Carob forest Tris Ekklisies

The carob forest of Tris Ekklisies is located 64km south of Heraklion, next to the village of Tris Ekklisies. The area, one of the most secluded in Europe, is very difficult to reach, as a very rough dirt road 10km long starts from the village Paranymi, runs across the wild Asterousia Mountains and ends at the beach level.

After reaching the settlement, you must continue west on the hill above the village, to the beach Psili Ammos (or Ornios). The slopes of the mountains leading to the beach are full of large carob trees. The carob wood of Tris Ekklisies is the largest natural carob forest in Europe, being almost unknown to everybody.

The resistant carob trees thrive in arid and rocky areas and are planted in large distance from each other. Their fruit looks like a hard bean and is hard and sweet. During the last century, Cretans used to eat the carobs like a sweet and even today it is a very healthy substitute for chocolate. Formerly dry areas of Crete were ideal areas for growing carobs for forage, but today their cultivation has been reduced dramatically.