CRETE…A SMALL CONTINENT
THE FRUIT WORLD
Nearly 20 hectares of land are waiting to welcome you, full of fruit trees from all over the world, herbs, medicinal and ornamental plants in a park different from others, where the land’s formation and the region’s microclimate make it a paradise for hundreds of plants and animals!
In the midst of this colorful and vivid landscape stands a burnt centennial olive tree, a memorial and a reference to the dismal fires of 2003, the park’s history and origin.
The newest and one of the most interesting sites of the Prefecture of Chania lies only 18 kilometers outside the city, on the feet of the White Mountains. It is ideal for visitors of all ages, combining enjoyments that only Crete can offer!
Shortly after you pass Fournes village and before the historical Lakkoi-Skordalou, a sign will direct you towards the Botanical Park, to an unprecedented tour of the region’s magical nature and the creative imagination of the four brothers who dreamt of and realized this unique heaven on earth!
When you first see the park and its facilities, it is impossible to imagine that this is the same expanse of the 15-20 hectares which burnt to the ground in the fires of 2003, today literary reborn from its ashes. In the place of the grey landscape stands a walking, educational and entertainment park-unique in its kind in Crete – waiting for young and old, locals and foreigners, to get acquainted with the more than 150 species of fruit trees together with the dozens of herbs, medicinal and ornamental plants it hosts, while enjoying their walk through a lush natural environment. The secret of enjoying your visit to the maximum is to wander through the paths of the Botanical Park slowly and leisurely, making many stops for rest in the various suitable rest points available. Thus you shall have the opportunity to truly appreciate the beauty which you will encounter.
No matter how you see your visit here, whether as a scenic trek, or an interesting tour of nature’s paths, the Botanical Park is the ideal alternative proposal for a day’s escape from the city’s noise and the fashionable beaches. The dramatic scenery here is composed of rare samples of the local flora and fauna, as well as tropical and subtropical species from all over the world, with new samples added daily, changing the look of the Botanical Park and providing visitors with a motive to enjoy it over and over again!
This adventure in nature which lasts one to two hours, follows paths of unique natural beauty and provides visitors with the opportunity to get acquainted with the numerous different plants and trees that grow on the two hundred square kilometers of the well-designed planted hillside. The appropriate signposting of the paths leads the visitor to various sections of the Botanical Park (tropical trees, fruit-bearing trees, citrus trees, herbs and vineyards).
The lush landscape is completed by the lake in the lower part of the part, offering accommodation and protection to ducks, geese and other water birds (and rare species), even to hawks that fly in the area. The park also has an open-air, stone atmospheric amphitheatre suitable for small (capacity for approximately 250 persons) events.
Depending on the time of the year, you will have the opportunity to enjoy flowers, plants and trees through all phases of their life-cycle, parallel to the various species of wild flora and fauna which they attract each season. Any time of the year you visit the Botanical Park, you will be impressed by the colors, fragrances and variety of species.
During the summer months, the best time to schedule your visit is early in the morning, avoiding the strong heat, and having the opportunity to complete your experience with an excellent meal in the park’s restaurant. Its totally local, organic and seasonal philosophy will be unforgettable.
Operating Hours:
April to October every day : 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., last admission at 7:30 p.m.)
Admission:
4 Euro
(Ages 12 and under are FREE with parent!)
