We follow the Herakleion - Aghios
Nikolaos road up to the 23rd km., where
the road to the south leads to Potamies
(34 km. from Herakleion). Near the village
is the old monastery of Panaghia
Gouverniotissa, of which the only part
still standing is the church of the
Panaghia, dedicated to the Dormition of
the Virgin, and in which can be seen fres-
coes of the 14th century. We continue to
the southeast towards Sfendyli, Avdou,
Gonies (40.5 km.).

Forty-three kilometres from Herakleion, a
road to the left leads towards Mochos and
then joins the national road from
Herakleion to Aghios Nikolaos (see route
2). Further along the road to the south
are the settlements of Krassi and Kera.

Near the neighbourhoods of Ano and
Kato Kera and in a superb setting with
a beautiful view is the monastery of
Panaghia Kardiotissa or Kera (Lady),
dedicated to the Birthday of the Holy
Virgin, which is commemorated on Sep-
tember 8th. The church incorporates
four buildings, the oldest of which is
adorned with 14th century frescoes. In
the monastery is kept an icon of the
"Virgin Enchained", believed to be mi-
raculous.
We continue to the south. At the 54th
km., at the village of Pikiano, near
which there is a lovely monastery dedi-
cated to the Life - Giving Fountain
(Zoodochos Pighi) of Vidiani, the road
forks out, to the right and to the left,
encircling the Lasithi plateau.
We take the left fork, traversing the
plateau from right to left.

The view from high up on the road is
magnificent. The picturesque windmills
work regularly to water the fertile plain
which covers an area of approximately
25,000 sq. km.

As the excavations carried out on various
sites have shown, this inaccessible area,
encircled by high mountain ranges, has
been inhabited since Neolithic times.

During the period of Venetian rule and
later under the Turkish occupation, the
region was at the forefront of the resis-
tance movement, with various uprisings
starting from it. It was also a place of
refuge for those who were being hunted
by the occupiers.

As we continue our circle and pass
through the villages of Kato Metochi,
Aghios Charalambos, Plati, we come - to
Psychro, 63.5 kms. from Herakleion,
situated at an altitude of 840 m. From
here a road of one kilometre in length
leads to a tourist pavillion and parking lot.

If we take a footpath for about another kilometre, we arrive at the entrance of the Dicte Cave, at an altitude of 1025 metres above sea level.
Many mythological tales are associated
with this dark, mysterious cave. From
the archaeological finds, it has been
established that this was a place of worship from Middle Minoan to Archaic
times. An altar was discovered, tables
for libations, numerous offerings, figurines, weapons, double axes, clay pots, rings, seals, precious stones etc.

The entrance is through an enormou opening which lights up the deepest recesses of the cave, which consists of a
large chamber. This large chamber is
divided in its lower part into four smaller areas, all of which are adorned with
stalactites and stalagmites. In the southern part there is a small lake.

From Psychro the road leads east, towards Kaminaki, Aghios Georgios and
the Kroustallenia monastery(72 kms.)
which is built on the eastern side of the
plateau, on an imposing wooded hill. It
is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin.

The monastery, as is the case with others in Crete, played an important role, during the Turkish occupation, as a centre of the revolutionary committee and as a school for the Greek children of the region.

Beyond the monastery, the road forks
out again. The part that continues to the northeast ends, after a tiring but lovely drive, at Neapolis, going through the villages of Mesa Lasithi, Mesa Potami, Exo Potami, Zenia and Vrysses.

The other fork continues to the north-
west, completing the circle. In this last
part we meet the village of Tzermiado
(74.5 kms.) which is the largest village
of the plateau.

In excavated sites near the village were
found Neolithic graves and Minoan
structures. In particular, on the peak of
Karfi, to the north of the village, a Minoan settlement was uncovered.
Among its findings was the statue of a
goddess, about a metre in height, which
is now in the Herakleion Archaeological Museum.

To the east of Tzermiado is the Trapeza
Cave, also known as the Cronion cave.
This cave was used successively as a
habitation, a burial area and an area of
worship.

Sir Arthur Evans found here a faience
statuette and gold leaves. Here were
also discovered figurines made of ivory,
wearing the "vraka" or aprons. In its
low entrance were scattered various ob-
jects, mostly of a ritual character, dat-
ing from the Neolithic, early Minoan,
Middle Minoan, Hellenistic and Byzan-
tine periods.

We continue towards Lagou and Pikiano (77 kms.), from where we return by the same road in a northerly direction until we arrive at the intersection leading towards Gonies (43 km.).
Wecontinue towards Mochos and the main Herakleion - Aghios Nikolaos road, joining the road at its 31.5 km. mark (see
route 2).