E4.86 Papagiannades - Handras - Ziros

An easy route with no difficulties

We pass through Papagiannades (1), a village built on a steep slope, and then climb up eastwards to the mountain line, where we reach a water cistern (2).

We then cross the asphalt road and follow the dirt road that leads us eastwards.

After 500 m, we come upon a fork (3) and turn slightly south-eastwards. After 1.000 m, we reach the mountain line (4) where one of the first wind farms of Crete can be seen.

From there, the view towards the plateau of Handras opens up to the east.

We begin to descend gently and pass through a little abandoned settlement with a chapel; we then continue on our course to the village of Handras (5).

We walk along the central road of the village, until its southern exit; from there, we follow the asphalt road for 4 km; we pass through the narrow valley that connects the plateau of Handras with that of Ziros and then we reach (6).

Alternatively, we can follow the asphalt road from Papagiannades to Handras, to visit the abandoned settlement of Etia, where the villa Dei Mezzo, one of the most important Venetian monuments of the Cretan countryside is to be found.