Most foreign tourists visit Moni Arkadiou motivated by the beauty of the scenery highlighted in travel guides and postcards. They won’t be disappointed; it is exactly as shown in the photos, a mixture of Renaissance grandeur and rural charm. Cretans consider it a sacred place. What is odd is that they don’t venerate God or a Saint but freedom itself! Apparently the relationship between Cretans and religion is more complicated than expected
Tag Archives: churches & monasteries
Crete: Moni Toplou, a monastery to be tasted
On your way to Vai it is almost impossible to miss it. It looks like a fortress but it is a monastery, one of the wealthiest in Crete. In fact most of the land as far as the eye can see, it belongs to Moni Toplou as it is known informally the monastery. It possesses masterpieces of religious art too and it is incredibly well preserved. If these are still not enough to convince you for a visit, consider that they produce (and they sell) excellent products.
Crete: Moni Kapsa and Asprolithos
So far our journey in South Lassithi wasn’t something to be excited about. The greenhouses were alternating with raws of characterless “rooms for rent”, tavernas and various tourist shops. We left behind us Makrygialos, a former fishing village and now the most popular resort of the area, with a large feeling of disappointment about the effects of “all inclusive” tourism. Luckily the frustration didn’t last long (as you can see from the photo above).