Having Dalabelos as a starting point, visitors can take interesting hiking, biking or car tours to the mountains, the seashore, to canyons and caves, as well as to archaeological sites, monasteries and some historic, picturesque villages of the region.
Dalabelos itself is located near the sea, on a cliff by the northern foot of Mount Ida (Psiloritis), Crete’s highest mountain (2545 m), rising right at the center of the island. The region abounds on endemic flora and caves with mythical background, such as the Ideon Antron on the Nida plateau, Gerontospilios at Melidoni and Sphendoni at Zoniana.
Both in the north and in the south side of the island, rivers form their beds along the deep gorges and flow to the sea, creating sandy beaches famous for their beauty. In the mountain regions, on hills and slopes, the sites of ancient civilizations such as Zominthos and Eleftherna, byzantine churches and Venetian monuments like the monasteries of Arkadi and Vosakou, small peaceful villages, whose history goes far back in time – Margarites, Maroulas, Spili, Anogia, Axos, welcome travelers who love to explore the island’s interior.
– An amazing site for exploration is the Nida plateau on Mount Ida, that can be reached first by car and then by foot. Therein lies the cave of Ideon Andron, a sacred place where, according to Greek mythology, baby Zeus was hidden and was fed with the milk of the mythical goat Amalthaea. A path starting from the cave leads to the top of Psiloritis after four hours of walking.
– The archaeological site Zominthos, on an altitude of 1,000 meters, was recently discovered and its finds throw new light to the civilization of Minoan Crete. The excavations have brought out a Minoan palace in very good condition, surrounded by dwellings, a burial ground and a pottery workshop, all dating 1600 BC.
– At a 8 km distance from Dalabelos there is the ancient city of Eleutherna, standing on a landscape of breathtaking beauty. There is no doubt, that we have here one of the most important archaeological sites of Crete. The finds of the excavations form three main units: the City, the Acropolis and the Necropolis (3000 BC – 8th century BC). The first two relate to the activities of daily life (public and private), while the third deals with the perception of life after death.
Close to the ancient site of Eleftherna a modern museum has been built which presents the finds of the excavations.