Crete's UNESCO Sites
The largest of the Greek islands, Crete has four ENUESCO sites, which are Sitia, Psiloritis, Asterousia, and the Gorge of Samaria.
The Psiloritis Mountain Range
One of Crete's UNESCO Sites
It's not surprising that Crete has four UNESCO sites, being
the largest of the Greek islands with a total area of 8,450 sq kms (3,260 sq miles).
The four sites all involve mountain ranges:
·
Sitia and the Zakros Mountains in the northeast.
·
Psiloritis and Mt Ida in the centre.
·
Asterousia in the south.
·
Samaria and the Samaria Gorge in the southwest.
The Area around Sitia
One of Crete's UNESCO Sites
The lovely port town of Sitia is in the Lasithi regional
unit of Crete, the most easterly of Crete's regions. It's not only the town
which has been recognised by UNESCO, but the area around it too. In 2015 UNESCO
declared it a Global Geopark because of the Zakros Mountains, the cave systems,
the discovery of fossils, and the encouragement of ecotourism and geotourism,
benefitting the local communities.
The Psiloritis Mountain Range
One of Crete's UNESCO Sites
Psiloritis was also declared a Global Geopark in 2015,
although it had been part of the European Geoparks Network since 2001.
Psiloriitis is the name of the mountain range, and the park extends from the
mountains down to the Libyan Sea, an area of 1,159 sq kms (447 sq miles). The
park also encompasses the Talaia Ori Mountains, and these extend all the way to
Crete's north coast.
The highest peak in the Psiloritis range is Mt Ida at 2,456
metres (8,058 ft). UNESCO recognised the area, amongst other things, for its geodiversity,
with its many caves and deep gorges, for its plant and animal life, including
wild cats, and for the way its attractions help sustain local communities by
bringing in visitors.
Crete's UNESCO Sites
Map (c) Google Maps
In 2020 UNESCO designated this area, the most southerly
mountain range in Europe, as the Asterousia Mountain Range Biosphere Reserve. It's
not only for its dramatic beauty, but also for its rich archaeological
heritage: people have lived here since Neolithic times. It's also home to 55%
of the animal and plant species that are found on Crete, including the Bearded
Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle, and Bonelli’s Eagle.
Golden Eagle
The Gorge of Samaria, and surrounding area, is also a UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve, created in 1981. This makes it the oldest of Crete's UNESCO
sites. It's also a National Park, and the only one of these four areas to be
uninhabited. It does, however, have ancient ruins, including churches and
castles, from the days when people did once live here.
For more information, see our pages on the Samaria Gorge and
Hiking the Samaria Gorge.
Samaria Gorge
One of Crete's UNESCO Sites
Our Pick of the Crete Guides
Some other Crete pages
The Snails House in Plouti near Phaistos in southern Crete serves the Cretan delicacy of snails, cooked in several different ways.
We visit and tour the Manousakis Winery on Crete with a wine-tasting and a chance to buy their tsikoudia, sea salt, olive oil and other goodies.
Hiking the Samaria Gorge on Crete, one of the best things to do on Crete, by Greece Travel Secrets.
Greece Travel Secrets tours the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete and learns about Crete grape varieties such as plyto, dafni, vidiano, vilana, mandilari and kotsifali.
Crete’s wildlife and landscape are two of the island’s attractions, including gorges for hiking, rare raptors like the lammergeier, wildcats and ancient trees.
How to make Petimezi, the sweet Cretan syrup made from wine must, is explained to Greece Travel Secrets.
Icon painting is a centuries-old tradition in Crete and the rest of Greece, and Greece Travel Secrets meets a modern-day icon painter in Elounda on Crete.
Western Crete has some wonderful golden sand beaches as well as mountain villages, monasteries, caves, and archaeological sites to discover.
Greece Travel Secrets visits Crete and learns about making rakomelo from Jorgos Kourmoulis in Agouseliana.
Visiting the Arkadi Monastery near Rethymnon is one of the best things to do on Crete.
Margarites is known on Crete for its pottery, with ceramics shops and workshops lining the streets of this charming small town not far from Rethymnon.
Driving central Crete in three days gives you time to see the highlights including the Minoan palaces at Knossos and Phaistos, the beaches and the Diktean Cave.
Greece Travel Secrets visits Visual Arts Crete who offer accommodation and run art courses at their home and studio in the village of Kastellos near Rethymnon.
Greece Travel Secrets discovers Sitia, the main town in eastern Crete, with its relaxing waterfront, inexpensive hotels, good food, and nearby ancient sites.
Crete's capital and largest city is Irakleio, also called Iraklion or Heraklion, a large and busy place with good restaurants, museums and historical buildings.
Malia on the north coast of Crete is renowned for its nightlife and beaches but also has the Minoan Palace of Malia, one of Crete's many archaeological sites.
These shopping tips for Crete include advice on buying souvenirs like ceramics, icons, jewellery, leather, weavings, wood carvings, and food and drink.
Greece Travel Secrets page on Phaistos or Faistos, the site of one of the finest Minoan palaces on Crete and is where the mysterious Phaistos Disc was found.
Cretan music is part of the island’s soul and visitors will hear live music wherever they go, with several distinctive Cretan musical instruments and songs.
Greece Travel Secrets visits the Zacharioudakis Winery near Ancient Gortina in southern Crete, and does a vineyard tour arranged by our guide from Go Crete.
Greece Travel Secrets eats at Vegera in Zaros and finds a cheap but wonderful feast of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes cooked daily with fresh local food.
Chania is the main city in Western Crete with a lovely setting and a beautiful harbour as well as several museums.
Studies have shown the Cretan Diet as one of the healthiest in the world, involving lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh fish, and moderate amounts of wine.
Rethymnon is the third-largest city in Crete and has a Venetian fortress, Archaeological Museum, Old Town area and Venetian harbour,
The travel tale Our Hire Car in Crete describes what it’s like when you go driving in Greece and get off the beaten track, resulting in kindnesses.
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