The plateau of Nida is located 22 km south of Anogeia, at an altitude of 1450 m and it is surrounded by the mountains of Psiloritis. It is a beautiful, mythical place that stands out for its natural beauty. The surrounding mountains are covered with snow until the beginning of May and the plateau is always cool, even in the middle of the summer.
The area is purely pastoral, with the characteristic stone mitatos, the shepherds' lodges, scattered around its periphery. In the Spring, the golden grass (polygonum idaeum), the endemic herbaceous plant, spreads over the plateau creating a beautiful green carpet.
In the area, there has been an uninterrupted human presence. In Idaion Andron, one of the most important cult caves of antiquity, which according to mythology, Zeus, the king of the gods of Olympus, was raised, statuettes, flasks and bronze shields have been discovered and are in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. According to mythology, when the little Zeus cried, the Kouretes, the mythical guardians, beat their swords on their shields so that Kronos, the father, would not hear the cry of the little one. Excavations at the archaeological site of Zomynthos, the Minoan Settlement, located in the area and founded in 1900 BC, have revealed a central building. The building, with an area of 1360 sq.m. is huge and luxurious with 80 rooms. Zominthos was, probably, a station for the Minoans on their way to Ideon Andros.
In the middle of the route to Nida, from Anogeia, there is the simple, stone chapel of Agios Hyakinthos, the god of love. Every year on the name day of the Saint, on July 3rd, in the outdoor theater around the temple, rich cultural events are held that last 3 days and are a magnet for visitors and musicians from all over Crete and mainland Greece.
The Observatory of Skinakas, near the plateau, at an altitude of 1750 meters, opens its gates to the public five times a year, on the full moon. Through special cameras, visitors see the sun and the moon, and through the telescope they can see nebulae and constellations.
In recent years, an effort has been made to develop alternative forms of tourism in Nida. The mitatos have been restored and the archaeological site of Idaion Andros has been attended to. There are also many activities for nature lovers, such as hiking, mountain climbing, bird watching, mountain biking, etc. The E4 path leads, on one side to the top of Psiloritis, Timios Stavros, and on the other side to Zaros village, through the amazing forest of Rouvas.
A circular offroad route for 4x4 cars and enduro motorbikes starts from Anogeia, goes through Zomynthos, and Idaion Andros, reaches Zoniana village, Sfentoni cave and ends in Anogeia.
Nida is a special, different, destination that certainly exhibits the beautiful, mountainous side of Crete.
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