The village of Anogia in Crete

Anogia is a village situated at a hight of 800 meters on the Psiloritis Mountain, 52 kilometers away from Rethimnon. It can be reached from one of the exits just before Heraklion when you come from the direction of Rethimnon, on the route Gazi - Tylissos - Gonies - Anogia, which will take you past some spectacular views and the Minoan Villa of Sklavokampos. Anogia is a center for weaving and embroidery and it attracts plenty of visitors that come here by bus on an excursion tour to take a look and buy a tablecloth or some piece of linen (be aware, because not everything is handmade). During the Second Worldwar all the men from the village were taken hostage by the Germans in an act of retaliation (they had kidnapped a general and kept him prisoner) and they never returned. The village was almost completely destroyed with the exception of the church. To support themselves the women of the village started to weave and this tradition is still alive today. Unfortunately our visit was on a rainy and cold sunday when it was dark and most of the shops were closed, so the photos I made don't give a really good picture of what the village is like. Usually the streets would look much more colorful and also much more crowded. There are some nice tavernas around the central square where you can have a drink or something to eat. The area around Anogia is mainly farmland