Lasithi Province

Crete's easternmost region is home to the island's top resorts: Agios Nikolaos smoulders with cosmopolitan cool, while just around the bay, Elounda tiptoes between luxe and relaxed. Paradoxically, this is also the wildest region, with the richest biodiversity and the least trampled ranges; it’s so rugged in places that you half expect Pan to emerge, pipe in hand, from the meadows.

For the wanderer in search of adventure and gastro delights, Lasithi ticks all the boxes; cyclists head up to misty Lasithi Plateau, trekkers tackle dramatic canyons such as the famous Zakros Gorge, and foodies enjoy some of Crete’s finest tavernas and restaurants. Then there are attractions like the historic monastery of Toplou, Vaï’s beguiling palm-lined beach, and scores of towns and villages that maintain a rich undertow of Cretan history and spirit. And let's not forget Lasithi's rich ancient history, with Minoan and Dorian sites to explore in numerous places.