Asterousia
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The
Asterousia mountain range stretches out south of the Messara plain from Kap
Lithino to the west towards the holiday resort of Tsoutsouros to the east.
Even though Asterousia does not belong to the highest mountains in Crete (it's
highest summit is Kofinas, 1.231 m), the landscape offers many beautiful
experiences, especially to geologically interested people. In many places,
particularly on the southern slopes, there are rich opportunities to see
the many different stone layers, as they appeared when Crete was pushed up
over the African tectonic plate.
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Furthermore
the mountains offer many small and cosy villages, where time passes
unnoticed. There is not much tourism in the area, even though a good deal
of new building is going on for the moment. In many places new roads are
being constructed instead of the old gravel roads, which are often not
easily passable.
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In
Asterousia you find several active monasteries (Odigitria, Apezanon,
Koudoumas and Agios Nikitas), several churches, ruins of monasteries as
well as ruins from Antiquity.
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During my stay I lived in Pyrgos, except for the last night, which I spent in Kali Limenes. | |||
Main street in Pyrgos
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The
photos consist of 4 parts, each part representing a day tour.
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Tour
1: (green)
Rotasi,
Mournia, Aba, Tris Ekklisies, Paranymfi, Platanias, past the summit of
Kofinas and down to the Koudoumas Monastery.
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Tour
2
: (red)
Sternes, Kofinas, Kapetaniana, Agios Ioannis.
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Tour
3
: (orange)
Rotasi, Ethia, Achendrias, Agios Nikitas, Tsoutsouros.
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Tour 4 : (blue) Charakas, Agia Fotia, Sternes, Panagia, Stavies, Loukia, Lendas, Platia Peramata, Kali Limenes (Odigitria Monastery, Agiofarango Gorge). | |||
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