Heraklion Ethia

General information

The village of Ethia is located in the Asterousia Mountains, at an altitude of 740 meters, surrounded by 5 peaks. Ethia is characterized by its stone houses, which are exemplary of the architecture found in the Cretan mountains, which is in stark contrast to the traditional Venetian houses one can see in Chania. 

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The village features a surprisingly large number of churches. In the north stands the two-aisled church consecrated to the Birth of the Virgin Mary and the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. This church is the largest of Ethia, constructed in the early 20th century, although the precise date is a matter of debate. In the south stands the church of the Prophet Elijah, said to have been built in a single day, as the local Pasha allocated the locals no further time in the construction of their church.
Chapels abound in the village and especially in the mountains around it.

Due to its secluded location, 50 kilometers south of Heraklion, its population has been steadily dwindling over the decades, with the 2011 census only finding 19 people still living here, who all work in agriculture. This gives the village a semi-abandoned feel, with many remains of stone walls dispersed among the standing houses and cobblestone roads.
In spite of this village’s dire situation, organized efforts by the locals have attempted to revive the village by renovating old structures and paving the narrow alleys.
The village has a close relationship with Saint Eumenius, who was canonized in 2022 and whose tomb is situated outside the northern church. In 2007, the “House of Love” was opened in the village center in his honor, which functions as the exhibition center of Ethia.
On the outskirts of the village, one can also find a small folk museum, with traditional wares and household items donated by the locals proudly on display.

Ethia is situated among a small lush grove, planted by the locals to break the monotony of the surrounding arid mountaintops, but the natural beauty extends to the south, as the Asterousia Mountains present travelers with a number of hiking options, down gorges and up hillsides, with a number of secluded beaches, inaccessible by any other means, waiting at the southern edge of the island.