The Lasithi Plateau

The  most famous country visit in this eastern part of Crete is the Lassithi Plateau - actually a flat floored valley.

Our first view of the plateau was from the pass at Seli Ambelou with the ruined stone windmills above the road.  Down on the plain are several small communities dotted about the verdant patchwork of farmland, apple and cherry orchards and vineyards.  Here they also grow vegetables and grain and the small dots of white in the meadows turned out to be sheep.

The road leads down into the valley and round to Psyhro on the southern edge.  Here we parked so that those with strong legs could follow the footpath up to the Dictean Cave where Zeus was fabled to have been born.  Incidentally, for those who cannot do the climb but are really anxious to see the cave there are some donkeys to take you up - at a price, of course.

The rest of us either looked around the souvenir shops and took photos of the valley or sat at one of the cafes and drank freshly squeezed orange juice.

The remains of the old stone windmills

Our late lunch break was at the restaurant at the Seli Ambelou Pass.  It was lovely to sit outside looking over the valley while we ate and discussed the tour.  I was with some people from another hotel (different resort) and realized that I would have had a much better holiday if I had stayed there.

Something the Lasithi Plateau was famous for was its windmills.  A few have been preserved but most are derelict and others merely decorative.

Between the beautiful countryside and the heart-stopping mountain passes this was a fabulous day out - and we were lucky enough to have our favourite guide.

One of many vineyards in the valley