Toplou is a fortified 15th-century monastery on the road between Sitia and Vai, set alone in dry hill country with the sea visible to the north. The high blank walls, the narrow gate, and the bell tower add up to a fortress as much as a religious house — and indeed it was a refuge during pirate raids and Ottoman uprisings.
The interior holds an outstanding icon collection in a small museum, plus the monastery's own olive press, distillery, and gift shop selling the monks' organic oil and raki. Open daily for most of the year; small admission. Allow an hour.