A wonderful trip across the Northwestern side of the White Mountains ends at the Omalos Plateau. The first village we come to is Fourness, rich with orange trees; next is the village Laki, the last village before the plateau. Laki is a historical village that has played an important role in all Cretan revolutions (1821-1866). Ascending the hill, at an altitude of 1.080 meters we reach the Omalos Plateau, which has the shape of an irregular circle and is surrounded by steep, awe-inspiring mountains. The plateau, due to its natural fortification, has always been a refuge during all the important revolutions of Crete. At the entrance of the plateau there are small stone houses occupied only during the summer months. There is also the church of St. Panteleimon where you can find the grave of Hatzimichalis Yiannaris who was the hero of the 1821 revolution against the Turks.
In the southern part of the plateau, you can see Xiloskalo from where the descent begins to the Gorge of Samaria. It is the biggest and most impressive gorge in Europe. It spreads 18 kilometers starting from Xiloskalo and ending in in Ag. Roumeli on the Libyan Sea. Its crossing is only possible during the summer months. We start the descent from Xiloskalo, (altitude 1.200 meters), where you can be trans- ported by the grandeur and the wildness of the landscape, as well as lush vegeta- tion. After 4 to 5 kilometers, we come to the church of St Nicholas. On this site, a small agricultural sanctuary has been recently discovered. We then come to the village Samaria, a small settlement of woodcutters, which was deserted in 1965. Some of the houses have been repaired by the Forestry Commission and are used as hostels. After the village of Samaria we come to the Byzantine church of the Sacred Mary of Egypt. On the iconostassi (1740) the Sacred Virgin is depicted receiving the Holy Communion from St Zossima. Continuing we reach Portes, the most impressive part of the ravine where its width narrows, at some point, to only 3 meters.

After Portes, which is also the exit of the gorge, we reach St. ROUMELI. The small village is built on the ruins of ancient Tarra. Tarra is mentioned by many ancient writers as a small but strong and inde- pendent town. It used to have its own currency on one side depicting the Cretan mountain goat and an arrow and on the other side a bee. Tarra, together with the other important towns of Northwestern Crete, Elyro and Yrtakina, had made a nu- mismatic treaty. After the conquest of Crete by the Dorians, it is mentioned as a big religious centre with big temples, chiefly of Apollo and Vritomartis Diana. On the site of the temple, during the period of Venetian domination a church of the Virgin Mary was built with the materials of the ancient temple. The local findings testify that the city flourished mainly during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It is believed that an ancient glass factory operated in the area, in excavations that were done in 1959 an ancient cemetery dated 5th and 6th century B.C. was found. The graves contained silver clasps, brooches, rings, a number of clay compasses and

many pieces of glass. St Roumeli is con- nected with Sfakia, Loutro and Sougia only by boat or one can walk the Samarian Gorge or follow the path from Agios Pavlos. The village is surrounded by steep moun- tains that take your breath away and the Libyan Sea. It is remote but in the daytime, it is full of passers-by. It is an ideal place for children as there are no cars. However, when the last ship of the day departs the village is a quiet community in one of the wildest places in Crete. On the evening of Holy Saturday, the people of the village offer the celebratory dinner to all the vis- itors, with traditional Cretan cuisine at a big feast in the village square. Between St Roumeli and Sfakia it is worth visiting the small seaside picturesque village LOUTRO. Here was the ancient town Phinikas, Port of Anopolis, which was am- phitheatrically built towards the shore.

The foundations of buildings and vaulted reservoirs survive up even today. Loutro is also mentioned during the first Byzantine period (330-824 A.D.) as a Seat of the Bishop. The beaches of the area are beau- tiful: Agios Pavlos, Marmara, Likos, Phinikas, Glika Nera and many more.



On the east of Sfakia and near the sea there is the district of FRANGOKASTELO where a Venetian castle stands. Its shape is rectangular with a square-shaped tower at each corner. On its gate, there is a relief of the lion of St Mark and on the left and right Venetian crowns. The inner buildings and the loopholes are constructed by the Turks. Under the building there are rem- nants of the church of St Mark. Near the fortress towards the sea the dilapidated church of St Haralambus survives as well as the very old church of St Nikita that had wall-paintings which no longer exist.

Great festivities took place during the old days and the people of Sfakia danced in full armor to display their war capabilities. Today the custom is revived during the celebration honoring St Nikita (15th Sep- tember). Building of the fortress com- menced circa 1340 and the Venetians named it the Castle of St Nikita. The people of Sfakia however, considering it foreign, named it Frangokastello, namely castle of the Francs - a name that has prevailed up to this day. The Venetians accepted it but they changed it into Castle Franco, namely free and daring fortress. During the period of Turkish occupation, violent battles between the Turks and Cretans defenders took place. Frangocastello is also related to an inexplicable phenomenon up to today. It is said that during the second fortnight of May, when calmness prevails at sea, during the early hours of the morning, shadows are no- ticed in the area, which resemble armed horse-riders, who ride from the church of St Haralam- bus to the fortress. The people call them "dewdrops" because the phenomenon occurs in the early morning hours. Many in- terpret it as a mirage.