Villages & Towns

Exo Potami

Lasithi Plateau, Lasithi · Free

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

About

A green hillside village with many streams.

Exo Potami lies on a green hillside at about 850 m, on the road from Neapoli to the Lasithi plateau. As its name suggests (potami means river), several small streams run through the area, making the soil fertile.

The village is quiet and traditional, with views over the valleys. It's a nice stop on the way up to the plateau.

The Lasithi plateau lies at about 850 m in the Dikti mountains, a flat, fertile plain surrounded by peaks and ringed by around 20 villages. It was once famous for its thousands of white-sailed windmills. The area is home to the Dikteon cave, where Zeus is said to have been born, and to monasteries such as Kroustallenia and Vidiani. It's cool in summer and snowy in winter, and the village tavernas serve hearty food made with local potatoes, apples and cheese.

Around Lasithi Plateau

Nearest town: Malia, about 14 km by road
Nearest airport: Heraklion airport (HER), about 47 km by road

Lasithi, the eastern end of Crete, is quieter and greener than you might expect. Agios Nikolaos wraps around a small lake and a lively harbour, with cafés on the water and beaches within walking distance. Just north, Elounda and Plaka look across to the fortress island of Spinalonga, one of the most moving places on the island. More about Lasithi