13°C
At Kranioti Aori, on Psiloritis, at an altitude of 848m, we built with our own hands a mitato – a shelter of Cretan tradition. At the Shepherd’s House, we aim to share our traditions and way of life with every visitor. During your visit, depending on the season, you can witness the milking of our sheep and participate in cheese making, animal care, raki distillation, herb gathering, and traditional cooking. Afterwards, we’ll all enjoy local delicacies together. The wild nature surrounding the mitato offers unchanged paths for hiking, bird watching, herb searching, and cycling.
Milking and cheese making
(January – September)
Every day at the Shepherd’s House, we milk our herd and make cheese.
Result: Graviera, Myzithra, and Anthotyro – the most famous cheeses of Crete.
Shepherd’s paths
(All year round)
Paths through oak forests, chestnut trees, rocky slopes, and mitata start from the Shepherd’s House. Programs are easily tailored to beginners and experienced hikers.
Wildlife observation
(All year round)
The unique nature of Psiloritis, with its rich relief, special microclimate, and rare flora, impresses even the most demanding visitor.
Experiential workshops
(All year round)
Through experiential activities and games, young and old learn about the products and traditions of the shepherds and get to know the Cretan landscape. Depending on the season:
Traditional threshing
(July – August)
In an open area, we built the threshing floor where threshing takes place, a traditional technique for cleaning grains.
Raki distillation
(September – October)
A few weeks after the grape harvest, the grapes are ready to become raki. We gather around the cauldron with good company, Cretan appetizers, and, of course, fresh raki.
The Rural Greece is an online portal that connects travellers with unique destinations and local businesses in the countryside, offering authentic experiences through activities that highlight nature, traditions and culture.
For the Rural Greece accessibility is fundamental to enhancing an inclusive tourism experience. Following the principles of inclusion and equality, the epaithros Rural Tourism Network and its member businesses are constantly working to enhance the tourism services provided, ensuring that all visitors have the opportunity to experience the authentic beauty of the Greek countryside.
Sustainability in tourism refers to a way of developing tourism that respects and protects the environment while strengthening the local economy and preserving cultural traditions. The aim of sustainable tourism is to provide unique and authentic experiences for visitors without harming the natural and social environment, while ensuring that local communities benefit from tourism activity.
This type of tourism is based on three pillars:
With sustainable tourism, visitors can have authentic experiences, knowing that the impact of tourism on the region is positive and lasting for future generations.
For Rural Greece, localism is one of the most important factors for the development of sustainable tourism, as it promotes a strong link between the tourism product and the local society, economy and culture. Through localism, visitors get the opportunity to explore authentic elements of the destination, such as local products, traditions and culture. This not only boosts the local economy, but also helps to sustain and strengthen local businesses, creating new jobs and supporting the development of local communities.
Furthermore, localism contributes to the sustainability of the tourism sector, as it reduces the use of resources from other regions and encourages the use of local goods and services, reducing the ecological footprint of tourism activities. Thus, integrating localism into tourism practices enhances sustainability awareness, both among visitors and local businesses, creating a more responsible and sustainable tourism destination.
