Activities
- The name Anogia, meaning “high place”, is connected with the location as it is built, at an altitude of 790 m. The climate is particularly cold, because of the altitude, with snowy weather in winter and cool nights during summer.
- In Anogia, every summer is organized a three days festival dedicated to the God of love "Agios Iakinthos " The Yakinthia Festival takes place at a small open theater on the mountain, and many artists from all over Greece are invited. If you are there at this time of year, don't miss it.
- Anogia is very famous because of its traditional music artists. Walk early in the evening in the village and you will listen to many young musicians that play the Lyra at a cafe or their house yard.
- Anogia is a center of the hand and looms weaving as well as embrAnogia is a center of the hand and loom weaving as well as embroidery. It attracts many visitors that come here to buy a tablecloth or some pieces of linen. There is a factory where the wool from the sheep is processed. Many of the families here are occupied full-time with weaving. There are several shops in Anogia where you can see the process of loom weaving.
- On the mountain of Psiloritis is located also the Skinakas Observatory. Some days in the summertime the observatory is open to the public, and guidance is organized by the people who work there. If you are so lucky and these days you are in the area, don't miss the visit and the guidance of the observatory.
- From Anogia passes the old road that connects Heraklion with the city of Rethymno. Follow this road to visit the village of the area, like Zoniana, Livadia, Axos, Ancient Eleftherna, Melidoni Cave and admire the wild beauty of the mountains.
- The residents of the village are very hospitable and have many pleasant stories of their history and culture. They are especially well-known for their resistance to German and Turkish conquerors. Today’s village has been rebuilt three times since it has been burned down twice by the Turks and once by the Germans. Anogia, also, has a great tradition in music and it is the birthplace of many great musicians and performers like Vasilis Skoulas, whose family owns the Resort, Nikos Xilouris, and Psarantonis. Traditional Cretan music can be enjoyed in the village at weddings and concerts which are held in the open theatre during summer, as well as at festivals the first two weeks of August.
- The main occupations of the villagers are sheepherding and agriculture.
- From this area passes the European mountain path E4 that leads to the peak of Psiloritis mountain "Afenti Christos " (2.456m) the highest of Crete, from there the view is magnificent. If you don't wish to go to the peak of the mountain, there are many different paths that you can follow.
- Visit the cave of Sfendoni rich in stalactites and stalagmites, which is located very close to Zoniana village.
- Vist Tarrha Glass in Anogia Village, which is a blown glass workshop specializing in tableware, unique pieces, and architectural design. Tarrha designs are first drawn on paper and then transformed into three-dimensional objects using various techniques such as blowing and sand casting. Inspiration comes from many sources such as stone, wood, water, and seashells. Plain forms, textures, and vivid colors are the characteristics of Tarrha works of Art. The main achievement of Tarrha Glass is creating exclusive design and fine quality objects, which are promoted in selected shops all over Greece and abroad.
- The Archeological site of Ancient Zominthos is just 7.5km away from Delina Mountain Resort. Zominthos is situated 1187 meters above sea level on a small plain with a plentiful supply of water. It is best known for the large Minoan building discovered there: signs of permanent settlement date back to about 1800 BC. In 1982, the Greek archaeologist, Yannis Sakellarakis, unveiled a large two-story Minoan building at an altitude slightly below 1200m. The building’s unusual size and careful construction, which incorporates some features similar to royal architecture, has attracted the interest of archaeologists. The significance of the discovery is emphasized even further by the fact that it lies considerably above the limit of altitude of Minoan and modern Cretan settlements. Excavations have unburied only a small part of the building and are still underway. However, they have made clear that the structure has been strongly built and is unusually well-preserved, with some of the remaining walls rising up to 3 meters in height. One may visit the museum in Anogia which exhibits artifacts from “Zominthos”.
- The Skinakas Observatory is a research facility operated jointly by the Foundation of Research and Technology – Hellas (F.O.R.T.H.), the University of Crete, and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics of Germany. Traveling up the mountains toward Psiloriti at an altitude of 1750m. is situated in the Skinakas observatory. The observatory offers excellent conditions for high-quality astronomical observations of the area of the Mediterranean. It is equipped with a variety of instruments that qualify it as one of the world’s best-equipped telescopes, at least relative to its size. The first telescope came into operation in 1986. The second one, with a mirror diameter of 1,3 m., is the largest observatory in Greece and it is inaugurated in 1995. The observatory of Skinakas is a joined project of the University of Crete, the Foundation for Research and Technology (ITE), and the Max Planck Institut fur Extraterrestrische Physik of Germany. Also, it has excellent technological equipment. Note: The observatory opens to the public once a month during the full moon from May to September, between 5 pm and 11 pm (English-speaking guides in July and August only).
- Vossakos Monastery is located just 21 km away from Anogia Village. The church of Holy Cross in Vossako is built in a small plateau between the peaks Koutroulis and Mesokofinas of the Talean Mountains. The monastery can be reached by car via the village Doxaro and the rough landscape is amazing. There is a second road starting from Sisses village.
The name Vossako comes from the abbreviation of the Greek words Vous (buff) and sakkos (fold) and means cattle pen, as the plateau probably was used for feeding cattle.
The complex of the monastery is arranged in three wings around the main church which is situated on the east side of the central yard.
According to various historical sources, the monastery was in continuous use from the early 17th century until 1960, when the last of its monks died. In April 1676, Vossakos became a Patriarchical monastery. The monastery played an important role in the greater area of Mylopotamos and owned many pieces of land as well as establishments in the nearby villages of Sisses, Garazo, and Dafnedes.
The church is devoted to the Holy Cross and celebrates on September 14th each year.
- The Museum of Wooden Sculptures (8km from Anogia Village) is located at the foot of the sacred mountain of Psiloritis and it is a permanent collection of the sculptor George Koutantos. It works both as a Museum and Workshop and is the outcome of twenty years of involvement with sculpture. The dimensions of the sculptures are in natural size, while some of them are presented in bigger dimensions. The wood was collected from different parts of Crete, mainly , dead trees or eliminations from natural destructions. The visitor has the opportunity to tour the museum and the workshop and learn about the aesthetic and artistic talent, traditional elements (customs and traditions of the inhabitants of Crete) folklore elements (for example, the marking of the animals), sociological data (the family structure, the position of man and woman), historical evidence. Admissions: Students 3€, Adults 5€
- More uplifting activities at Rethimno Region.
House Rules
- Check-in: 14.00 pm
- Check out: 12.00 pm
- Minimum Stay: 2-3 nights, depending on the season
- Payment Policy: Please check here
- Cancellation Policy: Please check here
MHTE: 1041Κ014Α0014801
How To Get There
Delina Mountain Resort is located at the historical Village of Anogia, 40km far from Heraklion Airport in Crete.
- By Air
From April through October there are direct charter and scheduled flights to Heraklion Airport (40km) and also to Chania Airport (120km). Tickets can be bought in advance for almost all flights via our partner website.
- By Sea
If you love traveling by ferry, reserve a flight to Athens and then from Piraeus port to Heraklion by ferry. It takes 8 hours and the ferries are good. Tickets can be bought in advance for all ferries via our partner website.
- By Car
If you want to explore the region while you're here, we recommend that you rent a car, other means of transport are limited and/or infrequent. We suggest our sister website Crete-Car-Rental.com, which offers competitive prices and you can collect your car at either airport.
- By Taxi
Book your taxi transfer online easily and safely from the airport or port to any location via our partner website.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through CreteTravel.com
Facilities
- Dining: Traditional Kafenio and restaurants offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All meals are based on traditional Cretan cuisine. The Hotel has also a small cafe that offers Greek coffee and local sweets.
- Internet Access: Free WiFi throughout
- Swimming Pool: Indoor heated pool with Jacuzzi
- Spa Treatments: In the Hotel's spa there is a sauna, Jacuzzi, an indoor jacuzzi, and guests can have facial and body treatments
- Weddings and Celebrations: If you would like to get married in Crete, you could organize the perfect ceremony at the small church of Delina Mountain Resort and then a wedding reception at Delina restaurant. The hotel guarantees the perfect service of 1000 guests. If your wedding is during the summer months, the reception can be hosted in the special configured outdoor spaces of the restaurant
- Disabled Access: Two rooms are suitable for disabled persons.
- Pets: Are allowed on request
- Languages Spoken: Greek, English
- Parking: Free Parking place on-site
- Heating: Central heating and fireplace in all the rooms