Church

Margarites is a village, in Rethimno Prefecture, 15km east of Rethymno Town, well known for its marvelous architecture and the traditional pottery. However, in the wider area of the villages of Margarites, Orthe and Eleftherna appear a series of small, parallel gorges.


Small streams such as Margaritianos flow towards the north and are tributaries of the Geropotamos River. The gorges are developed in white-yellow marly limestone of the Upper Miocene period as a result of the uplift of the whole area and the erosion by water.

The most impressive characteristics of the gorges are the rich flora and the unique surroundings. Small tufts and /or copses of the horizontal branched cypresses (Cupressus sempervirens horizontalis) are mixed with low shrubs, wild flowers and aromatic plants.

Small paths have been developed by the Local Authorities that introduce visitors to the beauty of the area. For example, from the neighbouring village Plevriana you can go to Margarites by three different routes.