Greece - Korina Miller [365]
The famed Kea Lion, chiselled from slate in the 6th century BC, lies on the hillside beyond the last of the houses. Head uphill from the museum and keep going until abreast of the Kea Lion across a shallow valley. The path then curves round past a cemetery and the lion, with its Mona Lisa smile, is ahead and is reached through a gate and down some steps. Continuing beyond the lion, the path leads in a few minutes to a big drinking fountain behind a huge plane tree. From just beyond here, a splendid path branches left and leads to the road just above Otzias in just over 3km. It’s then 3km, unfortunately by road, to Korissia.
Sleeping & Eating
There are a few domatia in Ioulida, and several decent tavernas. Ask about rooms at tavernas.
Recommended eateries with good Greek dishes from about €4.50 to €9 (with lamb and fresh fish costing more):
Estiatorio I Piatsa ( 22880 22195) Just inside the archway.
Kalofagadon ( 22880 22118) On the main square.
Return to beginning of chapter
AROUND KEA
The beach road from Korissia leads past Gialiskari Beach for 2.5km to where the waterfront quay at tiny Vourkari is lined with yachts and cafes. The Marina Keas Gallery ( 22880 21458) is set back midwaterfront among the cafes and restaurants; it stages changing exhibitions of world-class art works over the summer.
Just across the bay from Vourkari are the truncated remains of the Minoan site of Agia Irini, which lie rather forlornly behind rusting wire fences. Excavations during the 20th century indicated that there had been a settlement here since 3200 BC and that it functioned for over 2000 years.
The road continues for another 3km to a fine sandy beach at Otzias. A surfaced road with rugged coastal views continues beyond here for another 5km to the 18th-century Moni Panagias Kastrianis ( 22880 24348).
Piosses is the island’s best beach and is 8km southwest of Ioulida. A daily bus runs from and to Korissia in summer although hours are awkward. Piosses has a long and sandy beach that is backed by a verdant valley of orchards and olive groves, with rugged hills rising above. There’s an extremely well-kept campsite here, Piosses Camping ( 22880 31302/4, fax 22880 31303; adult/child/tent €6/3/6; May-Sep) with a shop and cafe on site.
Return to beginning of chapter
Crete Κρτη
* * *
CENTRAL CRETE
IRAKLIO ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟ
CRETAQUARIUM
KNOSSOS ΚΝΩΣΣΟΣ
OTHER MINOAN SITES
ARHANES ΑΡΧΑΝΕΣ
ZAROS & AROUND ΖΑΡΟΣ
MATALA ΜΑΤΑΛΑ
RETHYMNO ΡΕΘΥΜΝΟ
MONI ARKADIOU ΜΟΝΗ ΑΡΚΑΔΙΟΥ
ANOGIA ΑΝΩΓΕΙΑ
PLAKIAS ΠΛΑΚΙΑΣ
AROUND PLAKIAS
AGIOS PAVLOS & TRIOPETRA ΑΓΙΟΣ ΠΑΥΛΟΣ & ΤΡΙΟΠΕΤΡΑ
AGIA GALINI ΑΓΙΑ ΓΑΛΗΝΗ
WESTERN CRETE
HANIA ΧΑΝΙΑ
AROUND HANIA
SAMARIA GORGE ΦΑΡΑΓΓΙ ΤΗΣ ΣΑΜΑΡΙΑΣ
HORA SFAKION ΧΩΡΑ ΣΦΑΚΙΩΝ
AROUND HORA SFAKION
FRANGOKASTELLO ΦΡΑΓΚΟΚΑΣΤΕΛΛΟ
ANOPOLI & INNER SFAKIA ΑΝΟΠΟΛΗ & ΜΕΣΑ ΣΦΑΚΙΑ
SOUGIA ΣΟΥΓΙΑ
PALEOHORA ΠΑΛΑΙΟΧΩΡΑ
ELAFONISI & KEDRODASOS ΕΛΑΦΟΝΗΣΙ & ΚΕΔΡΟΔΑΣΟΣ
AZOGIRES ΑΖΟΓΙΡΕΣ
GAVDOS ISLAND ΝΙΣΙ ΓΑΥΔΟΣ
KISSAMOS ΚΙΣΣΑΜΟΣ
AROUND KISSAMOS
EASTERN CRETE
LASITHI PLATEAU ΟΡΟΠΕΔΙΟ ΛΑΣΙΘΙΟΥ
AGIOS NIKOLAOS ΑΓΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ
AROUND AGIOS NIKOLAOS
MOHLOS ΜΟΧΛΟΣ
SITIA ΣΗΤΕΙΑ
AROUND SITIA
KATO ZAKROS & ANCIENT ZAKROS ΚΑΤΩ ΖΑΚΡΟΣ & ΑΡΧΑΙΑ ΖΑΚΡΟΣ
IERAPETRA ΙΕΡΑΠΕΤΡΑ
AROUND IERAPETRA
* * *
Crete is in many respects the culmination of the Greek experience. Its hospitable, spirited people maintain a proud sense of separateness, evident in everything from their haunting, violin-driven traditional music to their hearty, homegrown food and drink.
Everything about Crete is larger than life. Millions upon millions of olive trees produce some of the finest olive oil in Greece – and arguably, in the world – while the island is the mythical birthplace of Zeus himself, and site of the legendary Minoan civilisation; the much-visited Palace of Knossos is its most striking reminder. And, with their pretty pastel houses set on narrow stone lanes, the ancient Venetian ports of Hania and Rethymno are among Greece’s most evocative towns. All in all, Crete bursts with the relics of millennia of culture, stretching