At a distance of 49 kilometers far from Aghios Nicolaos at the West and some 60 kilometers Southeastern to Herklion, within the Lassithi plateau, between its eastern and western entrances. It counts some 750 permanent residents, it is the capital of the province of Lassithi and the seat of the Municipality of Lassithi Plateau; several public services, banks and an old people’s home established and cared for by the Holy Monastery of Petra are available in the village.

The name of the village is owed to the first settlers in the period of the Venetian domination. In the whole area in and around Germiado, there have been found vessels dated to the Middle Minoan period, potsherds, Roman coins and bronze items. The number and the variety of the finds show that the area has been inhabited at least as early as the Minoan period.

Several hotels and rooms to let are available for accommodation. And the whole area is so beautiful that it will be difficult to choose where to stay. As for food and drink, there is no problem at all. On the contrary, within such an amazing environment and among hospitable people, a simple meal may end up to an unforgettable experience.

The whole area of the Lassithi plateau is being continuously inhabited from the Neolithic period up to now; Neolithic burials have been detected at the sites of “Skafidi” and “Kastellos”. Traces of human activity in the Neolithic have also been found in the cave of Trapeza (or Cronion), close to the village of Farsado. This cave, apart from the speleological interest (it has nice stalactites and stalagmites), seems to have also been used for burials and as a ritual place. A good number of finds have been brought to light here, as gold items, statuettes of faience and ivory, the most important of them being the Egyptian scarabs, dated to the 11 th Dynasty, which confirm the exchange between Egypt and Crete. The place has been abandoned later and the ritual activities have been transferred to Idaeon Andron.

The visitors interested in Minoan Crete may also visit the ruins of dwellings of the Minoan era at Germiado, the important cave at the village of Aghios Charalambos, with Early and Middle Minoan burials. And, of course, there is the famous Dictaeon Andron (or Psychro cave) where, according to Mythology, had been born Zeus, the king of gods.

Some ruins of dwellings of Geometric and Roman periods are visible in the village Messa Lassithi.

Apart from the caves cited above, there are several natural monuments worth visiting in the area: the small but wonderful plateau Limankaro, the cave of Peristera and the Havgas gorge, as well as the basin close to Havgas.

Those liking churches and other more recent monuments, will certainly enjoy this area with the numerous churches and monasteries as the church of Holy Cross at Germiado, the seat of Aghia Ariadni at the site of “Karfi”, the Vidiani Monastery, close to the village of Pinakiano and, finally, the famous Monastery of Panaghia Croustalenia, close to the village of Aghios Constantinos. You may also see the fort of Casarma at Germiado, the Folk Museum and the Museum of Eleftherios Venizelos at Aghios Georgios and certainly you will admire the old windmills scattered around, some of them ruined, others restored, but all of them characteristic.

Driving eastwards, you will pass from several mountainous scenic villages as Potami, Roussapidia, Zenia and Amygdali; all of them are built within an environment with luxurious green, full of trees, characteristic of the high altitude, as chestnut and walnut trees and, most of all plane trees.

Several cultural activities and local feasts (“panighyri”) take place at Germiado and the villages of the area, all year round. The Cultural Center of Aghios Georgios organizes cultural and dancing eves in summer, held in the homonymous village.

Three local feasts take place at Germiado: on the 10 th of February, in honor of Aghios Charalambos, on the 29 th of August, in honor of Aghios Ioannis (St.John) and on the 9 th of December in honor of Aghia Anna (St. Anna).

Local feasts (“panighyri”) also take place at the village of Plati, on the 30 th of August in honor of Aghios Alexandros, at Psychro on the feast of Aghia Zoni, on the 30 th of August and at Messa Lassithi in honor of Aghioi Anargyri, celebrated twice a year on the 1 st of July and 1 st of November.

In case of health problems a Medical Center is available at Germiado and a local one at Aghios Georgios.