Kato Zakros

This is Crete’s Far East: a barren, rocky landscape, austere and appealing at the same time. The shimmering deep blue water of the Aegean Sea reveals itself whenever you catch a glimpse of the coastal line. The monastery Moni Toplou, a palace, a beach full of palm trees. The solitude emanating from such sites makes the coast fully unique - nonetheless, this is only the case during off-season. In the months of July and August, for instance, the palm tree beach in Vai is traditionally overflowing... with tourists.
Kato Zakros is also the site of the fourth Minoan palace (alongside Knossos, Phaistos and Malia). It was stumbled upon by a farmer while ploughing his land and has remained relatively intact. Another cherished destination is the bay with its many taverns along the beach. The numerous wells and fountains in the palace point to the abundance of water in the premises of the palace. With a spark of imagination, you might even get an idea of the way the different halls and courtyards of the palace were geographically configured. The aesthetic beauty of the palace is further underlined by a few cypresses. The silence and remoteness of the palace, however, disguises its significance beyond the immediate sphere of Kato Zakros; after all, its historical trajectory dates all the way back to trade links with Egypt 3,500 years ago. more

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