Dörfer & Städte

Ano Asites

Anogia, Rethymno · Free

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

About

A colourful village at the foot of Psiloritis.

Ano Asites lies at the foothills of Psiloritis, about 25 km south-west of Heraklion. Its colourful houses and winding lanes make it a nice place to explore.

The gorges of Agios Antonios and Agios Charalambos are nearby, and a road climbs to the Prinos refuge of the Heraklion mountaineering club, a starting point for walks on Psiloritis.

Anogia is a proud mountain village on the slopes of Psiloritis, famous for its musicians, weavers and shepherds. The area around it is high and wild, with the Nida plateau, the Ideon cave where Zeus grew up and the path to the highest peak of Crete. Life here follows old traditions, and the food is hearty: lamb cooked over wood, local cheeses and wild greens. Come for the music, the views and the mountain air.

Around Anogia

Nearest town: Mires, about 25 km by road
Nearest airport: Heraklion airport (HER), about 30 km by road

Rethymno sits between the mountains and two seas, and it is the easiest region to combine with the rest of the island. Its old town and Fortezza are among the best preserved on Crete, with Venetian doorways, Ottoman wooden balconies and a long sandy beach right next to the centre. More about Rethymno