Lasithi Prefecture, Crete Island

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I have to admit this is not our kind of thing but I did take some pictures so will give it some publicirt. If you visit the website link, it shows you what the place is all about.

There is a designated parking area offering the best views for photographs. Yes, it is certainly worth getting your camera out for. Here, there is also a large dog, made from natural stone. A bit of wishful thinking if it wasn't for the man made eye!

There are all sorts of statues and signs advertising pretty mundane things, probably the most interesting is the mile post with mielage to places all over the world.

The nicest aspect were the traditional stone windmills, refurbed with their white sails.

In all honesty, the place was just a little too much in the American Theme Park vein, something I have an immense dislike for so we purely stopped for the views and photograph opportunity. I am pretty sure many people who visit here love the place, especially children seeking a little light relief after that tortuous drive!!

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Once you have dropped down to the plain, you can take a circular route around the perimeter, taking in a few of the old villages and the lovely rural scenes.

The roads are narrow and there are lots of deviations, not necessarily sign posted. We managed to get lost and ended up going round in circles but eventually found our way back onto the route out and into the mountains for the homeward journey.

There are numerous caves to visit, the birth pace of Zeus the Dikteon cave,being the most famous and well sign posted but as we had visited here years ago, we didn't bother. There is also a fairly new (and horrible looking) eco park museum type thingy where a few coaches had shed their occupants. We managed to avoid stopping here.We simply enjoyed the spectacular setting and the fantastic mountains.

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The Lasithi Plateau is a magnificent plain some 850 metres above sea level stretching 11 kms east to west and 6kms. north to south. It is surrounded by the Dikti mountains and is a huge agricultural area where amazigly,fruit trees and vegetable crops abound. In older times, over 10,000 metal windmills with white cotton sails were used for irrigation. Stone windmills were built to grind the cereals grown.Nowadays, most of the stone windmills are either gone or in ruins and although many of the metal ones have fallen into disrepair, some are slowly being rejuvinated.

It is well worth the effort to visit this area, if only for the drive! There are various routes to the Lasithi, the two main roads are from the National Highway, the first, from just before Hersonissos and the second, more easterly route, from Neapoli.We chose a lesser route from just west of Malia, which then joins in to the first route mentioned.

The roads twist and climb continually for some twenty kilometres, offering spectacular views (whenever you can stop!)back down to the coast and up to the high peaks. We even looked down to a small, blue lake and another, larger one that was completely drained.

Be aware that coaches travel the main routes here and even though most of this route is wide enough, you may well meet one on a hairpin bend. Caution is required at all times!!

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We stopped here briefly for a drink one day and liked what we saw. A clean, bright village on the coast with a decent beach and enough places to eat and stay at. The tavernas were on the waterfront, to the left of the shingly looking beach.
Everywhere there were tubs of flowers and brightly painted taverna furniture.
This is another place I have ear-marked as a possibility for a holiday. Not exactly off the beaten track as it seems it has always been popular with independent travellers and now a few English holiday companies have arrived here. Nothing stays the same.

Returned in June 2011 and still liked what we saw. Somehow reminded me of a smaller Matala with plenty of old hippies in evidence.

We strolled through the streets onto the waterfront, which is lined with pleasant looking tavernas and cafes and decided to have a bite to eat. I can't remember the name of it but we were served by a girl from Lithunia. We opted for a plate of squid between us, €7, half a kilo of rose at €4, a coke, €1.5 and bread, which was enough for our small lunchtime appetite.

There didn't appear to be many people about, despite it being June and very hot. I suspect this could have something to do with the English holiday company Kosmar, who had accommodation here, getting the chop.

In the back streets are a selection of tourist shops selling the usual.

Themajority of the beach is to one side of the village with the odd establishment behind, offering sunbeds.Steps lead down from the tavernas onto the shingly beach.

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Driving around the Lassiti Plateau will bring you smack up against history, in this case the remains of many Venetian designed and built windmills. Most are in various states of disrepair, apparently not enough money or interest to repair them. Some are very impressive in their ragged way, but all are opportunity for a photo shoot.

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The drive up onto the Lassiti Plateau was one of the most enjoyable in Crete, the small villages, still utilizing the water drawing windmills, the roadside shrines to remember a loved one, or the small chapel on top of a hill....all along some winding roads with perfect weather, some gusting winds bringing in white clouds to shade us, made for a beautiful excursion.

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On the way towards Agios Nikolaos from Iraklion, not long after the 2nd tunnel you will see a sign for ‘Traditional mill’ there is a parking area and The windmills are about 200m further on.
There is a small parking area and a small local art and craft shop in one of the windmills. It’s a nice little place to stop and take some pictures.
It is the most significant group of windmills preserved on Crete. and they occupy the northern entrance to the Lasithi plateau, they are certainly the landmark of the whole area.
24 windmills have been preserved out of the 26 original ones 7 of them extend to the south of the road that enters the plateau while the rest are built to the north of it.
All the mills belong to the one-sided type of windmill, that grinds in a standard position, always on the same wind direction.

The group of windmills has been declared a work of art since 1986. The mills belong to individuals and some of them have been restored while others still remain half-ruined.

Kato Zakros: a wonderful place in eastern Crete, in the prefecture of Lassithi.
In the bay of Kato Zakros there is the ancient Minoan palace, the actual 4th palace of the Minoan civilization .
The beach is huge, with excellent water, and because of the archaeological site the tourism is extremely mild, and the place looks as if it has changed over the centuries.
Kato zakros bay is offered for quiet vacation, and there are traditional cretan taverns that you can enjoy the unique flavors of traditional Cretan cuisine.

Accessible is the gorge linking Zakros to Kato Zakros, known as the "Gorge of Dead", because there were ancient Minoan tombs.
Amazing is the Cave of Pelekita 5 km from Kato Zakros.
From Zakros, Kato Zakros you can visit and other amazing places in eastern Crete, as Xerokampos, Itanos, Palekastro, Palm groves at Vai, Moni Toplou.
All beaches in the area are wonderful , and the hospitality of the people is unique

Useful information to access Kato Zakros can be found here (by ship or plane and car): http://www.zakros-crete.com/content/view/37/61/lang,english/
and exact location on the map here: http://www.zakros-crete.com/content/view/27/62/lang, english/