Botanical Park
Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete
A devastating fire at the foothills of the White Mountains burned down an entire area of olive and orange groves in Skordalou in 2003. Out of this disaster, the idea of creating a garden that would host plants and trees that thrive in the area was born.
Today, the Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete covers an area of about two hundred acres and offers visitors the opportunity to get to know fruit trees, herbs, spices, medicinal and ornamental plants from all over the world, to explore the world of nature and to see the animals that inhabit it.
On this three-kilometers trail, more than 80 species of herbs from the region have been recorded, most of them endemic – medicinal, labelled and coded on 48 signs. Greek and foreign visitors – walkers are informed by the signs about the identity of the plants – herbs, flowers in Greek, French and English.
The inspirer and initiator of the upgrading of the path is the French Professor of Ancient Greek, Jean Claude Svendema, a lover of Crete and president of the Alsace – Crete Association.
Botanical path of Kavousi
A small paradise for hikers and plant lovers is located near Kavousi in the Lasithi Prefecture, with excellent specimens of orchids, as well as numerous endemic plants of Crete. It is the ‘path of the Franks’, as it has been called since Venetian times, located in the gorge of Mesona.
On the traces of the path, the inhabitants of Kavousi built in 1955-1957 a longer, safer path and an irrigation canal, which flows from the springs of Mylonia to the village of Kavousi and provides the water supply for the village and olive groves in the coastal strip.
On this three-kilometers trail, more than 80 species of herbs from the region have been recorded, most of them endemic – medicinal, labelled and coded on 48 signs. Greek and foreign visitors – walkers are informed by the signs about the identity of the plants – herbs, flowers in Greek, French and English.
The inspirer and initiator of the upgrading of the path is the French Professor of Ancient Greek, Jean Claude Svendema, a lover of Crete and president of the Alsace – Crete Association.