PSARI FORADA

Sarakina - Myrtos - Tertza - Psari Forada

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Sarakina

Sarakina Gorge (also Myrtos Canyon, after the nearby coastal village of Myrtos) is a canyon in the southeastern part of Crete, Greece. The river of Kriopotamos flows through the gorge, which carries water at varying levels during the year, due to moist winters and arid summers.
 

The lower end of the canyon is somewhat easier to locate, while the canyon's transit from the upper end is easier to manage – the entrance into the canyon is hard to find in both cases, because it was not made touristy accessible yet.

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Myrtos

Myrtos is situated on the Libyan Sea. The patron saint of the village is Saint Anthony. The population of the village in 2010 was approximately 600 people.

The transliteral spelling of this village is often written as Mirtos.

Myrtos has a rich history but has only prospered with the advent of tourism. The village has many tavernas and diverse shops for both residents and visitors.

The area surrounding Myrtos was already inhabited during the Minoan period, but the current village dates from the first half of the twentieth century.

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On September 15, 1944, during the Second World War, the inhabitants of Myrtos were ordered by the Nazi-German occupiers to leave the village. Many refused to do so, resulting in the massacre of eighteen inhabitants as a reprisal and the almost complete destruction of the village by fire.

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Myrtos has a long beach consisting not just of sand, but also of fine-grained pebbles. The beach has received the "Blue Flag award", which requires the beach to satisfy a number of criteria in order to retain it.

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Psari Forada

Psari Forada is also called Psari Forada beach. It was originally the seaside village of fishermen and farmers coming from the village Kalami, situated 9km to the north. Psari Forada are hidden in the hug of a deep ravine formed by a small stream.

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The beach is quiet, but if you want to feel more secluded you could walk eastwards, right behind the Cape Theophilos with the small lighthouse, where a unique secluded beach, called Thiofilo, is formed. Opposite of Thiofilo, there is a large rock, which locals call Psaroharako. The water in the area is very deep and a small natural harbor is formed. You may also go to the western part of the main beach, which is quieter than the central.

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