ABOUT MOUNT IDA (PSILORITIS) Located in the Rethymno regional unit, it was sacred to the Greek Titaness Rhea, and on its slopes lies one of the caves, Idaion Andron, in which, according to legend, Zeus was born. Zeus was located in the Altar of Zeus (near Adatepe, Ayvacık) during the Trojan War. Quiet on the way up. The best photo spots at the largest Greek island. [2], The name Ida (Ἴδη) is of unknown origin. Three inscriptions bear just the name i-da-ma-te (AR Zf 1 and 2, and KY Za 2), and may refer to mount Ida [3] or to the mother goddess of Ida ( Ἰδαία μάτηρ). [4] The name is related with the nymph Idaea, who according to Diodor was the mother of the ten Kuretes. Nobody wants to waste vacation time waiting outside an attraction, especially in high temperatures. In the Aeneid, a shooting star falls onto the mountain in answer to the prayer of Anchises to Jupiter. 8:30am. But it is beautiful at the top. [11] Artist Zülfü Livaneli wrote an open letter to UNESCO protesting about the destruction of the natural environment in the area. [8] The Kouretes, a band of mythical warriors, undertook to dance their wild, noisy war dances in front of the cave, so that the clamour would keep Cronus from hearing the infant's crying. More coming up on the way down but nothing like you get on a prominent peak in Alps. [9] Its modern name is Psiloritis. I took 2.5 liters of water, as suggested, and found it to be way more than I needed. The surroundings are beautiful. Crete’s highest peak, the 2,456m Mount Ida, is a UNESCO Global Geopark. Totally enjoyed the views but you have to work for it! Took me 2.5hrs up and down on foot total. Mind that until late of May the mountais has snow so be carefull. We started at the Mygero Refuge trailhead and started up around. You won't regret it and the drive through the mountains is an experience off the beaten track. The PSILORITIS mountain range is listed as both a UNESCO GLOBAL and a UNESCO EUROPEAN GEOPARK because of its unique flora and geological features. not very steep and it was marked with red signs and stones. Its summit (Timios Stavros) has the highest topographic prominence in Greece. I started from migeros plataeu and follow a well made stone path after 4 hours I reached the top! In July 2019, protesters came to the village of Kirazlı, about forty kilometres away from Mount Ida, to protest against the construction of a new mine by Canadian company Alamos Gold, after the Forestry Department cleared thousands of trees to make way for the construction, despite this region being Forestry lands actively managed by the Ministry of Forests. We then headed down the same path. Continue your visit to www.tripadvisor.com, Is this a romantic place or activity that you would suggest for, Is this a must-do if you are travelling with a, Would you recommend this place or activity to a friend looking for an, Are the prices for this place or activity, Is this a place or activity you would go to on a, The plan was to be on summit for dawn and then paraglide off. [5] Idaea was also an epithet of Cybele. Local people from Kirazli and other nearby villages, employed in forestry, agriculture and mining strongly support the project. These Most instagrammable spots in Crete will make you want to travel to Greece instantly! Great destination for hiking lovers. Prebook your skip-the-line ticket, travel independently to the site, and roam the partially restored relics of Minos’ palace and courtyards independently. It is one of a number of caves believed to have been the birthplace or hiding place of Zeus. Mind that until late of May the mountais has snow so be carefull.… Romans knew Cybele as Magna Mater ("Great Mother"), or as Magna Mater deorum Idaea ("great Idaean mother of the gods"), equivalent to the Greek title Meter Theon Idaia ("Mother of the Gods, from Mount Ida"). IF YOU'RE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH THE ONLY ROAD THAT WILL GET YOU TO THE MYGERO REFUGE GOES SOUTH FROM THE VILLAGE OF LIVADIA. The trail is steep and there is loose gravel so certain parts were definitely slow going. Meanwhile, the west of the island is home to a 16km gorge trail that winds down through Samariá National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Only a handful of folks. The drive was a nightmare really coming from Heraklion. On the flank of this mountain is the Amari Valley, the site of expansion by the ancient settlement at Phaistos. As well as incredible views, you can explore caves and see fossilised coral and ancient volcanic rock. In Greek mythology, two sacred mountains are called Mount Ida, the "Mountain of the Goddess": Mount Ida in Crete; and Mount Ida in the ancient Troad region of western Anatolia (in modern-day Turkey) which was also known as the Phrygian Ida in classical antiquity and is the mountain that is mentioned in the Iliad of Homer and the Aeneid of Virgil. [12], Maarten Jozef Vermaseren and Eugene Lane. We reached the top around noon and spent about 30 minutes admiring the views, which were gorgeous the day that we were there. We enjoy hiking so decided to do Mount Ida while we were in Crete. Crete is a huge island, so you understand that hiking Mt Ida is not just simple hiking. By the way, do read the big post with all the things to do in Crete. It took us about 2-2:30 hours to get down. The highest mountain of Crete offers a great view from the summit at 2456m. The ascent is difficult in July and August because of high temperetures. Winds were mental on summit so I couldn't fly off but I had a great view of both coasts as far as Matala and beyond to the south and Gazi to the north. In Iliad (Iliad, 2.821), Ἵδη (Ida) means wooded hill, and reminds the mountain worship in the Minoan mother goddess religion. I started from migeros plataeu and follow a well made stone path after 4 hours I reached the top! I started from migeros plataeu and follow a well made stone path after 4 hours I reached the top! We hired a "guide", which in our case was a taxi driver that had hiked the trail numerous times. Marriott Autograph Collection Hotels in Crete, Hotels near Archelon Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Hotels near Contemporary Art Museum of Crete, Surfing, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing in Crete, Heraklion Archaeological Museum: Tickets & Tours‎, Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre: Tickets & Tours‎. Extreme wind at the top, traverse from Arkadi to Zaros, I climbed it as part of a 2.5 days superb trek starting from Arkadi Monastery and ending in Zaros, routes P7, P8, P9, P13 and P2 in the Cicerone guidebook. Protesters began a "Water and Conscience Watch" on July 26. On the flank of this mountain is the Amari V… With this priority-access ticket to the Knossos archaeological site, you can breeze past ticket-purchase lines to explore what was the birthplace of Minoan civilization and according to myth, the seat of King Minos. The topmost peak is Gargarus, mentioned in the Iliad. The surrounding area and mountain used to be very wooded. The route starts at the small church. The trail is pretty well marked and quite a steep climb. A "Great Water and Conscience Meeting" was then held on August 5, during which protesters entered the mining site and symbolically planted trees in front of the press. I probably had 1.5 liters when I reached the bottom. The highest mountain of Crete offers a great view from the summit at 2456m. If you are eager to conquer the highest mountain in Crete, Greece, then you have to go hiking Mount Ida or Psiloritis as the locals call it. 1996, Beard, p.168, following Livy 29, 10 - 14 for Pessinos (ancient Galatia) as the shrine from which she was brought. The wiews must have been awesome, but I did not see much because of bad weather. The crosswind North to South at the top was extreme, some hikers were not prepared at all for it (3 layers needed). Crete's Mount Ida is the island's highest summit, sacred to the Goddess Rhea, and wherein lies the legendary Idaean cave (Ἰδαίον ἅντρον)), in which baby Zeus was concealed from his father Cronus. From the peak, you will be able to see the surrounding sea and other mountains. [10] Images of the land which had been cleared of trees also caused outrage on social media. According to greek mythology, the Olympian high god ZEUS was raised on these slopes. The route was. The highest mountain of Crete offers a great view from the summit at 2456m. I climbed Psiloritis itself from the Mygero refuge (one room is open, the toilets are filthy) and descended to Nida. Great destination for hiking lovers. in a rental car... trust me. It took three and a half hours for me to reach the summit, called Timios Stavros. Varro's, "Thousands of Trees Cut in Mount Ida for Gold Mine, People on the Watch", "Open Letter by Zülfü Livaneli to UNESCO: They Will Destroy Ida Mountains", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mount_Ida&oldid=984933017, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 October 2020, at 23:37.