DK Travel : Crete

Although it could not be more Greek, Crete is really a country within a country, with its own history, folklore and traditions. It was the birthplace of Europe’s oldest civilization, the enigmatic Minoan culture which flourished over 4,000 years ago. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, Venetians and Turks also left their mark. This rich human heritage is set against the backdrop of magnificent mountain scenery and beaches lapped by a deep blue sea.

Moni Gouverneto

At the last count only three elderly monks remained in this isolated monastery, deep in the wilds of the bleak and barren Akrotiri Peninsula. The building encloses a tranquil courtyard, in which stands a small chapel with some of the oldest frescoes in Crete.
Moni Kapsa

A monastery that seems to merge into the cliffs, with the mummified body of a monk in its chapel.
Moni Katholikou

In a rugged valley riddled with caves once used by hermits, the abandoned monastery of Gouverneto is a ghostly place, with crumbling buildings that seem to have grown out of the rockface.
Moni Preveli

Built during the 17th century to replace a more remote monastery building, Moni Preveli’s peaceful dormitories and cloisters look inward, onto an 18th-century courtyard with a 19th-century church and a small museum. Exhibits include lavishly ornamented vestments, church silver, censers and icons.
Moni Toplou

The Toplou monastery’s forbidding exterior is deceptive, for like many Greek monasteries it was fortified against bandits during the Middle Ages. Inside, however, is a different world of serene, flower-filled courtyards and cloisters, and a church that houses one of the greatest Cretan works of religious art, the icon Lord, Thou Art Great by Ioannis Kornaros.
Moni Toplou

Fortified monastery founded in the 14th century. Its massive walls were built to protect it from pirates (see Moni Toplou).
Moni Toplou

A 10-km (6-mile) drive from Siteia takes you along the north coast to Moni Toplou, a spectacular fortified monastery, founded in the 14th century, with sturdy stone walls around an inner courtyard with three tiers of tiny monks’ cells. Within its small church, are some remarkable icons, including one of the finest in Crete, Lord Thou Art Great , by Ioannis Kornaros (see Lord,Thou Art Great by Ioannis Kornaros).
Mt Giouchtas

Looming to the south of Archanes, Mt Giouchtas is the mythical burial place of the god Zeus. The remains of a Minoan sanctuary are below the summit, and the area has been declared a conservation area, with the aim of protecting eagles, vultures and other raptors.
Mt Idi

At 2,456 m (8,055 ft), Mt Idi, which is also known as Mt Ida and Mt Psiloritis, is Crete’s highest mountain. Only fit, experienced and well-equipped mountain walkers should try the eighthour hike to its summit and back. However, it is possible to drive as far as the Nida Plateau, 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above sea level, from which there are spectacular views.
Mt Kofinas

Allow around five hours to climb from the remote village of Kapetaniana to the summit of Kofinas and back. There are fine views of Mt Idi, the Dikti range, and the south coast.