Zaros
The Greece Travel Secrets guide to Zaros in Central Crete, including
what to do, where to stay, and where to eat.
St Antony's Church at the Vrontisi Monastery near Zaros
Zaros in Central Crete is a lovely little town. The first
time we went we were just passing through and stopped to do a walk in the
Rouvas Gorge. We loved the town so much that we said we had to go back and stay
sometime - so we did!
Officially Zaros is only a village but with a population of
about 3,000 it's more like a small town. It certainly has a lively atmosphere
and stands out for several reasons.
Zaros Water
One distinctive feature of Zaros is that it has a lake. Lake
Votomos is a short walk out of the village to the west, or you can drive there.
They farm trout in the lake and you'll see it on taverna menus. You have to eat
trout if you visit Zaros!
The lake is fed by a mountain spring and the spring water is
also bottled and well-known locally for its purity. Go into any of the shops in
Zaros and ask for a bottle of the local water. You can find out much more about
the lake and the area here.
Where is Zaros?
Map (c) Google Maps
As you can see from the map, Zaros is almost slap-bang in
the middle of Crete. It's in the southern foothills of Mount Psiloritis, less
than an hour's drive southwest of Irakleio. The Minoan Palace of Phaistos is a
half-hour drive southwest of Zaros, The resorts of Matala and Ayia Galini are
also both southwest of Zaros, and a 35-40-minute drive.
What to Do in Zaros
In truth, there's not a lot to do in Zaros, which is part of
its charm. It makes a great base if you're exploring the area, and in our view
is more interesting, more relaxing, and less expensive than nearby resorts like
Matala and Ayia Galini.
A Fountain at the Vrontisi Monastery near Zaros
One attraction is the Vrontisi Monastery, which is about an
hour's walk or a ten-minute drive northwest of town. It's on the southern
slopes of Mt Ida at a height of 550m (1,804ft) and you get wonderful views from
there. No-one knows how old it is but there are references to it from the late
15th century - so it's pretty old!
At the Kamihis Farm near Zaros
You can also hike in the area, including the Rouvas Gorge
walk we mentioned earlier. Even if you don't stay at the Keramos Studios (see our recommendation below), call in and
ask about visiting the family farm, the Kamihis Farm. They're set up to do tours and it's a
fascinating insight into rural Cretan life.
Our Pick of the Crete Guides
Shopping in Zaros
There are several craft shops in Zaros and we spent an enjoyable
half-hour in the weaving shop of Maria Zacharioudakis, admiring the weavings
and watching Maria work at her loom.
Zaros is also home to one of the best musical instrument
makers on Crete, Antonios Stefanakis. He makes lyra, mandolins, violas,
bouzouki, and Cretan bagpipe, and even if you don't want to buy an instrument
he also sells CDs of Cretan music.
A Walk From Zaros
We thoroughly enjoyed this circular walk from Zaros to the
Rouvas Gorge. It should take 3-4 hours and you can read about it and get
directions here.
Zaros is on the E4 European Walking Path.
Where to Eat in Zaros
You have plenty of choice of eating places but there's
nowhere quite like Vegera, a unique and fun dining experience that we wrote
about here.
A Feast at Vegera!
If you want trout fresh from the lake then the Taverna Votomos is right by a trout farm. It's about a 20-minute walk or a 5-minute
drive from the centre of Zaros.
Where to Stay in
Zaros
There are a few places to stay in Zaros but we definitely
recommend the Keramos Studios and you can read all about our stay there here.
The Keramos Studios
Other Crete pages
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.
These shopping tips for Crete include advice on buying souvenirs like ceramics, icons, jewellery, leather, weavings, wood carvings, and food and drink.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in Irakleio, the capital of Crete, including nearby beach resort hotels and accommodation in the city centre.
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 Snails House in Plouti near Phaistos in southern Crete serves the Cretan delicacy of snails, cooked in several different ways.
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.
Greece Travel Secrets chooses ten of the best beaches on Crete including the beautiful beaches at Vai and Elafonisi.
Greece Travel Secrets recommends where to stay in Central Crete including hotels in Matala, Ayia Galini, and Zaros.
We visit and tour the Manousakis Winery on Crete with a wine-tasting and a chance to buy their tsikoudia, sea salt, olive oil and other goodies.
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.
Greece Travel Secrets visits the Crete Botanical Gardens near Chania and finds a wonderland of colourful plants, trees, and flowers filling a lovely valley.
Chania is the main city in Western Crete with a lovely setting and a beautiful harbour as well as several museums.
Crete (Kriti) is the largest Greek island and its main attractions include the Minoan Palace of Knossos, the Samarian Gorge, Chania and Rethymnon.
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.
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.
The best Crete hotels include 5-star luxury hotels, historic and romantic Venetian palaces, and several hotels in Hania and Iraklion.
The largest of the Greek islands, Crete has four ENUESCO sites, which are Sitia, Psiloritis, Asterousia, and the Gorge of Samaria.
The Dalabelos Estate offers luxury eco-tourism accommodation on Crete in the hills near Rethymnon with its own farm, vineyard and olive groves.
Driving central Crete in three days gives you time to see the highlights including the Minoan palaces at Knossos and Phaistos, the beaches and the Diktean Cave.
Malia on the north coast of Crete is renowned for its nightlife and beaches but also has the Minoan Palace of Malia, one of Crete's many archaeological sites.
The Diktean or Diktaean Cave, also known as the Psychro Cave, near the village of Psychro in eastern Crete, is said to be the birthplace of Zeus.
What was daily life as a Minoan like on Crete, living in palaces like the ones at Knossos, Malia, Phaistos, and Zakros, and what were their religious beliefs?
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.
Visiting the Arkadi Monastery near Rethymnon is one of the best things to do on Crete.
This drive along the west coast of Crete and inland from there will take a whole day and starts and ends in Kastélli Kissámou, west of Chania.
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