Martsalo gorge

Martsalo gorge is located in the south coast of Asterousia Mountains, in Heraklion Prefecture and has a length of about 2km. It starts from the north and ends at the Libyan Sea, in the beach of Martsalo.

In the middle of the gorge, you’ll find the amazing cavernous church of the Virgin Mary, dating from early Christian times. This is believed to have served as a catacomb, where Christians took refuge to escape the persecution from occupiers of Crete. Around the church, someone can see the carved cells-caves in the rocks and traces of old buildings.

Moreover, a characteristic of Martsalo is the large colony of palm trees of Theophrastus, which is one of the most important in Southern Heraklion.