AGIA ARIADNI
The small church of Agia Ariadni is located in the Nismós Plateau of Lasithi. This plateau is situated 55 kilometers southeast of Heraklion, at an altitude of 890 meters. The name ‘Nismós’ likely originates from Onisimos, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, after whom there might have been an older temple in the area.
Today, the only buildings one encounters in the plateau are two churches: the Holy Cross, located above the village of Germaídos, and Agia Ariadni – the only church in all of Greece dedicated to this saint with the ancient Minoan name.

KARFI
Karfi is an important prehistoric archaeological site in eastern Crete. It is built at a high altitude, on the peaks of the Lasithi Mountains, and offered natural protection from raids, primarily from the sea. The name ‘Karfi’ is a local term for the impressive limestone rock that stands out at the top of the hill, particularly visible from the northern part of the area. The altitude reaches approximately 1,100 meters, and the site offers a panoramic view towards the northern entrance of the Lasithi Plateau.

Although there is evidence that the site was used as a peak sanctuary during the Middle Minoan period, Karfi is mainly known for the extensive city excavated there, dating from the Late Minoan period IIIc (around 1200–1000 BC), at the beginning of the so-called ‘Dark Age’ of Greek history.