Red Beach Crete Greece
Crete, the largest Greek island, is a holiday destination with many different aspects. Imposing mountain ranges, idyllic bathing coves, romantic fishing villages and cultural riches make for a very diverse holiday.
A real tip and also easy to reach from Sissi and the SENTIDO Vasia Resort & Spa by car is the Richti Gorge in the east of the island, close to the village of Exo Mouliana. A walk through the 9km long gorge takes about four hours and is a spectacle of nature that hikers and nature-lovers should not miss on any account.
Lassithi Plateau
The Lassithi Plateau, which you have a wonderful view of from the hotel, belongs to the natural and cultural highlights of the island of Crete. Hikers and history-lovers will be delighted with the region. The plateau lies inland between Chersonissos and Agios Nikolaos and incorporates a total of 20 villages where some 5, 000 people live. You will learn plenty about the tradition and the history of the region during a visit here.
You can get to the plateau from the SENTIDO Vasia Resort & Spa by bus, on a guided tour or by car. The best connections are from Iraklio. We recommend hiring a car so that you can visit several villages at your own pace. The villages lie on the uppermost side of the plateau because the area is flooded by rain and melted snow in the spring.
Especially popular with holidaymakers is Psychro. This is the site of the famous Zeus Cave, which is also known as the Dikteon Cave. This was an important religious site of the Minoans. According to mythology, Zeus, the father of the gods, was born and raised in this cave. Today visitors can marvel at this underground attraction on a tour of about 20 minutes. Apart from massive stalagmites and stalactites, birds and bats can be seen here. In addition, you can buy traditional handicrafts from the villagers during a stroll through the village.
One of the larger settlements in the region around the SENTIDO Vasia Resort & Spa is Agios Geórgios. The small ethnology museum there displays objects from rural life in the past. The village of Tzermiadon with its tavernas, souvenir shops and bountiful flower displays, is also worth a visit. Another cultural attraction on the Lassithi Plateau is the monastery of Kera Kardiotissa, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and which lies on the northern hillside of the Dikti mountain range. This dates back to the 14th century and is among the best preserved monasteries on the island. You can admire colourful frescos and a legendary icon inside the building.
Enjoy nature while hiking
Whoever is seeking peace and wants to go back to nature should take a couple of days to discover the villages on the Lassithi Plateau and to hike through the countryside. Time and again you will see the old windmills that are the symbol of the Lassithi Plateau. Agriculture remains important in this fertile region. Potatoes, beans and fruit are the main crops here. The plateau is divided by Kephala Hill. You can reach this chalk hill from the north through the 1, 050 m high Ambélos Pass and through the Potamos Gorge in the east.
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Luxlady Premium HTC One M8 Aluminium Snap Case Gramvousa island in Crete Greece with remains of Venetian fort and magical turquoise waters lagoons beaches IMAGE ID 26172469 Wireless (Luxlady Inc)
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Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Elafonisi Beach, West Coast, natural Park, Red Sand, Crete, Greek Islands Home (robertharding)
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