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The Cretan Minoan Apartments are situated in East Crete, in the area of Zakros. They were named after the Minoan Palace of Zakros, one of the greater palaces of the Minoan Civilization in Crete.
They were first built in 1928, recently fully renovated, with a deep respect of the environment and the traditional construction terms, the owners offer their family house to be your authentic Cretan holiday home.
You can reach Zakros, by flying to Sitia's Public Airport, which is only 40 km away from the Cretan Minoan Apartments.
THE HISTORY
The house was the largest in the village. It was the mansion of the area, and hosted a lot of people from the surrounding area. Because it was spacious, all the events of the village were taking place.
During the German occupation in 1941, the Germans had settled in the house until the war was over. It is located in the most beautiful part of the village and has a unique goddess and quiet.
You see the sea of Kato Zakros and Xerokampos on the one hand and the beautiful mountains on the other. Next to it is the water museum, the watermill and the Rasodrivio. The house is built on a beautiful rock that adorns many flowers. It is also very close, about 500 meters from the spring with many crystal clear waters and beautiful plane trees.
CHECK PRICESTOP 3 REASONS TO STAY IN
“CRETAN MINOAN APARTMENTS”
N°1
Zakros water springs
Distance from Cretan Minoan Apartments 600m
Zakros water springs offer a cool break among the plane trees. Water is abundant and has always been giving life to the surrounding area.
While reaching the sign for the Zakros water source, in the upper part of the village, you will find two paths. One leads towards the water spring, between plane trees and flowers. On your left hand, in the beginning of the path you will see the small church of Afentis Christos (Master Jesus).
The other path, leads to a lower ground with benches and tables, ideal for a relaxing picnic between trees.
From the water source begins a magnificent ravine with age-long plane trees leading to the gorge of the Dead.
N°2
Gorge of the Dead
Distance from Cretan Minoan Apartments 1200m
The beautiful Gorge of Zakros (or the gorge of the Dead) starts in a short distance from the village, nearly 100km southeast of St. Nicholas, and ends at Kato Zakros. The beauty of the landscape, the historical importance of the gorge and its accessibility, attract many visitors every year. The trail in the gorge is part of the E4 European trail.
It is an exceptionally beautiful gorge, with high walls with big caves on them. In those caves, tombs of the Minoan era, have been found, which contained findings of great archaeological value. Because of these tombs, the gorge is also called "Gorge of the Dead" and the caves "Caves of the Dead".
It takes about 2 hours to reach Kato Zakros, where you can enjoy the beach and the taverns of the beautiful seaside village. From Kato Zakros, you can get the bus to return to the Zakros, without having to walk backward in the gorge
N°3
The Palace of Zakros
Distance from Cretan Minoan Apartments 8.500m
The Palace of Zakros was built at the outlet of the imposing Gorge of the Deads and is the fourth largest Minoan palace that has been excavated.
The palace covers a total area of 8 acres. The excavations started in 1900 by the British School of Archaeology but he who first discovered the palace in 1961 was Nikolaos Platon. The palace at Zakros is one of the most important archaeological discoveries, considering that it is the only Minoan palace not looted and found with its treasury vault intact!
Heart of the palace was a large central courtyard, from where a paved road to the port started. Around the courtyard you can still see the remains of the kitchens, the workshops, the warehouses, the treasury vault, the file room, a lustral basin, skylights, a banquet room, the royal apartments and a large pool-like fountain. Around the palace there were houses with many rooms, probably auxiliary to the palace.