The Myth of Zeus on Mount Juktas

Blog: The Myth of Zeus on Mount Juktas – The Mountain Where the Father of the Gods Sleeps Somewhere between Heraklion and the vineyards of Archanes, a giant lies sleeping. Look at Mount Juktas (Giouchtas) from a distance and you will see it clearly: the ridgeline forms the profile of an enormous face turned to…

wine press

The Oldest Wine Press in the World Is in Crete

Blog: The Oldest Wine Press in the World Is Right Here in Crete Long before French vineyards, Italian cellars, or any of the wine regions we associate with today’s industry, the Minoans of Crete were already pressing grapes into wine using equipment that archaeologists still study today. On the eastern slopes of Mount Giouktas, just…

olive oil of crete

How the Island’s “Liquid Gold” Is Made

 Blog: Olive Oil Tasting in Crete, How the Island’s “Liquid Gold” Is Made Long before it became a bestseller on supermarket shelves worldwide, Cretan olive oil was simply called chryso — gold. It’s the backbone of the island’s cuisine, its economy, and its identity. Crete alone produces around 5% of the world’s olive oil, and…

Ha Canyon : the Most Impressive Gorge in Eastern Crete

 Blog: Ha Canyon, the Most Impressive Gorge in Eastern Crete Tucked into the western slope of Mount Thripti, near the village of Monastiraki, lies one of Crete’s most dramatic natural landmarks: Ha Canyon. Just 1.5 kilometers long, this narrow gorge carries the waters of the Thripti plateau down toward the Ierapetra plain, cutting through rock…

Life on the Omalos Plateau

  Blog: Life on the Omalos Plateau – The Place Where Time Still Stands Still High in the White Mountains of western Crete, cradled by peaks that stay snow-capped well into spring, lies a hidden world that the modern age seems to have forgotten. The Omalos Plateau sits at more than 1,000 metres above sea…