LASITHI – PLATEAU TRADITIONAL VILLAGES

SAFARI EXCURSIONS

LASITHI –PLATEAU TRADITIONAL VILLAGES

Agios Nikolaos – Kritsa – Katharo Plateau – Krasi

WEDNESDAY / SATURDAY

Tour 6-7 hours

We depart from the cosmopolitan city of Agios Nikolaos and heading west to the traditional village of Kritsa, a historical village rich in legends, gorges, archaeological and religious monuments and sites.
We will have the chance to visit a standardization factory of olive oil, which offers a unique and immersive experience into the heart of Greek culinary traditions. A guided tour will take you through the entire process and you will taste different varieties of olives. The visit concludes to the shop, where you can purchase bottles of freshly made olive oil to take home with you.

We continue uphill through the protected holm oaks and the Cypress Forest of Minoas as we reach Katharo Plateau (altitude 1250m), a plateau famous for the Cretan dwarf hippopotamus fossils found in the area. The plateau features a magnificent landscape surrounded by numerous legends and stories that date back to the Ottoman era.

Our next destination is the impressive Lassithi Plateau (altitude 1150m), where is said, according to the myth, that Zeus was born. More than 10,000 traditional windmills operated in the area until some decades ago. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Plateau was actually one of the first wind farms in Europe.

Pottery has rich history dating back to the Minoan civilization and you will have the opportunity to make your own clay pot and take it with you.

As we descend, we make a brief stopover at the village of Krasi and take photos of the famous Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis’ beloved plane. The plane tree’s perimeter is approximately 24 metres and it is estimated that it is 2400 years old. It is also said that each metre of its perimeter corresponds to 100 years of age.

FOOD INCLUDED

What is Included:
Free Pick Up and Drop Off
Driver/ Guide
Lunch

Be sure to bring:
Sunscreen
Camera