Kritsa
©
Kritsa

Kritsa

Cretan mountain village above Agios Nikolaos, known for whitewashed hillside houses, weaving, and embroidery traditions.

Kritsa is a mountain village about 12 kilometres southwest of Agios Nikolaos, built in amphitheatre fashion on a jutting promontory. The white-washed houses stacked up the hillside make it one of the most photogenic villages in Crete, and you can see it from a distance as you drive up the gorge.

The village is known across Crete for its weaving and embroidery traditions. The narrow main lane is lined with shops selling colourful textiles — tablecloths, bags, and wall hangings made on traditional looms — and this is a better place to buy them than the tourist shops in Agios Nikolaos. Quieter alleys above the main lane lead to small squares and kafeneions that most visitors miss.

Just outside the village, the tiny Byzantine church of Panagia Kera contains some of the best-preserved 13th and 14th century frescoes in Crete and is worth the short detour. The nearby Kritsa Gorge is a pleasant two-to-three hour walk, especially beautiful in spring when wildflowers are out and the stream is still running.

Guide

Eating Out

Kritsa has several traditional tavernas along the main lane and in the small squares above it. Most serve Cretan standards — dakos (barley rusk with tomato and mizithra cheese), lamb dishes, and grilled meats — using local ingredients. The quality is generally good and the prices are lower than the tourist restaurants in Agios Nikolaos. A lunch stop here after visiting Panagia Kera makes for a sensible and satisfying day.

Guide

Things to Do

Kritsa is a small village, but it punches well above its weight for sightseeing. The Byzantine church just outside the village is one of the most important in Crete, and the village itself — with its weaving traditions and labyrinthine lanes — rewards a slow walk. The gorge below is a good hike for those with sturdy shoes.