Knossos Palace And Plateau Of Lassithi From Heraklion Region

Get the experience of traveling on the beautiful mountain routes to the delightful Plateau of Lasithi, a spectacular panoramic plain set high in the mountains in the eastern region of Crete. The Lasithi Plateau stretches 11 km (6.8 mi) in the E-W direction and 6 km (3.7 mi) in the N-S direction. It is approximately 70 km (43 mi) east from Heraklion and lies at an average altitude of 840 m. The plateau is famous for its white-sailed windmills, (more accurately, wind-pumps), made to a local design, that have been used since the early XXth century to irrigate the land.

Monastery of Panagia Vidiani is an Orthodox monastery founded in the mid-19th century on the Lassithi plateau, amid small villages and cypress groves on the island of Crete. The Byzantine icon of Panagia Vidiani, which gives the monastery its name, is a place of worship and pilgrimage. The monastery is a living example of monastic institutions that played an important role in Cretan history—not only as a place of worship, but also as a refuge and support center for the local population and those who fought against invaders.

The Monastery of Kera Kardiotissa is located 50km southeast of Heraklion, in a wooded area of ​​North Dikti Range, next to the road leading to the Plateau of Lassithi. This is a historic monastery, after which the nearby settlements of Kera and Ano Kera Kera have been named. The beautiful stone-built church of the monastery is dedicated to the Nativity of Mary (celebrates on September 8). The present church is built in four phases. Originally there was a single aisled temple that was later expanded with two rooms and a smaller chapel. Typical are the old frescoes of the 14th century, quite damaged by time.

Knossos, is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe's oldest city. Visit the famous Palace of Knossos, where mysterious myths about the Minotaur and the real story are intricately intertwined.