The ruins of the ancient city of LATO can be found near the charming village of Krista near Agios Nikolaos . This is one of my favorite excavations in Crete and one of the first ones I had the opportunity to visit. Located on the sidelines, without crowds of crowds, exposed to the burning sun, which heats mercilessly the stone remains of the city. The atmosphere of isolation is conducive to such sightseeing that I prefer the most. It leaves room for reverie over the former inhabitants of this place and gives the chance for a picturesque photographic plein-air without tourists entering the lens.
This ancient Doric city-state was built in the saddle between the two peaks, which was a natural protection against potential attacks. From this place, the ancient inhabitants had a view of the phenomenal bay of Mirambello. The LATO was built before the arrival of the Dory, but the current ruins come from the period of Dorian rule in the fourth and fifth century AD The proximity of the sea meant the existence of the port (Aether LATO), located in today's Agios Nikolaos, which was used during Roman rule.
The name of the city comes from the name of the mother of Apollo and Artemis (Leto), although the main goddess which worshiped former residents was Eileithyia, whose image was on the coins that beat the city at the time.
Fortified LATO is one of the best-preserved cities from the Hellenistic period, as well as according to contracts held in other cities, it was also one of the strongest cities in Crete. Its inhabitants had the eye on everyone who came to the city, because the main gate had three more entrances and two courtyards that allowed for such control.
LATO had its rich infrastructure, which included cisterns carved out of the rock in which rainwater was later used in households. In addition to simple bicameral residential buildings, there were also workshops and public buildings in the city.
Excavation plan of the ancient city of Lato
One of them was Prytanyion - the former seat of the LATO government located in the northern part of the city with the ever-burning holy fire. Prytaneion resembled an ancient theater (about 80 seats) and was divided into three wings. The central part of the complex was used as a conference room and a dining room for outstanding representatives of the city. In addition to Prytaneion, there are also ruins of a large temple (10 x 16m) and an amphitheater of about 350 places located on the sidelines of the city.
From Agios Nikolaos , head towards Kritsa . About a kilometer in front of Kritsa, turn right. The turn is marked with an information board, so it's hard to miss it. After the turn you have to drive a bit over 2 km on a rather narrow and steep road, at the end of which there is a car park in front of the excavation site. Entrance to the excavation site, unfortunately, is not free, as the older guides indicate. In 2008, the ticket price was € 2 and it is valid until the present moment. Visiting the ruins of LATO is worth connecting with a trip to Kritsa and visiting the church of Pangia Kera .
↤ click the appropriate part of the island to change the bottom map
Information about one of the more known tourist cities of Crete, or about Malia. Description of attractions located in the city of Malia and a description of the specificity of this town.
Kritsa is one of the largest villages in Crete. The village has a lot of shops with local crafts.
The Lasithi Plateau is located about 70 kilometers from the capital of Crete - Heraklion. The average height at which the terrain of this plateau is located is 840 m above sea level.
One of the tourist attractions eagerly visited by people spending their holidays in Crete is the Dikte (Psychro) cave. The main factors that attract people to this cave are a rich and varied dripstone robe and a close connection with mythology.
Among the olive groves in the place called Logari, which is less than a kilometer from the village of Kritsa, there is a small Byzantine church of Panagia Kera from the 13th-14th centuries.
Stalida is located directly along the coast and is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Crete, which definitely comes alive with the advent of the tourist season
Most people crossing the route between Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra will definitely notice the large crack which is marked by the mountain located east of this road. This majestic geological creation called Ha was probably created as a result of an earthquake.
Xerokambos is a small settlement in which you will find literally several taverns, and most of the buildings are single-storey and one-story houses. The big advantage of this beach is a gentle sandy descent to the sea.
Agios Nikolaos (Άγιος Νικόλαος) is a small town with less than 20,000 inhabitants. permanent residents (according to statistical data from 2001). This city is the capital of the Lasithi nomos.
Although Elounda seems to be a sleepy fishing town to this day, however, appearances should not fool you, because this town and its surroundings can boast of probably the largest number of the best hotels.
Although Elounda seems to be a sleepy fishing town to this day, however, appearances should not fool you, because this town and its surroundings can boast of probably the largest number of the best hotels.
Stalida is located directly along the coast and is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Crete, which definitely comes alive with the advent of the tourist season
The ancient city of the LATO can be found near the charming village of Krista near Agios Nikolaos.
It is recognized that Gournia was inhabited between 3000 BC. 1,200 BC and is one of the few cities unearthed to a large extent.
Zakros is the fourth-largest Minoan palace in Crete in importance and size. This latest found, built on the east coast of the island is located in the village of Káto Zákros.
Zakros is the fourth-largest Minoan palace in Crete in importance and size. This latest found, built on the east coast of the island is located in the village of Káto Zákros.
The first palace was built around 1900 BC. in the place where there was a quite impressive settlement whose remains were later transformed into the central part of the city.
Moni Toplou (Μονή Τοπλού) also called as The Great Monastery is one of the most beautiful and important monasteries in Crete.
Moni Toplou (Μονή Τοπλού) also called as The Great Monastery is one of the most beautiful and important monasteries in Crete.
O Vai zrobiło się głośno, gdy w latach 70-tych na tle palmowego gaju nakręcono reklamę kokosowych batoników Bounty.
This inconspicuous little island located about 5 km from the center of Elounda is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Crete.
When heavy equipment entered the promontory near Sitia, no one expected that this area contained the ruins of the Hellenic city.
The abundance of water and shade mean that even at the peak of the tourist season, this place is full of lush vegetation.
At the top of a cone-shaped hill called Souvloto Mouri, the remains of an unusual building with a unique oval shape were discovered.
The ruins of the ancient city of Itanos are located at the eastern tip of Crete, less than 3 kilometers north of the famous palm beach of Vai. Although there are also nice beaches at Itanos, unlike its well-known neighbor, this place does not attract crowds. There are either accidental stray tourists or excavation enthusiasts here.
Just over 2 km from Palekastro, next to Chiona beach, there is a large archaeological site called Roussolakos
Just over 2 km from Palekastro, next to Chiona beach, there is a large archaeological site called Roussolakos
Ierapetra (Ιεράπετρα) is the fourth largest city of Crete and also the largest town located in the Lassithi prefecture.
Diaskari Beach, also known as Green Beach, is less than 3 km from Makry Gialos.
Koufonissi is a small island in the Libyan Sea, located just a stone's throw from the southern coast of Crete.
Less than 10,000 population of Sitia makes the city the smallest in Crete. Some even go a step further and say perversely that it is rather the largest village of Crete.
Napoleon's house is one of the few typically tourist attractions in Ierapetra. About what could have happened here in the summer of 1798 and possibly how much in this legend is the truth we write in the article on the page below.
Zakros is a small town on the east coast of Crete, less than 40 km south-east of Sitia.
Moni Kapsa Monastery is one of the most interesting monasteries in Crete. Its massive buildings were erected on rocky, gray slopes surrounding the nearby Pervolakia Gorge.
However, Pachia Ammos is not a typical crowded and lively tourist destination, which is not lacking in the north of Crete.
When, in 1960, heavy building equipment entered the small headland of Trypitos next to Sitia, no-one expected the land to hide the ruins of the ancient Hellenic city. To this day, this area is still being examined by archaeologists, and the found treasures feed the resources of the Archaeological Museum in Sitia. These niche excavations located just off the road to Vai are a must stop for any archeology enthusiast.
The ruins of the ancient city of Itanos are located at the eastern tip of Crete, less than 3 kilometers north of the famous palm beach of Vai. Although there are also nice beaches at Itanos, unlike its well-known neighbor, this place does not attract crowds. There are either accidental stray tourists or excavation enthusiasts here.
Redirected from the site - Káto Zákros (Ζάκρος). Zakros is the fourth-largest Minoan palace in Crete in importance and size. This latest found, built on the east coast of the island is located in the village of Káto Zákros. Rocky mountains surround the ruins of the palace complex with the remains of a once thriving city, built on a fairly hard-to-reach and inhabited area. Paradoxically, Zakros, being several centuries ago, a city with extensive contacts with other countries, was (and is actually still) the most isolated Minoan center on the island.
Komentarze
komentarz z
Potwierdzam - miejsce niezwykłe, widoki też i co najważniejsze - bez dzikich tłumów :)
komentarz z
Byliśmy. Bardzo lubimy takie właśnie miejsca.
komentarz z
Z dala od masowej inwazji turystów
lato
Oczywiście że warto zobaczyc te ruiny,to nie zapomniany widok i można się trochę poczuć jakbyśy byli w tych czasach,piękne i zaczarowane miejsce.
Lato w 2018 r
Niestety wszystko się zmieniło. Byłam w Lato w tym roku, naliczyliśmy 15 samochodów na parkingu, co oznacza, że coraz większa liczba turystów odwiedza to miejsce. Wstęp 4 euro, studenci z UE za darmo. Nie zmieniły się za to przepiękne widoki. Warto zwiedzić to miejsce ;)
Lato w 2018 r...
Oj to faktycznie nastąpiły zmiany. Jak byliśmy tam to nikt tam prawie nie przyjeżdżał a wejście było za darmo. Dziękujemy jednak za aktualną informację na ten temat. W najbliższym czasie zaktualizujemy nieco opis Lato. Pozdrawiamy :)
Wypełnij poniższy formularz aby dodać komentarz
lub kliknij w poniższy link aby skorzystać z możliwosci komentowania przez facebooka:
https://www.facebook.com/crete.poland/posts/10152799345432551