Love Letter from Crete # 7

Welcome to our latest edition of Love Letters From Crete

Inside you will find:

• Places to See - Zakros Gorge
• Our Villages - Zaros
• Cretan Musicians - Biography of Nikos Xilouris
• For Travellers - Rural Accommodation & Map
• Accommodation – Eleonas Farm Retreat in Zaros

Zakros Gorge ~ Φαράγγι Ζάκρου

Zakros Gorge is in the east of the island of Crete in Greece. The gorge is 8 kms long and starts at the village of Ano Zakros 45 kms from Sitia. The town can be reached by driving east from Sitia through Palekastro and then the villages of Chochlakies, Asokeramos, Kelaria and Adravasti.

The gorge walk takes about 2 hours depending on your pace and your fitness levels, and ends at the beautiful beach town of Kato Zakros.

Zakros is an farming town, reaping the harvest from the olive groves here, vegetables and fruit also grow locally. Zakros is known for its spring giving fresh water, and traditional water mills. There is a water mill museum and beautiful church - Αφέντη Χριστού Lord Christ. On the 6th of August each year is the local parade and celebration of Lord Christ. Don’t forget to get your dopio olive oil from the rural cooperative of Zakros.

Zakros Gorge is also know as the Gorge of the Dead - Faragi ton Nekron - Φαράγγι των Νεκρών. The gorge is one of the most impressive in Crete with its steep sides and harsh rock formations. There are caves within which have been found to be Minoan burial tombs, hence the name.

Here in eastern Crete are orchids such as bee orchids, the Sitia orchid (pictured) and tulips. Nature lovers search for the unusual tube-shaped flowers of the Cretan Birthwort Aristolochia cretica and there are the ebony trees, pines and myrtles as well as the Cretan arum, with its stunning yellow tube flower.

The birds such as falcons, eagles, honey buzzards and vultures fly high above; whilst in the gorge can be seen yellow wagtail, collared flycatcher, rock thrush and warblers. There are tree-frogs, lizards, freshwater crabs, and insects including beautiful butterflies.

See more about the flora and fauna of Kriti in our nature pages.

Kato Zakros is tiny; its growth has been restricted due to the proximity of the valuable Minoan site of ancient Zakros. Hence it is one of the smallest remote seaside villages in Lasithi. Akrogiali Taverna is right on the beach and serves fresh seafood and great wine. What a spot! Nikos Perakis will make you feel at home with generous hospitality.

The Cave of Pelekita is one hour’s walk to the east of Kato Zakros. It is a large cave with stalactites and stalagmites, one of the deepest in Crete. Ask the locals, you could get the boat to the cave.

Ancient Zakros was built in the years of the Minoan settlement of Crete in 1900BC. The ruins are extensive and located just behind Kato Zakros, 7 km from the modern village of Zakros. This was the site of one of the Minoan palaces, with complex rooms, ceremonial chambers and sophisticated constructions. One of the most beautiful artefacts to be found on Crete, the rock crystal vase (pictured) was discovered here in Zakros and is displayed at the museum in Iraklion.

E4 European walking path ends here at Kato Zakros after 320 kms through some of the most stunning scenery and great walking for nature lovers in Crete. What more beautiful and remote village could be the reward than this simple coastal enclave.

The Village of Zaros

Zaros, this is a lovely village, with its lake and gorge nearby. There are a couple of dolmatia and hotels and is a very relaxed, rural and leafy spot to stay awhile. This area is popular with locals who drive up for a volta.

The village is 44kms from Iraklio at the southern foothills of Mount Idi ~ Psiloritis. The population of 2,300 produce olive oil, sultanas, vegetables and spring water. This is the Kenourghiou region of Kriti.

There are a couple of fish farms with wonderful fresh trout and salmon. One serves terrific local traditional food in a covered courtyard, just next to the jumping fish. The meal here was heartily enjoyed by all.

Lake Votomosis a lovely place to visit for a picnic or to eat at one of the cafés right on the water. I Limni – The Lake, is a good taverna and serves fresh trout. Fish from glyko nero fresh water, are a modern taste. The fish tasted delicious to me.

Rouvas Gorge is part of the Psiloritis mountain range and is on the European Climbing route known as E4.

Nearby Zaros village are traditional water mills which have been working since 16th century, archaeological sites, monasteries and of course fresh mountain air.

You will feel you know Zarós as the major bottled water company in Crete labels all its bottles 'Zarós', of course it is bottled from the local spring.

See Vivi Kalaitzaki at the Taverna Vegera for fresh, delicious food made from local produce. Dishes lovingly prepared by Vivi and her mother Irini show the true Cretan hospitality and nutrition now becoming famous and recommended as one of the healthiest diets. In Crete, a simple dish such as yogurt and honey is touched by heaven.

2 kms outside of the village is the rural retreat Eleonas, featured later in this newsletter.

Nikos Xilouris ~ Νίκος Ξυλούρης 1936-1980

Nikos Xilouris was a true Cretan artist. His smooth and passionate voice and stirring lyra playing touched possibly more Cretan and Greek hearts than any Cretan musician before or after his time.

Niko was born on the 7th July 1936 in the legendary mountain village Anogia Ανώγεια, a place greatly renowned for having brought Crete some of the islands most revered rebels and musicians. Sadly due to this fact, the village was sacked and burnt by the Germans in WW II.

Xilouris left Anogia with his family at the age of 5, moving to the mountians of Mylopotamo Μυλοπόταμο, and did not return until Anogia was liberated. He had two brothers, Yiannis, born in 1943, and Antonis, born in 1942, better known as Psarantonis Ψαραντώνης.

At the age of 12 his father bought Niko his first lyra, and it was not long before he was the most requested musician to play at Cretan weddings, baptisms and festivals in the area.

At the age of 17 he began playing at the venue Kastro in Iraklion. This is the point in his life where he struggled most musically, yet in turn had influenced Cretan modern culture like possibly no other Cretan folk musician ever has.

During this period of the late 50’s, Crete and the whole of Greece was dancing and listening mainly to foreign music. In the cities and larger towns of Greece, if a musician could not play a tango, rumba, salsa or waltz, he was out of work.

Xilouri persevered with showing the Irakliotes the traditional Cretan songs, a music nearly wholly forgotten outside of the small villages, and within a few years he had generated a new and passionate interest in this enigmatic music.

In 1958 he married Ourania Melampianaki, an Irakliotisa. By 1960 they had their first son, Giorgos, and in 1966 their daughter Rinio was born. During their early years of marriage they endured great economic difficulties.

In 1966 Niko took part in the music festival in San Remo in Italy, and won great acclaim. A year later in Iraklio, Xilouri opened the first Cretan traditional music hall. He named it Erotokrito Ερωτόκριτο, after the legendary and much loved Cretan poetic masterpiece written by Vitsentzos Kornaros in the 17th Century.

Niko achieved great success at Erotokrito. So much so, that there was now an interest for his playing in Athens. In April he played at the Konaki Κονάκι club in Athens, and by September he moved there permanently. Over the next decade he would play at many venues through Athens, The Lydra Λύδρα club in Plaka, the Arhontissa, the Aposperida, the Kittaro and the Themelio.

Over this period Niko continued writing and singing traditional Cretan songs, but also developed a lighter style much like the Greek laiko song. Regardless of the style, his songs were instilled with freedom, with hope, with the Greek psyche of not submitting to an overruling force. Thus he was instrumental in the movement that brought down the Greek military junta in 1967.

He achieved great success and was much loved throughout Greece through these years, yet sadly he was to leave us too soon on February the 8th 1980, due to cancer.

The video below is Xilouris singing Mana Polla Maloneis Me

Rural Accommodation and Map

We have been carefully selecting rural retreats that reflect the true character of Kriti. Organic farms, restored traditional stone and wooden homes and quiet village guest houses are featured on our Rural Accommodation page … which has an interactive map to enable you to select your accommodation by location within Crete. From this page you can find exact details and make bookings for your next experience of Crete…

Ελαιώνας Eleonas Traditional Resort

The village of Zaros sits at the foothills of Psiloritis, the highest mountain in Crete. This lovely green mountain village nestles into the hillside, creating a peaceful haven and surrounded by great scenery, history and nature, makes a wonderful rural retreat only 44 kms from Heraklion town.
See more about Zaros Village on our dedicated page.

Eleonas Traditional Resort offers a set of cabins dotted about on a large leafy property located 2 kms from Zaros in the Cretan mountains. Eleonas has been developed as a true rural retreat and is simple, country and wholesome at every turn.

Manolis Saridakis and his family will welcome you with true Cretan hospitality…

The hospitality, especially around the kitchen hearth, is important, to quote from the Saridakis family on their website “Mrs. Koula, our mother, is the cook at our restaurant. She cooks with a mixture of love, good nature and a lot of imagination and guarantees the deliciousness of all the recipes. We offer a large variety of traditional, local dishes. Amongst these are lamb with artichokes, rabbit with peppers and basil and chicken with sage. At our restaurant you will also find a large selection of Cretan wine.

For dessert, you can enjoy Cretan raki, a traditional drink, along with homemade traditional pies with honey. There are also traditional, homemade desserts to choose from, some of which are made by sage or rose, grape, bergamot or quince. The secret to our success are our pure products, most of which we produce ourselves, and which are always fresh. We cook our food in the most healthy way since we use olive oil of our own production. "

This is a family friendly resort, with loads of activities for the kids, from trekking and horse riding to archery, caving and canyoning.

Nearby are some lovely trout and salmon farms serving fresh fish in their traditional tavernas. One of our favourites!