Whilst he was raised further east in the Idaeon Andron, on Mount Ida, Psychro was, legend has it, the spot where the goddess Rhea, escaping the wrath and peculiarities of her husband Cronos, fled and gave birth to Zeus. Cronos was rather partial to swallowing his children whole, as soon as they were born, and Rhea, having somewhat belatedly discovered this fact, took herself off to Crete to give birth to her fifth-born child. Unlike his four siblings, Zeus went on to live to a ripe old age, until being buried on Mount Juktas (in the Heraklion nomos), according to Cretan legend, and living eternally, according to Greek myth, The cave itself is located above the village of the same name, on the Lasithi plateau, and lies just over 1,000 metres above sea-level. A steep path takes one from the village to the cave, which is well way-marked. Stalactites and stalagmites abound, once you descend into the cave, but one should take care at the entrance as the descent can be a bit tricky. Mythological musings aside, this is a fabulous place to visit, and one which is highly recommended for those visiting this splendid region.
