Topolia Gorge or Topoliano lies south of the town of Kissamos. It starts at the village of Strovles and concludes at Topolia, at an altitude of 150 m. Its accessible section extends from between the villages of Katsomatado, at 250 m above sea, and the stone-built Marathokamara, until the nearby village of Topolia, at 150 m high. It spans 1,500 m in length, 5 to 50 m in width while its walls reach up to 300 m in height. River Tyflos runs through this gorge and crossing it is easy. There is a diversity of herbs and rich flora, with rare endemic plant species (namely, species that grow in a single location). The traveler will come across wild olive and plane trees, scrub oaks, wild sage, oleasters, thyme, gorse, myrtle, carob trees and many more. Along the gorge form a number of niches, out of which the most eminent and accessible to visit is the cave of Agia Sofia with the namesake church on its inside, stalagmites and stalactites of great archaeological interest.
DISCOVER ALSO
Culture
FOLKLORE CULTURE Folklore is a culture defined by its namesake: everything the people of a land say, do and act collectively and as a society. Folklore roots across the region of Kissamos are lost in the haze of time, back to Minoan Civilisation times. FOLK ART MUSIC Music and singing are strongly connected to all sides of everyday life for the inhabitants of the area. Traditional musical instruments of Kissamos are the lute and violin, instead of the lyre found in other regions. Locals have dubbed them ‘zygia’ and they are a vital part of days-long celebrations of joyous events like weddings, fairs, engagements, christenings and more. The dancing activities of the people of Kissamos is abundant too, who stomp…
Gastronomy
THE KISSAMOS DIET Kissamos locals, as do all Cretans, are traditionally gourmand and enjoy good, quality food. Their land’s trademark produce is the cornerstone of Mediterranean Diet. Local cuisine is, at its foundation, indigenous and the rule of thumb is the use of olive oil on every dish, with tomato and oregano assuming starring roles. The dietary habits of today’s locals are close to those in ancient times, something that is documented by inscriptions on Linear B tablets regarding cheese, olive oil, honey, wine, herbs and spices, meats and grain. Its basic features are simplicity, sparsity, making use of local and seasonal produce, all cooked with imaginative variation. OLIVE OIL No matter where you land on Crete, be it high…
