Archanes, the city of wine

On the way to the south, a few kilometres outside Iraklion, lies the town of Archanes. Fixed between the down slopes of mount Joughtas and the valley, where the famous Cretan grapes (Rosaki) grow, is the town. In Archanes you find a few winefactories. Here grapes become wine. Large barrels hold wine for several months before the wine is bottled Dromos with Tholos . The famous wine comes for Archanes and berries its proud name.
Archanes is an ancient city. In the centre of the town Stefanos Xanthoudidis discovered a small palace or according to others a mansion. Perhaps of a local authority. Outside Archanes on the road to the south is Vathipetro. In the middle of the vineyards lies an excavation. And in one of the houses archaeologists found a Minoan winepress. So 3000 years ago the Minoan drank the famous Archanes wine to. Perhaps they called it differently, but with the same taste as of today.
On the way back to Iraklion, just before the school, a small road leads to Fourni. The last part you have to walk. You also find a roadsign to Fourni. But if you drive a little further on the road to Iraklion, there is a small road to the left. This narrow road leads up the mountain and you come very close to Fourni.

Fo Shaft Grave urni is a Minoan burial-place. Fourni has been used almost the entire Minoan period and is one of the most important site of Crete and the Minoan world.
The site is excavated by professor Ioannis Sakelarakis and his wife Efi.
You find all kinds of burial types of the Minoan type. Tholos tombs for a few persons and great graves for many. This depends of the status and the time.

Back on the main square of Archanes, where the bus stops you find several taverns. On the road, which goes back to the direction of mount Joughtas, there is a small side road, which goes first down to a small stream, but further on it leads up to the north slopes of mount Joughtas. Here you find the remains of a small sanctuary. The name is Anemospilia. From here you have a magnificent view of the city of Iraklion and at the horizon you see the island of Dia.



		Archanes On the way to the south, a few kilometres outside Iraklion, lies the town of Archanes. Fixed between the down slopes of mount Joughtas and the valley, where the famous Cretan grapes (Rosaki) grow, is the town. In Archanes you find a few winefactories. Here grapes become wine. Large barrels hold wine for several months before the wine is bottled. The famous wine comes for Archanes and berries its proud name. Archanes is an ancient city. In the centre of the town Stefanos Xanthoudidis discovered a small palace or according to others a mansion. Perhaps of a local authority. Outside Archanes on the road to the south is Vathipetro. In the middle of the vineyards lies an excavation. And in one of the houses archaeologists found a Minoan winepress. So 3000 years ago the Minoan drank the famous Archanes wine to. Perhaps they called it differently, but with the same taste as of today. On the way back to Iraklion, just before the school, a small road leads to Fourni. The last part you have to walk. You also find a roadsign to Fourni. But if you drive a little further on the road to Iraklion, there is a small road to the left. This narrow road leads up the mountain and you come very close to Fourni. Fourni is a Minoan burial-place. Fourni has been used almost the entire Minoan period and is one of the most important site of Crete and the Minoan world. The site is excavated by professor Ioannis Sakelarakis and his wife Efi. You find all kinds of burial types of the Minoan type. Tholos tombs for a few persons and great graves for many. This depends of the status and the time. Back on the main square of Archanes, where the bus stops you find several taverns. On the road, which goes back to the direction of mount Joughtas, there is a small side road, which goes first down to a small stream, but further on it leads up to the north slopes of mount Joughtas. Here you find the remains of a small sanctuary. The name is Anemospilia. From here you have a magnificent view of the city of Iraklion and at the horizon you see the island of Dia.