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Sweeping mountain views and a reputation as one of the craft centres of eastern Crete ensures that Kritsa sees its fair share of tourism. Its main street, lined with old stone buildings, is packed with shops selling leather satchels and sandals, embroidery and brightly patterned rugs. Some 30 minutes’ walk from Kritsa is the minor archaeological site of Lato, where you can see the remains of a Classical Greek city.

Western Crete’s prettiest mountain village is tucked in the foothills of the Lefka Ori, on the site of the Hellenistic town of Lappa. The slopes of its valley setting flourish with lush greenery, watered by natural springs. Argyroupoli makes a good base for relatively easy walking in the surrounding hills.

About 10 km (6 miles) inland from the main north coast highway on the way to the scenic Amari Valley, Axos has striking views and an attractive Byzantine church dedicated to Agia Anna. The village is a popular stop for excursion groups, and its tavernas and souvenir shops get crowded around lunch time. On the hillside above Axos are a few scattered remnants of an ancient settlement.

Kournas nestles at the foot of Mt Dafnomadara, in a fertile plain close to Crete’s only freshwater lake. Its old stone houses cluster around a steep main street, and the village has two historic Byzantine-Venetian churches, dedicated to Agios Georgios and Agia Irene.

This village, en route from Kastelli to Paleochora, stands amid farm terraces, fields and olive groves, in a well watered valley which leads into Kartsomatados Gorge. Its small church of Agia Paraskevi dates from the late Byzantine era.

Elos is one of the settlements known as the Enea Choria (“Nine Villages”), which are set among the chestnut forests of the Selloni region. At 1,200 m (3,700 ft) above sea level, it can be pleasantly cooler than the south coast beaches in summer. Surrounded by woodland, Elos has a 14th-century Byzantine chapel and a ruined Turkish aqueduct.

A ruined Venetian castle of the aristocratic Molini family (see Da Molini Castle Ruins, Alikianos) and a noted 14th-century church of Agios Ioannis (or “Ai-Kir Yanni” in local Cretan dialect) are the prime sights of Alikianos. The village is picturesque in itself, however, and surrounded by citrus groves.

Set above the Bay of Siteia, Hamezi has been inhabited since the Minoan era. Indeed, remnants of Minoan buildings can be seen on a hilltop from the present village, which is a peaceful clutter of whitewashed stone cottages, offset by colourful displays of flowers.

Voila is Crete’s most dramatic ghost village, with lizards scuttling across its ruined walls and crumbling doorways. Voila is overlooked by the tumbledown walls of a Venetian hilltop castle and a Turkish tower, and the only building still intact is the church of Agios Giorgios. Surprisingly, two Turkish drinking fountains still provide visitors with fresh water.

It is hard to believe that this desolate hamlet was an important place during Venetian occupation, when it was the fief of the De Mezzo family. Their ruined family tower is now recognized as an important Venetian building, worthy of restoration.