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Cave of Zeus and hike through the Roza Gorge

Published: 13.04.2024

In the morning we drove first along the coast and then inland over the mountains to reach the cave of Psychro.


Trip to the Lassithi Plateau

We also crossed the Lassithi plateau.


Trip to the Lassithi Plateau

It lies at an altitude of 817 m to 850 m and is surrounded by high mountains.


Old windmills on the way to the Lassithi Plateau

We passed the remains of several windmills that are said to have once stood across the entire plain. They were used to pump groundwater into the fertile plain for irrigation.


Humanity Museum

Today, windmills in their white splendor can only be seen at restaurants and a museum that hope to attract tourists.


Trip to the Lassithi Plateau

When we arrived in the village of Psichró, a tourist infrastructure awaited us: there were souvenir shops, restaurants and a parking attendant who also collected the parking fee straight away.


Path to Zeus Cave

About a kilometer uphill, a well-developed path led to the Dictean Cave, in which, according to legend, the father of the gods, Zeus, was born.


Path to Zeus Cave

If you want to avoid the climb, you can also have a donkey carry you, but we decided against it.


View in front of the Zeus Cave

Already on the way there was a beautiful view over the plateau.


Zeus Cave

The cave goes deep down again and beyond the daylight you can admire the stalagmites and stalactites.


Zeus Cave

Back in the sun we left the plateau again and stopped in the small village of Kera.


Hike to Roza Gorge

There a hiking trail leads into the Roza Gorge.


Hike to Roza Gorge

Before we went all the way down, we first hiked a little higher and along the mountains above the gorge.


Hike to Roza Gorge

We walked past olive trees through the mountains, accompanied by the sound of the goats' bells in the surrounding area.


Hike to Roza Gorge

The initially very wide path became a little narrower and then led down into the gorge.


Path (!) on the hike to the Roza Gorge

Here we followed the course of a dried-up river bed.


In the Roza Gorge

In some places, overcoming the rocks required some climbing.


Path with climbing sections

But there was also a great landscape to admire.


In the Roza Gorge

At the end of the hike we went steeply uphill again, which was quite exhausting in the sun.


In the Roza Gorge

At one point we missed a staircase and had to climb up over a pile of rubble, which turned out to be not that easy.


View back to the Roza Gorge

Later, the narrow path right next to the precipice was at least secured with a sturdy railing, but led steeply upwards for a long stretch.


Way out of the gorge

Finally we reached a viewing platform from which we could once again see the gorge and also observe some eagles circling above it.


Roza Gorge Viewpoint

From here the route was much easier to manage, although not entirely without inclines.


Relaxing Walk back

At the hiking car park for the gorge, we saw a sign that described the path as a “relaxing walk.” This probably only meant the part up to the viewing platform, but even this was not easy to walk...


Vegetation along the roadside

Finally, we went through an olive grove and then back to the town.


Path through olive trees

As a reward, we had an ice cream with a view in the tavern before we set off on the way back.


In the Roza Gorge

The goats were also on their way home and were walking beside - and on - the road...


Goats on the road

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