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Vrysinas mountain's history begins from the Middle Minoan Ages, when at its peak was a great sanctum. Today at the same place is situated a church dedicated to the Holy Spirit preserving the sanctity of the place. During excavations, they were found numerous figurines and votive offerings of clay. According the tradition, the mountain took its name from the numerous fountains and water faucets (vrissi) of the villages around it.
Armeni is a village with the Late Minoan cemetery (12th century b.c.), which is the largest cemetery of carved tombstones in Crete.
This walking route (Prases - Armeni) constitutes part of the European trail E4 with a total length of 15km and needs around 5 hours to be completed. The early Christian basilica of Goulediana dating to the 6th or 7th century is a three-aisled basilica with a beautiful mosaic ornamentation and is situated southeast of the village Goulediana at the point Onythe.
Chromonastiri is a village where one should visit the magnificent Villa Claudio, called also “Konaki”, as it served as an official residence during the Ottoman domination, and other Venetian Buildings.
You will also see the Byzantine churches of Panagia Kera and Agios Eftichios with frescoes from the 11th and 14th century, which are considered as the oldest known murals in Crete.
Chromonastiri was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno.
Gallos is the village where the university campus is located. It is at a near distance from Rethymno. In a little bit further from the center of the village and on the way to Atsipopoulo is the restored Monastery of Peter and Paul. Written testimonies about the history of the Monastery do not exist, while traditions abound. It is a sacred part of Arkadi Monastery.
Goulediana is a village 18km away from Rethymno and at an altitude of 530 meters. It has a rich history. The name Goulediana was reported as a suburb of Rethymno during the Venetian domination. In the village of Goulediana there are ruins of a proarchaic fountain and an archaic house.
Early Christian basilica of Goulediana
This three-aisled early Christian basilica with rich mosaic ornaments was discovered at Onythe, southeast of the village of Goulediana, which is located 18km away from Rethymno.
It dates to the 6th or the 7th century. In Goulediana there is also an important monument of the first Byzantine period, the Basilica of Gouledanes and Agia Kyriaki, built in 1787, a church with a cavernous sanctuary.
Kapediana is a traditional village and has a magnificent view to the Cretan Sea. At the entrance of this green village with a small passing river that flows from the Mount of Vrissinas, there is an Ottoman fountain with an Ottoman inscription. Outside of the village is the church of Sotiras Christos.
The caveLatsida (Sotira Christou)- alt: 380m, loc: Sotira Christou, north-east of Kapediana, 30x2x10. In the cave there are important engravings. Prasses maintain the Venetian architecture married to the lush natural landscape. It was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno. In the village, the remains of three “koule” (ottoman forts) are identified. One of them, near the River Dam and the Sima Bridge, is one of the monumental attractions that along with the Venetian buildings of the village spark the attention of the visitor as well as the old Venetian aquaduct with its fountain and the troughs.
Taking the road from Rethymno which leads to the village of Gallos, where the University Campus is situated, you continue south reaching the Late Minoan III cemetery of Armeni. Then the route continues to Chromonastiri. It is worth stopping over at the Byzantine chapel of the Virgin Mary of Keras.
The dirt road leads to Prasses from where it continues south toward the Potami Dam. Shortly after the beautiful bridge of Prasses, a fork to the right leads to Mirthio a green village in nature that takes its name from the plant Mirtia.
Then the route passes through the livestock farming villages of Seli, Goulediana, where the archaeological site of Onithe is situated nearby, Kare and Armeni from where the main road descends to Rethymno.
Estimated duration: 3 hours
Distance: 48 km
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Armeni is a village with the Late Minoan cemetery (12th century b.c.), which is the largest cemetery of carved tombstones in Crete.
This walking route (Prases - Armeni) constitutes part of the European trail E4 with a total length of 15km and needs around 5 hours to be completed. The early Christian basilica of Goulediana dating to the 6th or 7th century is a three-aisled basilica with a beautiful mosaic ornamentation and is situated southeast of the village Goulediana at the point Onythe.
Chromonastiri is a village where one should visit the magnificent Villa Claudio, called also “Konaki”, as it served as an official residence during the Ottoman domination, and other Venetian Buildings.
You will also see the Byzantine churches of Panagia Kera and Agios Eftichios with frescoes from the 11th and 14th century, which are considered as the oldest known murals in Crete.
Chromonastiri was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno.
Gallos is the village where the university campus is located. It is at a near distance from Rethymno. In a little bit further from the center of the village and on the way to Atsipopoulo is the restored Monastery of Peter and Paul. Written testimonies about the history of the Monastery do not exist, while traditions abound. It is a sacred part of Arkadi Monastery.
Goulediana is a village 18km away from Rethymno and at an altitude of 530 meters. It has a rich history. The name Goulediana was reported as a suburb of Rethymno during the Venetian domination. In the village of Goulediana there are ruins of a proarchaic fountain and an archaic house.
Early Christian basilica of Goulediana
This three-aisled early Christian basilica with rich mosaic ornaments was discovered at Onythe, southeast of the village of Goulediana, which is located 18km away from Rethymno.
It dates to the 6th or the 7th century. In Goulediana there is also an important monument of the first Byzantine period, the Basilica of Gouledanes and Agia Kyriaki, built in 1787, a church with a cavernous sanctuary.
Kapediana is a traditional village and has a magnificent view to the Cretan Sea. At the entrance of this green village with a small passing river that flows from the Mount of Vrissinas, there is an Ottoman fountain with an Ottoman inscription. Outside of the village is the church of Sotiras Christos.
The caveLatsida (Sotira Christou)- alt: 380m, loc: Sotira Christou, north-east of Kapediana, 30x2x10. In the cave there are important engravings. Prasses maintain the Venetian architecture married to the lush natural landscape. It was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno. In the village, the remains of three “koule” (ottoman forts) are identified. One of them, near the River Dam and the Sima Bridge, is one of the monumental attractions that along with the Venetian buildings of the village spark the attention of the visitor as well as the old Venetian aquaduct with its fountain and the troughs.
Taking the road from Rethymno which leads to the village of Gallos, where the University Campus is situated, you continue south reaching the Late Minoan III cemetery of Armeni. Then the route continues to Chromonastiri. It is worth stopping over at the Byzantine chapel of the Virgin Mary of Keras.
The dirt road leads to Prasses from where it continues south toward the Potami Dam. Shortly after the beautiful bridge of Prasses, a fork to the right leads to Mirthio a green village in nature that takes its name from the plant Mirtia.
Then the route passes through the livestock farming villages of Seli, Goulediana, where the archaeological site of Onithe is situated nearby, Kare and Armeni from where the main road descends to Rethymno.
Estimated duration: 3 hours
Distance: 48 km
Original source text
Vrysinas Route
Vrysinas mountain's history begins from the Middle Minoan Ages, when at its peak was a great sanctum. Today at the same place is situated a church dedicated to the Holy Spirit preserving the sanctity of the place. During excavations, they were found numerous figurines and votive offerings of clay. According the tradition, the mountain took its name from the numerous fountains and water faucets (vrissi) of the villages around it.
Armeni is a village with the Late Minoan cemetery (12th century b.c.), which is the largest cemetery of carved tombstones in Crete.
This walking route (Prases - Armeni) constitutes part of the European trail E4 with a total length of 15km and needs around 5 hours to be completed. The early Christian basilica of Goulediana dating to the 6th or 7th century is a three-aisled basilica with a beautiful mosaic ornamentation and is situated southeast of the village Goulediana at the point Onythe.
Chromonastiri is a village where one should visit the magnificent Villa Claudio, called also “Konaki”, as it served as an official residence during the Ottoman domination, and other Venetian Buildings.
You will also see the Byzantine churches of Panagia Kera and Agios Eftichios with frescoes from the 11th and 14th century, which are considered as the oldest known murals in Crete.
Chromonastiri was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno.
Gallos is the village where the university campus is located. It is at a near distance from Rethymno. In a little bit further from the center of the village and on the way to Atsipopoulo is the restored Monastery of Peter and Paul. Written testimonies about the history of the Monastery do not exist, while traditions abound. It is a sacred part of Arkadi Monastery.
Goulediana is a village 18km away from Rethymno and at an altitude of 530 meters. It has a rich history. The name Goulediana was reported as a suburb of Rethymno during the Venetian domination. In the village of Goulediana there are ruins of a proarchaic fountain and an archaic house.
Early Christian basilica of Goulediana
This three-aisled early Christian basilica with rich mosaic ornaments was discovered at Onythe, southeast of the village of Goulediana, which is located 18km away from Rethymno.
It dates to the 6th or the 7th century. In Goulediana there is also an important monument of the first Byzantine period, the Basilica of Gouledanes and Agia Kyriaki, built in 1787, a church with a cavernous sanctuary.
Kapediana is a traditional village and has a magnificent view to the Cretan Sea. At the entrance of this green village with a small passing river that flows from the Mount of Vrissinas, there is an Ottoman fountain with an Ottoman inscription. Outside of the village is the church of Sotiras Christos.
The caveLatsida (Sotira Christou)- alt: 380m, loc: Sotira Christou, north-east of Kapediana, 30x2x10. In the cave there are important engravings. Prasses maintain the Venetian architecture married to the lush natural landscape. It was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno. In the village, the remains of three “koule” (ottoman forts) are identified. One of them, near the River Dam and the Sima Bridge, is one of the monumental attractions that along with the Venetian buildings of the village spark the attention of the visitor as well as the old Venetian aquaduct with its fountain and the troughs.
Taking the road from Rethymno which leads to the village of Gallos, where the University Campus is situated, you continue south reaching the Late Minoan III cemetery of Armeni. Then the route continues to Chromonastiri. It is worth stopping over at the Byzantine chapel of the Virgin Mary of Keras.
The dirt road leads to Prasses from where it continues south toward the Potami Dam. Shortly after the beautiful bridge of Prasses, a fork to the right leads to Mirthio a green village in nature that takes its name from the plant Mirtia.
Then the route passes through the livestock farming villages of Seli, Goulediana, where the archaeological site of Onithe is situated nearby, Kare and Armeni from where the main road descends to Rethymno.
Estimated duration: 3 hours
Distance: 48 km
Armeni is a village with the Late Minoan cemetery (12th century b.c.), which is the largest cemetery of carved tombstones in Crete.
This walking route (Prases - Armeni) constitutes part of the European trail E4 with a total length of 15km and needs around 5 hours to be completed. The early Christian basilica of Goulediana dating to the 6th or 7th century is a three-aisled basilica with a beautiful mosaic ornamentation and is situated southeast of the village Goulediana at the point Onythe.
Chromonastiri is a village where one should visit the magnificent Villa Claudio, called also “Konaki”, as it served as an official residence during the Ottoman domination, and other Venetian Buildings.
You will also see the Byzantine churches of Panagia Kera and Agios Eftichios with frescoes from the 11th and 14th century, which are considered as the oldest known murals in Crete.
Chromonastiri was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno.
Gallos is the village where the university campus is located. It is at a near distance from Rethymno. In a little bit further from the center of the village and on the way to Atsipopoulo is the restored Monastery of Peter and Paul. Written testimonies about the history of the Monastery do not exist, while traditions abound. It is a sacred part of Arkadi Monastery.
Goulediana is a village 18km away from Rethymno and at an altitude of 530 meters. It has a rich history. The name Goulediana was reported as a suburb of Rethymno during the Venetian domination. In the village of Goulediana there are ruins of a proarchaic fountain and an archaic house.
Early Christian basilica of Goulediana
This three-aisled early Christian basilica with rich mosaic ornaments was discovered at Onythe, southeast of the village of Goulediana, which is located 18km away from Rethymno.
It dates to the 6th or the 7th century. In Goulediana there is also an important monument of the first Byzantine period, the Basilica of Gouledanes and Agia Kyriaki, built in 1787, a church with a cavernous sanctuary.
Kapediana is a traditional village and has a magnificent view to the Cretan Sea. At the entrance of this green village with a small passing river that flows from the Mount of Vrissinas, there is an Ottoman fountain with an Ottoman inscription. Outside of the village is the church of Sotiras Christos.
The caveLatsida (Sotira Christou)- alt: 380m, loc: Sotira Christou, north-east of Kapediana, 30x2x10. In the cave there are important engravings. Prasses maintain the Venetian architecture married to the lush natural landscape. It was awarded the "Cleaner Organized Traditional Settlement" award by the Committee for Tourism Promotion of the Prefecture of Rethymno. In the village, the remains of three “koule” (ottoman forts) are identified. One of them, near the River Dam and the Sima Bridge, is one of the monumental attractions that along with the Venetian buildings of the village spark the attention of the visitor as well as the old Venetian aquaduct with its fountain and the troughs.
Taking the road from Rethymno which leads to the village of Gallos, where the University Campus is situated, you continue south reaching the Late Minoan III cemetery of Armeni. Then the route continues to Chromonastiri. It is worth stopping over at the Byzantine chapel of the Virgin Mary of Keras.
The dirt road leads to Prasses from where it continues south toward the Potami Dam. Shortly after the beautiful bridge of Prasses, a fork to the right leads to Mirthio a green village in nature that takes its name from the plant Mirtia.
Then the route passes through the livestock farming villages of Seli, Goulediana, where the archaeological site of Onithe is situated nearby, Kare and Armeni from where the main road descends to Rethymno.
Estimated duration: 3 hours
Distance: 48 km