Leaving Crete’s coast behind we head to the mountains. We remain on the island’s east part and follow a route on the mountain slopes, passing through the beautiful villages of the hinterland.

20

Our destination is Oropedio Lasithiou (Lasithi plateau) at 850 m altitude. On the way to the mountaintop, from where we will have a view of the plateau, the landscape resembles that of the Cretan hinterland with olive groves and villages scattered throughout. We make a short stop at the historic women’s monastery of Panagia tis Keras to admire the 14th century murals. We continue on our way, and after a while, once we’ve passed some deserted windmills, we see the impressive plateau spread in front of us. It takes a while to grasp the size and importance of this location. An endless fertile field, the largest on the island, that seems to have been created to give life to the whole of Crete.

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The historic women’s monastery of Panagia tis Keras/ Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
The monastery’s gate/ Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
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The fertile field is the ideal location for the cultivation of legumes, cereal and fruit and vegetables. / Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
The field in full bloom. / Photo: Amalia Kovaiou

The monastery’s gate. / Photo: Amalia Kovaiou

A field full of windmills

A field full of apple, walnut, pear and cherry trees. The fertile field is the ideal location for the cultivation of legumes, cereal and fruit and vegetables, while the potatoes grown at the plateau are the tastiest in Crete and known all over Greece. In addition, there are thousands of sheep and goats here, fed with clean, quality fodder. However, the most distinct feature of all are the windmills that were built in order to water the fields using wind power. Until a few decades ago, the white sails of the almost 12 thousand windmills created a unique sight in the field. Their movement helped pump and transport water to the fields. Today, the windmills have been abandoned, but an effort is being made to restore them, utilizing technology to create the sails.

At the workshop of the last windmill craftsman

With the help of Nikiforos, an inspired and ever in motion man who lives and works in the plateau, we visit ‘harkadio’, Mr Manolis Spanakis’ workshop where he makes of tools. Mr Manolis has built and repaired thousands of windmills since 1961, when he first started doing this job, while he also makes tools. He tells us stories from the time the windmills were the moving force for the whole plateau, while even today he never stops working. We reached his workshop, the ‘harkadio’ after first speaking with him on the phone.

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At Mr Manolis Spanakis workshop. / Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
Photo: Amalia Kovaiou

“I’ll be there in two minutes,” he tells us, and we had barely arrived, when he appeared in his truck. “I was just out to see a machine,” he tells us while he takes out glasses to treat us to a shot of raki. We ask to take his picture in front of a windmill in his garden and he prepares to climb at its top. “We just meant next to it, you don’t have to climb up,” Amalia tells him, but his willingness shows us how easy it is for him still to climb. We say goodbye and we know that he is the last craftsman with such great expertise in repairing windmills. We’ll speak with him again soon.

The stone flour mills

Another unique feature of the plateau are the multiple, over 20, stone flour mills, all apart from three abandoned. Villages can be found mainly at the borders of the plateau, near the slopes, with Tzermiado being the largest one in the area, and Agios Georgios the second largest. Psyhro, that is next to ‘Diktaion Antron’, one of the most famous caves in Europe, attracts many tourists.

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Diktaion Cave/Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
Diktaion Cave/Photo: Amalia Kovaiou

Diktaion Antron

Diktaion Antron is located above the village Psyhro, at 1020 m altitude and is of great mythological and archaeological interest. According to the myth, Rhea escaped Cronus’ rage here and gave birth to Zeus. She was afraid that Cronus would devour the child, since according to an oracle, the King of the Titans would die of the hand of one of his sons. So, Cronus didn’t intend to let any of his sons survive. But Rhea, after giving birth to Zeus, instead of handing him over to his father, gave Cronus a rock dressed in baby clothes and left the child in the cave, in the care of the Diktaioi Kouretes.

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Lasithi Plateau/Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
On the way to the cave./ Photo: Amalia Kovaiou

At the same time, the cave is the location of Neolithic, Minoan, late-Minoan, geometric, Archaic, classical, Hellenistic and Roman findings, which prove the constant presence of humans in this location, mostly as a place of worship. Stalactites and stalagmites and a lake create a wonderful route that reaches 250m. It’s like diving into the earth, as the path from the cave’s opening is downhill until you reach the lake, while to get back out you need to go uphill.

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Pork and potato roast cooking in the wood-burning oven. / Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
Photo: Amalia Kovaiou

A culinary experience at ‘Halavro’

Stopping at ‘Halavro’ is an ideal opportunity to taste the authentic local cuisine of Crete. It’s a gastronomy spot that emphasises using local ingredients and traditional cooking methods and turns a visit into a true culinary experience. Visitors can see the preparation of local recipes, through the open kitchen, while the famed, tasty plateau potatoes are fried over a woodburning fire.

Photo: Amalia Kovaiou

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The pork with the potatoes cook in the woodburning oven, while the salads with the fresh vegetables are prepared. Nikiforos’, the owner, constant care ensures that you’ll get a truly unique experience. ‘Halavro’ is located on the left side of the paved path that leads to the cave and is the perfect spot for a refreshing drink, as well as a complete culinary tour.

Tel.: 0030 6970120238

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