Anoula’s travel notebook
My favourite monasteries and churches on the Crete island:
- Moni Toplou, (go from Sitia to the Vaï Beach to find it) this monastery produces a famous olive oil. It won’t last forever because it looks like the monks want to sell the ground to a property seller. Behind the austere apparence of the monastery there’s a magical atmosphere, maybe caused by the encent smoke and the sifted light of the candles. Just avoid the rush hours to visit Moni Toplou 🙂
- Kapsa Monastery, is a magnificent place, located at the end of a gorge, it is hung on a cliff facing the sea, it is situated in the surroundings of Makrygialos in the South-East of the island.
- Panagia Kera is a very beautiful church which you won’t miss to see on postcards all around Crete, even if you just see it from the outside it is worth to go & see it, altough when you’re just in front of it, it seems smaller than on the postcards. It is 11 km from Agios Nicholaos when you go towards Krista.
- Arkadi Monastery, it is lost in the mountain near Rethymnon, it dates back the XIth century, it has a very beautiful XVIth century frontage. I hope there won’t be renovation work again when you will go & see it.
- Agia Triada Monastery and Moni Gouverneto Monastery, respectively date back the XVIth and XVIIth century, They are situated not far from each other on the Akrotiri peninsula, near Hania. The first one towers the lowland of the peninsula, the other one is hung on a mountain and it faces the sea. Amazing!!!
- Finally, a little paradise, on the road to join the Elafonisi Island in the South-west of the Island of Crete, you could see from the distance a whole white monastery with blue roofs: it is Moni Chrisoskalitissa.
You can visit all these monasteries and churches, there is an entrance fee according to the Cretan mood, the season and if it’s busy or not…
The Island of Crete has a very rich historical heritage you can’t miss it, it is all around you each step you do. Don’t hesitate, let yourself tempted and go in!
Anoula.