Lasithi Plateau

The Lasithi Plateau is a high, cultivated plateau in the Lasithi regional unit on eastern Crete, Greece, sitting at roughly 840 metres above sea level and covering about 10 square kilometres. It is a distinctive agricultural basin surrounded by the Dikti Mountains.

The plateau is known for its scattering of small villages, traditional white windmills, and broad fields used for vegetables and potatoes. Visitors commonly explore rural roads and local tavernas and use the plateau as a base to visit nearby mountain trails and caves.

Archaeological and historical evidence indicates long-term human use of the basin; the area has been farmed for many centuries and features in local traditions and legends. The nearby Dikteon Cave on the northern slopes has mythic significance in Greek tradition.

The plateau lies inland in eastern Crete within the Dikti range and is administered from the Lasithi regional unit. Nearest larger towns are on Crete’s eastern coast; the plateau sits well inland from the island’s shoreline.

• Best time to visit: Best visited in spring when cultivated fields and wildflowers are at their most visible and the plateau is at its greenest.
• Windmills: Traditional windmills remain a prominent landmark and are concentrated around the centre of the plateau, often photographed at sunrise and sunset.

What to See #

• Dikteon Cave: Located on the northern slope of the Dikti range, just above the plateau, this limestone cave is associated in Greek myth with the birthplace of Zeus and is one of the most visited natural attractions near the Lasithi Plateau.
• Tzermiado: The largest settlement on the plateau and a common base for visitors, with local shops, cafes and access roads radiating across the plateau.