Zakrou River

The Zakros River—more precisely, the seasonal stream that shaped the dramatic Zakros Gorge—is a striking natural feature on Crete’s eastern coast. Flowing between Ano Zakros (Upper Zakros) and Kato Zakros (Lower Zakros), this stream has carved a rugged limestone canyon known as the Gorge of the Dead (Φαράγγι των Νεκρών), named after the Minoan tombs discovered in its cliffside caves.

This short but powerful stream only flows with water in the winter and spring, but its erosive action over millennia has created steep, vertical walls dotted with caves, Mediterranean flora, and archaeological significance. Today, the riverbed forms a popular hiking trail along the European E4 path, leading directly to the Palace of Zakros, one of the four main Minoan palatial centers.