A Spectacular Circle

This tour starts a few miles south of Rethymnon at Armeni, a Late Minoan Cemetery. Here archaeologists discovered over 200 chamber tombs and one tholos tomb, many of which were still sealed from the time of burial. These tombs rovided a treasure-trove of evidence about burial architecture and mortuary practices; the skeletons also revealed useful information about the Bronze Age diet. We will continue south through the spectacular Kourtaliotis Gorge to the historic Preveli Monastery of St. John the Theologian (dating to the late 16th century), an important religious center and social refuge, a bastion of resistance during the Ottoman occupation, and one of the principal sites of the sheltering and ultimate evacuation of hundreds of Allied military to the Middle East during World War II. Dedications of thanks and praise from thankful soldiers give testimony to these dangerous times. The famous ‘Benediction Cross’, the palladium of the monastery, is kept in a shrine in the main church. We will then drive to Plakias, a small town on the south coast, where lunch awaits us on the seafront. That afternoon we will drive the beautiful coastline eastward to Frangokastelo, one of many Venetian fortresses on the island, the site of the ‘Legend of the Shadow Warriors’. Returning northward we will ascend into the White Mountains and enjoy a coffee break in one of the Sfakian villages.

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