ZIROS – SKALIA
The starting point is the village of Ziros, where we can visit the small wetland at Pyrgoliki, an important spot for birdwatching, especially during migration periods. We tour the village and stop at the churches of Agia Paraskevi and Agios Georgios, following the E4 trail. Continuing on the route, we pass through the small plateaus of Zakathos and Kanevas, and we arrive at the historically significant, now abandoned settlement of Skalia.
SKALIA – EPANO ZAKROS – NEKRON GORGE – KATO ZAKROS
From Skalia, we proceed to the settlement of Epano Zakros, crossing the plateau of Mavros Kampos. This route offers unique views of the eastern coast of the area. Once we reach Epano Zakros, we can rest under the shady plane trees and refresh ourselves at the village's springs.
A short distance from Epano Zakros begins the Nekron Gorge, the most famous gorge in the area, which ends at Kato Zakros and is part of the European E4 trail.
The final part of the route combines the beauty of the landscape with the geological and cultural heritage of the area. Along the way, we pass the Minoan cemetery and the archaeological site of Kato Zakros. Within the archaeological site is the palace of Zakros, the fourth-largest palace of Minoan Crete, built in an area of rich natural beauty at the exit of the Nekron Gorge.
Visits to the Water-Powered Museum (near the lush springs of Epano Zakros) – a thematic museum gathering all objects and materials related to the use of water – and the Natural History Museum in Zakros – dedicated to the natural environment characteristics of the Sitia Geopark – are an integral part of the trail.
For more informations, check Sitia's Geopark official site
The geotrail is a result of the research project Joint Innovative Activities for Outdoor Tourism-JoinOut. The project entitled "Partnership of Innovative Rural Tourism Actions" and distinctive title: "JoInOuT", is implemented within the framework of the Action "Cooperative Innovation Formations/SCC" - 2nd Call: Businesses" and is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by National Resources in the context of the Operational Program "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (EPANEK)" of the NSRF 2014-2020" (Project code: ΓΓ2CL-0359457).
