Kato Zakros

Unique beauty in South-eastern Crete
Far from the over developed tourist regions of Crete, in the most eastern place, Kato Zakros allocates, apart from the ruins of important Minoan palace, beautiful beaches and exceptional walking ways
Zakros and its seaport Kato Zakros are found in the most south-eastern spot of Crete and abstain three hours by car from Heraklion or about 40 minutes from Sitia.

It is a reason for the traveller to realise how much big and inexhaustible Crete is, while if it happens to love walking, he will realise with surprise that he reached the point where the eminent European path E4 finishes which begins from the Pyrenees mountains and crossing France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Hungary and Bulgaria it reaches continental Greece up to Peloponnesus in order to lead at Crete and concretely to Kato Zakros.

Acquaintance with the place
Zakros and Kato Zakros come under the Municipality of Itanou, one of the eastern municipalities of Lasithi prefecture. Most of the people are working on agriculture and concretely with the production and the last years with the export of olive oil. Here, in this faraway but alive and self-sufficient corner of Crete, you will know persons that work on the culture of ground and taste exceptional quality fruits and vegetables, but also one of the best olive oil of Crete. Quality that is owed to the morphology of soil and to the water that irrigates the 250.000 and more olive trees, with natural flow from the sources that are found above the village.
Blessed place. Not only it did not drive away its people, but it kept them also them it occupies at gentleman because in their ground. This happened for an additional reason that made Kato Zakros famous in the ends of world, however without allowing the industry of tourism to make a devastating passage from the area, and this reason is the finding of Minoan Palace at Kato Zakros.

Tour and activities
Leaving the graphic and green compared with the south-eastern Crete, Zakro, built in altitude of 160 metres and continuing the street for about 7 kilometres with direction to the sea, a big turn leaves behind the mountains and embraces the crystal blue waters. There is where East meets South. And there somewhere it begins to appear the graphic bight of Kato Zakros. With a big and two smaller spotless beaches, with the grits to alternate with the thin sand, this settlement resembles as it is near the paradise. The paradise of Kato Zakros, however, is somehow different from what we usually have in our brain. A beautiful beach and a good food can be found in any place on Crete, without needing to make so many kilometres in the provincial streets of the Eastern side. However Kato Zakros does not offer this only...

THE MINOAN PALACE OF KATO ZAKROS
Here was found the 4th Minoan palace of Crete and is the unique that was found not looted. It was built about in 1600 b.c. and it was constituted by 180 apartments and had an extent of 8.000 square metres. The excavations at the place began by D. G. Hogarth but the main excavator of the palace is the professor Platon. The palace of Ancient Zakros is smaller than the remainder palaces but has similar provision with the palaces of Knossos and Festos. It has central courtyard (patio) which around it is developed the building with labyrinthine provision, with three western entries and a main entry in which there is an altar. In the western side of the palace are the rooms of dignitaries while in the northern side the rooms of conferences, skylights while in the same side were found big basins that had adorable character. The main apartments and the various laboratories were found in the eastern and southern side respectively. The locality of palace had big importance because in the region that was built it could trade with the East as well as with the other palaces of the island.
In the place were also found a lot of vessels which were in the safe-deposit of the palace. Also among the interesting discoveries distinguish big swords with leaves of gold, ivory, cupreous decorative from Cyprus and amphora with representation of one of holy top and wild beasts. Many of the discoveries are found in the Archaeological Museum at Heraklion.

THE GORGE OF DEAD
The Gorge of Dead is from the most interesting gorges of Crete and is found in the end of the European path E4, begins from the settlement Pano Zakros and leads to the beach of Kato Zakros. The name "Gorge of Dead" was given cause to the Minoan graves that were found in its caverns and steep sides, that are visible at the tour, as also visible are the various geological shaping that as an artwork create an extravagant scenery. The gorge pulse from life and because of its natural beauty the Minoans believed that engraved there, they would continue their posthumous life in this place. It is passable both during the winter and the summer. At the end of its way, just before the exit in the plain of Kato Zakros, there is a field of ascension for those who love sports.

CAVERN "PELEKITA"
Particular indication deserves and the Cavern “PELEKITA”, one of the biggest caverns at Crete. Is found in a distance of 5 kilometres from Kato Zakros and it can be visited by feet or with a small ship. It has 310 metres length and in its finish there is a small lake with water and by excavations that had been done in its interior, human skeletons were found as well as inhabitation traces of from the Neolithic season. Near the cavern there is an ancient quarry of limestone and because of this hewed of rock was given the name. By this limestone the courtyard walls of the Minoan palace have been built.

Spiliara
Spiliara is another cavern in the north side of the plain of Kato Zakros where the holy cavern of Minoans is and sure you will want to visit it.
By car or even pedestrian, you can go up to Zakros from the old street that linked the two villages before 1985 were the new road manufacture. It is a dirt road in a good situation that in some points is moved in the verge of the gorge, offering a glorious view. Continuing your walk, do not omit to visit the sources of Zakros, leaving for a while the wild beauties of Kato Zakros and taking a breath of dew among the planes that shade the sources.

IT DESERVES
Finally, apart from the magic of landscape, the sea and the sun at all months, Kato Zakros deserves the kilometres that you will cover, even if simply you wish to relax in a beautiful beach of Crete, without a lot of people and mainly without to feel like a tourist. Besides you will very shortly get with the locals and enter to their company. The bathe in the crystal waters, the nature and the old culture of Crete, are waiting for you. Welcome!

NEAR
Only 8 km southern is Xerokampos, one of the most beautiful beaches with sand, where in September the white lilies of the sea bloom, an infrequent kind of plant. North, about 40 minutes by car, is the beach of Vai, with the impressive and unique palm groove. Very close to a deserted place is the monastery of Toplou (Virgin Mary Akrotiriani), an important historical monument that played decisive role in the resistance against the Venetians and the Turks. The small church with the old and great value pictures and the historical exhibition deserve a visit.
Therefore if you want to know the real Greece, come to Kato Zakros. It is the right place.