes of the Armeni-Handras plateau at an altitude of 590m.
The population of Ziros is approximately 742, but it is diminishing.
The Ziros community includes the villages of Kalo Horio, Hametoulo, the coastal settlement of Xerokampos, the deserted Lamnoni, and some settlements inhabited seasonally like Agrilia, Lethi, Achladias, Makri Livadi, and Anargyros.
Yes, the Ziros area has many antiquities from all periods, including Plakospilios (roman settlement and tombs), St. John (an Archaic settlement), Fonias (a Minoan settlement), Stalos (Minoan tombs and settlement), Katsoulianos (Minoan tombs), Pentalitro (Minoan Acropolis), Katergari Papa Pigadi (Minoan Settlement), Anemomilia (Minoan building), Pirgales (Minoan Villa), Vrisi Hametoulou (Minoan settlement), Limnia or Palaki Mantra Hametoulou (Minoan buildings).
Yes, the Ziros area is dotted with caves and other geological features, including the cave of Agrilia, the cave of Lygias Spilios, and the cave of Voevodas.
The Ziros area has many remarkable churches, including the painted church of St. Paraskevi dated back to 1523 and the St. Nikolaos church with graffiti dated back to the 14th and 15th century.
© All rights reserved. Crete Locals
