Lasithi Plateau Drive
This Lasithi Plateau drive on Crete starts in Neapoli and ends in Malia, covering a distance of 80 km (50 miles) and taking two to three hours.
View of the Lasithi Plateau on Crete
The Lasithi Plateau stands 850 meters (2,800ft) high in the Dhíkti mountains of eastern Crete, and is one of the most picturesque areas of the island. The floors and slopes of the plateau are filled with orchards and olive groves, all watered using countless windmills. Although the white-sailed mills are no longer present in their thousands, as they used to be, you will still see plenty of them, and much else besides.
Map (c) Google Maps
Start in Neapoli
From the main square in Neápoli, follow the signs to the south for the ‘Plateau of Lassithi’ (sometimes spelt ‘Lasithi’). The route is well signposted almost all the way. The good tarmac road quickly winds up through olive groves.
Vrises
The road goes through the upper part of the village of Vríses (see our Olive Grove Walk), turning right, again signposted. Ahead of you are lovely views of the Selena Mountains. The road then descends, winding to irrigated olive groves, and up the other side of the little valley into a stark and rocky landscape.
Our Pick of the Crete Guides
Zenia
12km (7.5 miles) from Neápoli you pass through the hamlet of Káto Amigdáli, and soon after its big brother, Áno Amigdali. After this you reach the delightful village of Zenía, a cluster of vine-covered houses, beehives, fig trees, goats and chickens.
Windmills on the Lasithi Plateau on Crete
The First Windmill
The road winds higher now. Soon you will see your first beautiful large stone-based windmill on your right as you round a bend. There then follows a series of small villages, with women in traditional dress, donkeys with pack saddles, and villagers by the side of the road keen to sell you their honey, apples and raki.
The Lasithi Plateau
The road gets increasingly steep as it crosses over the mountains, beyond which is the Lasithi Plateau itself. A good panoramic view can be had from the Taverna Skaranis, where few people can resist pulling over. As you descend there is a good view of the plots and fields on the flat central plain, and more villages to pass through where there are tavernas, shops and petrol stations.
A Goat on the Lasithi Plateau on Crete
Áyios Konstandínos
After passing through Mésa Lasíthi you reach a t-junction. Turn left towards Áyios Geórgios. The first village after the t-junction is Áyios Konstandínos, where several shops sell weaving and textiles, and where windmills start to appear more regularly in the fields.
Cretan Folklore Museum
In Áyios Geórgios, drive up past the church and go to the left following the signs for the Diktean Cave and the Venizelos Museum. Look for a bend to the right where a sign points left to the Cretan Folklore Museum and the Venizelos Museum. Park on the main road and walk up, as there is not much space to park above. Both little museums are worth seeing, and look at the guidebook for the Folklore Museum to see an old photo showing hundreds of white-sailed windmills ranged across the plain.
The Diktean Cave
Diktean Cave
Drive on out of the village and turn left at the sign for the Diktean (Dhiktaean) Cave. The road passes through more villages but take care when driving. Numerous tour buses use this route and the drivers are notoriously aggressive.
Just beyond the town of Psichró, a sign points left up the hill 2 km (1.2 miles) to the Diktean Cave. There are more good views of the Lasithi Plateau from the official car park.
Tzermiádo
Drive back down to Psichró and turn left, continuing the drive around the plateau. Orchards and farms are still plentiful, with olive groves and cows grazing on the plain.
A few kilometres beyond the village of Káto Metóchi, the road splits. Ignore the left turn to Iráklio for the moment but carry straight on to Tzermiádo, the largest town in the region. It’s a pleasant old provincial town with handicrafts for sale and several restaurants.
The Seli Ambelou Pass
After a break you should return the way you came in, this time taking the road towards Iráklio. There follows one of the best parts of the drive, through the Seli Ambelou Pass. Windmills can be seen along the ridge, to which you can walk if you want close-up views.
Krassi
About 2 km (1.2 miles) beyond the pass on the right of the road is the hideous-looking Homo Sapiens Museum, marring the otherwise magnificent views of mountains and valley. The road curves down the mountain, an exhilarating drive through trees and olive groves, but watch for the sharp right turn to Krássi. Look for the wonderful gnarled old plane tree in the village, and the nearby spring where locals fill their water bottles.
Taking a Break
This is a popular route and almost all the villages you pass
through have tavernas and cafés. In Tzermiádo the traditional taverna Kri Kri
has good local food. The Platanos
taverna, set beneath the giant plane tree at Krássi, is an atmospheric spot.
On to Malia
Carry on through the village and rejoin the main road, simply following signs now for Mália. The road curves back up over rocky hills, then switchbacks steeply back down again, a pretty and majestic drive through a dry rocky landscape.
Malia Archaeological Site
This road brings you into Mália a back way. Turn right at the stop sign towards Áyios Nikólaos, and this takes you to the entrance to Mália Palace archaeological site), a lovely place to end an impressive drive.
Other Crete pages
The Samaria Gorge is one the longest gorges in Europe and doing the hike is one of the best and most popular things to do on Crete.
Crete's capital and largest city is Irakleio, also called Iraklion or Heraklion, a large and busy place with good restaurants, museums and historical buildings.
This olive grove walk from Limnes to Vrises on Crete also takes you through orchards and gives close-up views of some of the island’s windmills.
Elounda on Crete's north coast is a popular holiday town with a pretty harbour, from where you can take day trips by boat to see the island of Spinalonga.
The largest of the Greek islands, Crete has four ENUESCO sites, which are Sitia, Psiloritis, Asterousia, and the Gorge of Samaria.
The Battle of Crete during World War 2 inspired several books and took place with an airborne invasion over Maleme on the north coast of the island.
Greece Travel Secrets eats at Vegera in Zaros and finds a cheap but wonderful feast of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes cooked daily with fresh local food.
Crete’s wildlife and landscape are two of the island’s attractions, including gorges for hiking, rare raptors like the lammergeier, wildcats and ancient trees.
Icon painting is a centuries-old tradition in Crete and the rest of Greece, and Greece Travel Secrets meets a modern-day icon painter in Elounda on Crete.
The area east from Paleohora along the south-west coast of Crete includes resorts like Agia Galini, gorges like the Imbros Gorge and quieter towns like Sfakia.
The Goules Taverna in Goulediana, south of Rethymnon, has been called one of the best tavernas on Crete and Greece Travel Secrets recently visited them.
Cretan music is part of the island’s soul and visitors will hear live music wherever they go, with several distinctive Cretan musical instruments and songs.
This Airbnb in the quiet village of Malaxa, a 30-minute drive into the hills above Chania, is a peaceful retreat with a delightful and thoughtful artist owner, with wonderful views and amenities.
Agios Nikolaos is a pretty and popular town on the north coast of Crete and this page on Greece Travel Secrets covers its history, museums and beaches.
How to make Petimezi, the sweet Cretan syrup made from wine must, is explained to Greece Travel Secrets.
The best things to do on Crete and top things to see include the Samaria Gorge, the Minoan Palaces at Knossos and Phaistos, the towns of Chania and Rethymnon.
This Rouvas Gorge walk starts and ends in Zaros in southern Crete and should take three to four hours with a distance of eight kilometres or five miles.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in Irakleio, the capital of Crete, including nearby beach resort hotels and accommodation in the city centre.
Greece Travel Secrets’ potted guide to Eastern Crete and why you should consider it for a holiday, including seeing Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, Vai Beach and Zakros.
Driving on Crete is the best way to see Greece’s biggest island and here is our driving advice and some information about Greek driving regulations.
The most famous Cretan writers and artists include the painter El Greco and the author of Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis.
This Amari Valley drive in southern Crete starts and ends in Ayia Galini, takes four to five hours and cover 100 kilometres or 62 miles.
Matala Beach on Crete is a guest blog for Greece Travel Secrets from the We Love Crete website, inviting you to Awaken Your Inner Hippy in Matala, Crete.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to eat in Eastern Crete including restaurants and tavernas in Elounda, Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, and Kato Zakros.
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...
Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?
- Click on the HTML link code below.
- Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment,
your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.
-
Technopolis, the most renowned cultural hub in Athens, recently announced its summer program of events, featuring famous Greek and foreign artists taking the stage from May to September.
Read More
-
New electric buses were added to the fleet of public bus company OSY SA and have started operating on the streets of Athens. The new buses are part of the Greek Transport Ministry’s strategy to modern…
Read More
-
One of the best-preserved monuments from Classical antiquity, the Temple of Apollo at Bassae is a hidden gem in the mountains of Arcadia.
Read More
-
Greece wins top honors at this year's American Leisure Lifestyle Awards, with Santorini ranked the "Best Island in Europe" for the 11th consecutive year.
Read More
-
Britain’s Express newspaper encourages its readers to experience the beauty and warmth of the Greek island of Kos, the sunniest place in Europe in May.
Read More
-
Wildflowers, ancient olive trees, nature, and delicious pistachio treats. In the spring, Aegina provides everything you need for the perfect day trip.
Read More
-
Stretching 656 miles and connecting the coastal redwoods of Northern California to the sandy beaches of Southern California, is SR 1, otherwise known as the California Pacific Coast Highway, the PCH…
Read More
-
If you’ve been eagerly awaiting this Highway 1 reopening and want to plan a long-delayed trip to Big Sur this summer, there are several things that prospective visitors to the region should know. Keep…
Read More
-
The international Matala Beach Festival on Crete will transport attendees back to the famous hippie era with live music events, sports, and art activities for children. From July 5 to 7, people of all…
Read More
-
For keen birdwatchers, birdwatching on Lesbos offers a chance to see over 300 species in diverse habitats on a key migratory route between Europe and Africa.
Read More