Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CLIMBING MOUNT PSILORÍTIS
Climbing to the summit of
Mount
Psilorítis
, for experienced and properly equipped
hikers, is not at all arduous. The route, which diverts from the path to the Idean Cave just
beyond a small chapel, forms a stretch of the E4 Pan-European footpath and is marked with
the red arrows and the E4 waymarkers. It should be a 6-8hr return journey to the summit,
although in spring, thick snow may slow you down. Don't attempt the walk alone as you
could face a very long wait should you run into trouble, and mobile phones may not have
a signal in places.
If you're prepared to camp on the Nídha plateau (it can be very cold), or rent a room at the
Taverna Nida,
you could continue on foot the next day down to the southern slopes of the
range. It's a beautiful hike and also relatively easy, four hours or so down a fairly clear path to
Vorízia
where there is no food or accommodation, although
Kamáres
, 4km west, has both.
Aristea
Upper village
T
28340 31459,
W
hotelaristea
.gr.
Simple en-suite rooms with TV and spectacular valley
views from the terrace; also has studios and apartments,
with open fireplace
for
winter stays, which sleep up to six.
Breakfast included.
€45
Rooms Aris
Upper village
T
28340 31817,
W
aris
.anogia.info.
The flower-bedecked Aris has pleasant
en-suite rooms with fabulous valley and mountain views.
Facilities incl
ude
fridge, balcony and central heating for
winter stays.
€40
Taverna Skalomata
Upper village, east.
T
28340
31316.
Offers well-prepared taverna standards, including
the usual barbecued meats and spit-roast lamb, with a
fine view. Grills from €6.
Daily lunch & dinner.
7
Mount Psilorítis
Heading for the mountains from Anóyia, a smooth road ascends 21km to an altitude
of 1400m on the
Nídha Plateau
at the base of Mount Psilorítis. Here, at the end of the
road and opposite the
Taverna Nida
, is the path up to the celebrated
Idean cave
(about
a 15min walk) and the start of the way to the top of
Mount Psilorítis
(2456m), Crete's
highest mountain.
Idean cave
he
Idean cave
(Idhéon Ándhron), a rival of that on Mount Dhíkti (see p.473) for the
title of Zeus's birthplace, is certainly associated from the earliest of times with the cult of
Zeus. The remnants of a major archeological dig carried out inside - including a
miniature railway used by archeologists to remove tonnes of rock and rubble - still litter
the site, giving the place a rather unattractive prospect. When you enter the cave down
concrete steps into the depths, it turns out to be a rather shallow affair, with little to see.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
MOUNT PSILORÍTIS
Taverna Nida
Nihda plateau
T
28340 31141.
Serves
up hearty mountain dishes featuring lamb, pork and
chicken, and has a couple of simple rooms, which makes
it a good base for hikes in the surrounding mountains.
June-Sep
t da
ily; Oct-May Sat & Sun only. Breakfast
included.
€30
Eastern Crete
Eastern Crete
is dominated by
Áyios Nikólaos
, a small cosmopolitan town and resort,
and its close neighbour Eloúnda, the home of luxury hotel and villa complexes, and the
gateway to the mysterious islet of
Spinalónga
. Inland from Áyios Nikólaos,
Kritsá
with
its famous frescoed church and textile sellers and the imposing ruins of
ancient Lato
make for good excursions. Further inland, the extraordinary
Lasíthi
Plateau
is worth a
night's stay if only to observe its abidingly rural life. Far fewer people venture beyond
the road south to
Ierápetra
and east to
Sitía,
where only the famous beach at
Váï
ever
sees anything approaching a crowd.
