Almyros Gorge
Almyros Gorge flows into Ellinoperamata beach, (or Linoperamata), which is 8 km from Heraklion. It is formed between the hills of Keris forest and Kastrokefalas hill, with the ancient city at the top.
Almyros Gorge is a significant natural habitat since the largest forest of Phillirea (Phillirea media) in all of Crete is on its eastern side. Also, the visitor here will meet wild olives, locusts, plane trees, kermes and oleanders.
It is the only gorge in Crete with so many names, seven in total. Apart from Almyros gorge, it is also known as Keris gorge (from the homonymous hill to the east), Porofarango, Ellinoperamata gorge, Stroumboulas, Three Churches gorge (because at its exit, there was the Monastery of Agios Ioannis with three churches), as well as a gorge of ghosts.
Entering from the gorge's exit (up the stream), the visitor can see the small church of Agia Marina, which was the cemetery of the Agios Ioannis Faraggitis Monastery. A few meters higher is the two-aisled church of Agios Antonios and Agia Paraskevi, decorated with important frescoes. The church was the Katholikon of the Monastery, which was dedicated to Agios Ioannis Prodromos. Also, inside the gorge, the visitors can see the iconostasis of Agios Georgios, while at the upper entrance of the canyon, they will see the small church dedicated to Christ.