OMALOS PLATEAU
Omalos is a little village in the Platanias region. The Greek word “Ομαλός”meaning: smooth. This refers to the smooth plateau.
A plateau or highland is a plain, that is permanently located at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level. There are no major protrusions on the plateaus, their surface is even.
Omalos Plateau (Οροπέδιο Ομαλου) is located in the center of Lefka Ori (White Mountains, or Great Mountains) – in 1200 meters high!
Chania 38 km, Kolymvari 44.6 km, Kissamos 57.8 km
The area of the plateau is 15 km2. The plateau is located at the intersection of Platanias region, Sfakia region and East Selino region.
The road to the plateau is picturesque, exciting, adventurous!
GPS: 35.418055, 23.941633
On the way from Chania, at the entrance to the plateau is the Tzanis Cave
Tzanis Cave
It is actually impossible for tourists to explore the main cave of Tzanis: this is only available to trained professionals!
We can only see the entrance to the cave!
The cave has an interesting legend,
Since 1961, cave groups of different nationalities have been exploring parts of the cave system.
The cave was an excellent refuge in the battles against the Venetians and later the Turks in the late 17th century.
650 meters from Tzanis Cave is the center of the village of Omalos
The plateau is on 1,200 high, yet it is surrounded by the great mountains as a protective shield
The green oasis between the mountains: the Omalos Plateau.
It is a flat area of land, ringed by high peaks. It is located at an altitude of 1200 m above sea level.
The walk around the Omalos Plateau is 5-6 km, it is a light, flat walk that takes about two hours.
Fertile soils and a cooler climate are suitable for growing vegetables and fruits. Potatoes, apples and cereals are grown here.
Local cheese is made in small, round stone houses (mitata): graviera cheese.
In the warmer seasons, shepherds graze goats and sheep on the slope pastures (madares, μαδάρες).
The vegetation of the gorges and the lower mountains is abundant. The herb known as dittany, wild oregano and thyme are native to this part. The favorite drink in this region is Cretan mountain tea (Sideritis syriaca or also known as Tsai Tou Vounou).
In the spring, the plateau comes to life with thousands of flowers. They are unique, the native tulips.
The highest point of the province is Pachnes, which is located at an altitude of 2452 m above sea level.
By car, the highest point of the province
Where the big mountains meet
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