Villages & Towns

Zakros

Sitia, Lasithi · Free

Directions

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

About

A village at the top of the Gorge of the Dead.

Zakros is a village in the far east of Crete. The Gorge of the Dead starts here.

Ano Zakros is a village of springs and plane trees in the far east of Crete. The Gorge of the Dead starts just outside the village and leads down to the Minoan palace and the beach of Kato Zakros. A Minoan villa was found in the village itself. The watermills museum and the natural history museum are worth a short visit.

Sitia is the far east of Crete, a quieter, less touristy area of dry hills, olive groves and vineyards. The town of Sitia has a pretty harbour, a Venetian fortress and museums, and the area includes the palm beach of Vai, the Toplou monastery, the Minoan palace of Zakros and the Gorge of the Dead. Much of the area is part of the Sitia UNESCO Geopark. The local olive oil is among the best in Greece.

Around Sitia

Nearest town: Palekastro, about 13 km by road
Nearest airport: Sitia airport (JSH), about 20 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