Crete's Prefecture of Lasithi reaches from the palm beaches of Vai in the far east to the high plateau of Lasithi, encircled by steep mountains in the west. There you find

• the splendorous Minoan palace of Kato Zakros,
• Europe's southernmost city Hierapetra,
• Zeus' birthplace in the Diktaian Cave,
• the smallest distance from the Cretan Sea in the north to the Lybian Sea in the south.

Estern Crete has the highest density of Minoan finds, apart from Knossos itself. With Gournia, and Palaikastro you find cities, still giving visitors an impression of ordinariy Bronze Age life. Kato Zakros is one of the most splendodous palaces, mysteriously abandoned in such a hurry that even valuable gold objects were left behind. In Olous you can observe ruins under a few feet of water.

The Lasithi plateau has served the last Minoan survivors - the Eteocretans - as a refuge, long after their civilization has ceized to dominate the Aegean waters, just as it served Cretan resistance fighters in the ages of Roman, Venetian and Ottoman occupance.

• Join the roleplay in Exotikos.
• Join the discussion in The Ages of Bronze and Iron.
• Contribute to the Hellenic Photo Album.

Hellenic Ministry of Culture
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