Amari Valley

The Valley of Amari is one of the most scenic ways to approach Crete's central mountain range.

It spreads from Prasses (10 kms from Rethymnon on the north coast) in south-east direction to Adopoulou (10 kms from Agia Galini on the south coast).

Between the two villages of Vizari and Kouroutes, the valley runs in only 7 kms air-line distance below the 5 highest summits of the Ida Massif:

Stolistra / 2,325 m, Timios Stavros / 2,456 m, Angathias / 2,424 m, Vouloumenou / 2,267 m and Koussakas / 2,209 m.

In New Greek language, the Ida Massif is also called Psiloritis which means "the tall one".

In 2008, the Potamon Reservoir in the Amari Valley went into operation. Today it is the largest freshwater reservoir in Crete.

In July 2014, a crocodile was discovered in the reservoir. The animal was nicknamed Sifis, which is the diminutive of Iosif, the Greek version of the name Joseph.

It was found dead in early 2015. The Potamon Lake has since been nicknamed Lake Sifis.

Road distance: 41 km