Local products of Lassithi

The products of Lassithi in eastern Crete are famous since ancient times. From the Minoan era, the wines and the olive oil traveled around the world, to the Mediterranean and the East as gifts to the kings. Today, they are distributed in the international markets and are widely credited for their outstanding quality. Among those products are the wines, honey, and homemade sweets.

The free graze in the mountains of Lassithi resulted in the production of dairy products, like mizithra, anthotyro, kefalotiri, graviera, feta, and yogurt. Of unique interest are the fruits and all the products which grow in the flourishing gardens of Lassithi and the area of Ierapetra, also known as the Kitchen Garden of Europe. Lassithi is famous for its gastronomic art due to the countless wealth of the Cretan products which are used in all food and pastries.

Lassithi is one of the few places where folklore tradition is still alive. The locals specialize in many forms of art, like sculpture, ceramic, folklore painting, hagiography, embroidery, jewelry and in the making of musical instruments. Plenty of workshops can be found in the picturesque streets of Lassithi promoting the traditional products of Crete which are lost in the depths of time.