The Pelekitos cave is one of the largest caves in Crete, with a length of 310m. Its large size, its rich stalactite and stalagmite decoration and spectacular boulders make this unknown cave unique on the island. It is located at an altitude of 100m, at the foot of Traostalos, well hidden in the bare rocks of the wild landscape of Zakros. The entrance of the cave is located 5 kilometers northeast of Kato Zakros, in the area of Pelekita or Sykia.
To reach the cave, one needs either an hour's walk from Kato Zakros or a quarter if you approach it from the sea. It also has the name "of the Cave of the Fig", because at its entrance there is an old fig tree. The other and more well-known name, "Cave of Pelekitos", took it from the chipped stones that were extracted by the abandoned, today, quarry, which is located near the cave, towards the sea. The cave has huge halls, with towering columns, slippery boulders, stalagmites and stalactites and steep slopes that give the feeling of an amphitheatre. Its entrance is impressive and is accessed through a chamber with a steep downward slope. At its end there is a small lake with water.
The total length of the cave is 310m in a straight line and its area is 4.5 acres. Its inhabitants, bats and some cave-dwelling insects. Traces of habitation from the Neolithic period have been found in the cave.
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou