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| Agrotourism | Caving | Jeep Safaris | Scooter Safari | Sight-seeing Tours | Paragliding | Scuba diving | Sailing | Mountain biking | Trekking | Yoga | ||||||||||
ALTERNATE TOURISM IN CRETE GREECE: CAVING!There are over 3000 caves in Crete out of which only 850 have been explored. The Cretan Speleologists have been very active in the last twenty years and they have been very fortunate in finding the deepest cave in Greece “TAFKOS CAVE AT PETRADOLAKIA” a chasm as deep as 475 meters with a subterranean riverbed. The exploration required about 20 descents and dangerous confrontations with ice-cold waters and treacherous footholds.What is most exciting in such deep enclosures are the fossils as well as the animal and vegetation life. The effect of the stalagmites and stalactites which hang majestically and form various impressive decorations and the mystery attached to this inexplicable beauty raise many questions. We invite you to explore some of the known or unknown caves of Crete together with our guides who will help you to venture the mystics of this unforgettable experience. All you need is to be a group of 4-6 people ready to follow the steps of the most ancient origins of our island. All the gear and transportation will be provided by us. Prices can be given only upon request after the final program has been finalised directly with you. Man used caves as places of worship and also as dwellings as far back as the Paleolithic Times. The Minoans began to worship their gods in small shrines in sacred caves or in shrines built on mountain peaks and tops of hills. Here below we have a list of some of the known caves in Crete.
The Diktian Cave (Dikteon Andron) . The legendary birthplace of Zeus, this cave can The Idaian Cave (Ideon Andron) . 20 km. south of Anogia, on the plain of Nidas, on Mount Psiloritis, lies this sacred cave, where according to mythology, Goddess Rhea hid the baby Zeus from the murderous Kronos. Cult objects have been found here along with statues and bronze shields and other finds are displayed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. The Cave of Eileithyia (Ilithiia) . This cave was used for cult rituals from the Neolithic era up to the 5th century B.C. Lying 1 km. south of Amnissos, it was dedicated to Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth. Archaeological excavations uncovered idols of a woman in the act of giving birth or praying. Figures of animals, neolithic fossils and tools were also found. The Cave of Aghia Paraskevi Skotinou. 22 km. from Heraklion. This very interesting cave was used for cult worship both in antiquity and during the Christian era. The Kamares Cave. Northeast of the village of Kamares (57 km. from Heraklion) lies the Cave of Kamares, established during the Minoan period as a sacred spot, possibly dedicated to the worship of the goddess Eilethyia. The impressive Kamares vases found in this cave are displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. Reaching the cave entails a 4-hour walk from the village. The Gerani Cave . 6 km. from Rethimno, this is a cave of prehistoric, paleontological and archaeological interest. Finds from this cave can be seen in the Rethimno Archaeological Museum. The Melidoni Cave . 3 km. from the village of Melidoni (26
km east of Rethimno), this was used for cult worship during the
Neolithic, Minoan and Archaic periods. |
The cave of Sentoni Zoniana . This is Crete's richest cave
in terms of natural decoratio Rethimno, 13 km. west of Anoghia and
1 km. from the village of Zoniana at an altitude of 800 m.