Updated 15.12.2012

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   The park is located about 17 kilometres away from Chania by the road that takes to the Omalos plain and to the starting point of the Samaria gorge. Situated on a steep slope the area is full of fruit trees and plants and down by the lake there is a small zoo where there are animals such as goats, ostriches, pigs, chickens, donkeys etc. The park has also invested in a restaurant offering both a beautiful panoramic view to the surrounding areas, dishes made from locally grown organic ingredients and they bake traditional Cretan bread in their own wood-oven. The quality of the food is excellent so the restaurant is very popular among the locals.
   The park is in the olive grove that burned to the ground in 2004; the fire started when a strong hot wind from Africa broke an electricity pole wire and it destroyed the olive and lemon groves and ruined the Skordalou village economically. One of a family of four brothers, born in the village, came up with an idea to put up a botanical park, his brothers agreed to the idea and now in the previously burned area there is a park, about 20 hectares, where there are plants and fruit trees from Crete but also from all over the world. An enormous amount of work was used to create this park with its versatility and the amount of the species.

Listen to the song of the insects (tsitsikakia).…

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The Botanical Park, is easily seen from the road that takes to the Omalos plain. It takes hours to see the whole area thoroughly. Below the restaurant there is an open-air amphitheatre.
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In the restaurant, the food is traditional Cretan concerning both quality and selection.
Panoramic picture from the restaurant.
Panoramic picture from the restaurant’s terrace.
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Fresh Cretan bread from their wood-oven.
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Shaded by the rich flora the serpentine paths, with resting places, take down to the lake.
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In the pictures above there are late summer fruit; in the picture highest up on the left there is wild olive.
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By the lake there is a small zoo and a lot of citrus trees from which the fruit is used in the restaurant.

Listen to the song of the insects (tsitsikakia).
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Further information:

Opening hours: from April to November every day 8.30-20.30, last admission at 19.30.
Entrance fee: 5 Euro, ages 12 and under no entrance fee with parent.

The Botanical Park‘s website

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