CRETE TRAVEL GUIDE

Crete Travel Guide
from Kamares village. This sacred site was dedicated to
the goddess Eileithyia.
5 Hromonastiri
The church of Agios Eftihios, at the village of
Hromonastiri, contains faded frescoes, dating from the
11th century, which may be the oldest of their kind in
Crete.
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The Memorial to
Peace
German artist Karen Raeck’s
work, to the north of the
Nida Plateau, is a winged
figure outlined in huge
natural stone boulders .
7 Thronos
The 14th-century church of the Panagia at Thronos
contains striking frescoes and traces of mosaics from
an earlier basilica. Nearby are the ruins of a Hellenistic
city.
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8
Moni Asomaton
The monastery of
Asomaton, built in the
Venetian era, is now
deserted and spooky. It
stands in a fertile oasis of
plane trees, palms and
eucalyptus.
Agios Ioannis Theologos
The church of St John the Divine, built in the 13th
century, stands by the road just north of Kardaki village.
The fine frescoes were painted in 1347.
10 Fourfouras
A pretty village set in stunning mountain scenery,
Fourfouras is one of the jumping-off spots for the ascent
of Mt Idi and some of the less challenging hikes on the
Psiloritis massif.
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The Amari Valley and Mt Idi
Practical information
• Map G–H4
• Greek National Tourism Organization, Eleftheriou
Venizelou, Rethymno
• 28310 29148
Top tips
• Amari is the best base for exploring the valley
and surrounding mountains on foot. There are
several tavernas, rooms to rent and a post office
where you can change money.
• Guided fossil-hunting and herb-gathering walks
around the Amari Valley are organized by Lamvros
Papoutsakis in Thronos village (28330 22760).
Getting Around the Valley
Though the Amari Valley feels remote, there are
three buses daily from Rethymno to the two
largest villages, Thronos and Amari. With a hired
car, it is possible to drive up one side of the Amari
Valley and down the other. Of the two roads, the
eastern route is the most spectacular.
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