The Turns of the Circle
The route has a total length of 130 kilometers and takes approximately three (3) hours by car or motorcycle, without stops. It is suitable year-round and appeals to lovers of nature, touring, cycling, hiking, water sports, tranquility, and good food.
At the easternmost tip of Crete, where land meets sea and the past embraces the present, a circular route of about three hours unfolds, rich in images, landscapes, and culture. You will pass through villages such as Piskokefalo, with the house of Vitsentzos Kornaros; Etia, with the De Mezzo mansion; Chandras and, very close by, the medieval settlement of Voila with its Tower; Ziros; Chametoulo; Zakros with its Minoan palace, a UNESCO monument; and Palekastro with sea views and Kouremenos Beach, now established as a top destination for water sports. On the road toward Sitia stands Toplou Monastery, an undying beacon of Orthodoxy, while the Archaeological Site of Petras—with its Minoan settlement and the best-preserved hieroglyphic archive of Minoan Crete—attests to the area’s age-old history.
Along the route, nature reveals all its grandeur, thanks also to the awe-inspiring Sitia UNESCO Global Geopark, with the Gorge of the Dead, the unique-in-Europe Vai palm forest and its splendid beach, the Alatsolimni salt lagoon, and the stand-out beaches of Xerokambos. At the same time, the region’s intangible cultural identity and heritage encompass its dry-stone walls, wild greens, Erotokritos by Vitsentzos Kornaros, the airy figures of the Sitia pidichtós dance, and the strains of a Sitia kontyliá.
The heart of the route, however, beats in its local gastronomy. The neráti mizithropita—a soft mizithra-cheese pie drizzled with honey—captures the magic of flavor. Xerotígana, loukoumia, and anevatá kalitsounia complete the indulgence. Sitia’s xygalo, tangy and refreshing, alongside graviera, anthotyro, and barley rusks, are among the standout products. Surrounding them are the multi-award-winning Sitia olive oil, the wines, and ever-present tsikoudia (Cretan raki), the signature of Sitia’s hospitality. Before you leave, visit a local shop and purchase local products and sweets—tangible samples of the area’s gastronomic wealth.
On this route, every stop is a story—an invitation to experience the place’s authenticity and uniqueness—which is why you should stay locally, in hotels or guesthouses offering every comfort and warm hospitality.
Route products
PDO products: Sitia Olive Oil, Sitia Xygalo, Sitia Wine, Malvasia—Sitia Wine.
PGI products: Cretan Sultana Raisin, Cretan Rusk, Sitia Wine.
Special products: Xerotígana, loukoumia, anevatá kalitsounia, aromatic herbs, olives, kefalotyri, tsikoudia, omatiés (traditional sausage), fish.
Route delicacies
Neráti mizithropita: A traditional delicacy of eastern Crete that always accompanies family celebrations and tables. It is a round, thin pie filled with xinomizithra (tangy mizithra). In the pan, the dough is spread by hand until the cheese spreads evenly across the whole pie; once golden, it is served with tsikoudia.
Xerotígana: A sweet for engagements, weddings, Christmas, and major feasts. Made from a mixture of flour, olive oil, and tsikoudia, rolled into a very thin dough and fried into flute or rose shapes. They are then “honeyed” in warm thyme-honey syrup and sprinkled with sesame and cinnamon.
Anevatá kalitsounia: A distinctive Sitia version of Crete’s traditional sweet cheese pastries. Leavened with sourdough that rises in stages, their creamy, sweet filling is enclosed in a thin sheet folded into a square. After rising, they are brushed with egg, sprinkled with sesame, and baked until golden—offering a fluffy dough that embraces a velvety filling, ideal for festive or everyday tables.
Loukoumia: A traditional sweet of eastern Crete, associated with the grape harvest and noted for its dense dough and distinctive taste. After kneading and frying in olive oil, they are “honeyed” with local thyme honey and dusted with toasted sesame, cinnamon, and clove.