The hilly village of Ziros spreads over the lower slopes that the locals call Egremno (the Cliff) at an altitude of 590 m. at the pictureque Armeni-Handras plateau.

The village is the seat of the Municipality of Lefki. It is 31 km far from Sitia. The village was first recorded as Siros in 1577 in the Venetian Barozzi's catalogue of the villages of Sitia. In a census carried out by the P. Castrofilaka it was listed under the same name in 1583, with a population of 448. In 1928 with the first census after the union of Crete with Greece, the population was 742. Today the population of the village is approx. 742 but diminishing.The Ziros community includes the villages of Kalo Horio, Hametoulo, the coastal settlement of Xerokampos, the deserted Lamnoni and some settlements inhabited seasonally like Agrilia, Lethi, Achladias, Makri Livadi and Anargyros.

Ziros Ziros Ziros

An important peak sanctuary of the Middle Minoan period existed at the Plagia hill but now it is ruined. The Ziros area has many antiquities from all periods, however no methodical excavations have yet occured. Ancient sited can be found at Plakospilios (roman settlement and tombs), St. John (an Archaic set-tlement), Fonias (a Minoan settlement), Stalos (Minoan tombs and settlement), Katsoulianos (Minoan tombs), Pentalitro (Minoan Acropolis), Katergari Papa Pigadi (Minoan Settlement), Anemomilia (Minoan building), Pirgales (Minoan Villa), Vrisi Hametoulou (Minoan settlement), Limnia or Palaki Mantra Hametoulou (Minoan buildings).

Ziros has some old churches, the most interesting of which is Ayia Paraskevi. The walls have paintings and on the lintel over the east door is an inscription with the date 1523. Ιn the church of Ayios Nikolaos the dates 1507 and 1515 have been scratched on the walls. During the 1821 uprising against the Turks, the notorious blood­thirsty janissary Afendakis organised the mass murder of the Christians from Ziros and the surrounding villages of Hametoulo, Kalo Horio, Achladia, Tso and Apidia. The massacre took place about a kilometre from the village, near to where the road branches off to Apidia.

Ziros Ziros plateau area Ziros plateau area

Present-day Ziros shows considerable development, particularly from the financial point of view. This is the result not only of the abilities of the people, but also of the unsurpassed vineyards of the plateau which, together with olive oil from the district, bring in a considerable revenue. The caves of Agrilia and Ligias Spilios are to be found in this district.

From the book "Sitia", N.Papadakis, Archaeologist,1983

• Map
• Accommodation
• Villages
• Gorges
• Sites
• Other

Hotel Flisvos. Accommodation in Sitia- Crete Hotels

Hotel Elysee in Sitia

Dimitra apartments in Sitia

Bellevue apartments in Sitia

Portobelis Travel Agency

Corina Hotel Bungalows in Sitia

Nereids apartments in Sitia

Istron, Agios Nikolaos, east Crete

Myrtos or Mirtos Village southeast Crete

Sitia Town, East Crete

Plaka Village in Agios Nikolaos, East Crete. Holiday village in Crete

Xerokambos Village in East Crete

Ierapetra, East Crete

Zakros - Kato Zakros in East Crete

Goudouras village

Mochlos in Sitia, Eastern Crete

Koutsounari, Ierapetra, south east Crete

Elounda in Agios Nikolaos, East Crete

Neapolis Town, Lassithi, East Crete

Makrigialos or Makrys Gialos holiday village

Pachia Ammos, Ierapetra, east Crete

Koutsouras in East Crete

Kavousi Gorge Hiking and gorges in East Crete

Havgas gorge by Lasithi plataeui, East Crete

Agia Irini gorge. Xerokampos Beach area. Sights and gorges in East Crete

Karoumes gorge. Palekastro Kato Zakros Beach area

Xerokambos gorge. Kato Zakros - East Crete gorges and Sights

Zakros Gorge - Kato Zakros. Gorges and sights in East Crete

Milonas gorge in Ierapetra, East Crete

Pefki gorge in Makrigialos, East Crete

Sfaka gorge, Mochlos, East Crete

Ziros - Xerokambos gorge. East Crete gorges and Sights

Richtis Gorge by Sitia,Mouliana

Orino Butterfly gorge in Makrigialos-Koutsouras. Sights and gorges in East Crete

Xeniakou gorge by Embaros Lasithi

Agii Pandes - Sitia gorge. Sights hiking and gorges in East Crete

Adravasti gorge in Palekastro. Sights and gorges in East Crete

Archaeological Sites in Makrigialos, East Crete

Archaeological Site in Tripitos Sitia, East Crete

Itanos archaeological site in Palekastro, East Crete. Sights

Archaeological Site in Etia-Handras, East Crete

Achladia Archaeological Site in Sitia, East Crete

Vrokastro archaeological site. Agios Nikolaos, East Crete

Erganos: Archaeological findings

American student assisting Gournia excavations

Vasiliki Archaeological Site in Ierapetra, East Crete Sights

Dragmos Archaeological Site, East Crete

Pirgos by Mirtos or Myrtos archaeological site. Lassithi, East Crete

Olous archaeological site. Elounda, East Crete

Fortress Kales in Ierapetra, East Crete

Kornaros Tower and Agios Antonios in Mirsini, Sitia

Archaeological Site in Koufonisi or Lefki, Makrigialos, East Crete

Katsiveli or Svourichti mountain shelter in Lefka Ori

Mount Kouloukonas - Rethimno

The Venetian port in Chania

Agia lake in Chania, Platanias, West Crete

Tower of Alidakis - Emprosneros Chania

The mountaineering shelter Prinos

The Heraklion Venetian Harbour

Drapano lighthouse in Apokoronas Chania, West Crete

Drapano Cape in Apokoronas Chania, West Crete

The forest of Vlatos. Chania West Crete Hiking and nature

Visit the area of Mirtos: Chrissi and Sarakina

Venetian Period (1204-1669) in Chania

Zaros, an interesting place to visit. South Crete

Dikti mountain by Lassithi area, East Crete

Selakano forest, Eastern Crete Hiking and nature