Villages & Towns

Tzermiado

Lasithi Plateau, Lasithi · Free

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

About

Main village of the Lasithi plateau.

Tzermiado is the main village of the Lasithi plateau. It's a traditional village with windmills and the Trapeza cave nearby.

Tzermiado is the seat of the Lasithi plateau municipality, with shops, cafes, tavernas and a few guesthouses. It's a good base for exploring the plateau. The Trapeza cave and the Kroustallenia monastery are nearby, and the paths to the Karfi peak sanctuary start here. The village has a lively market in summer.

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 13 km by road
Nearest airport: Heraklion airport (HER), about 42 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