Rising 2,456 meters, Psiloritis (also known as Mount Ida) is the highest mountain on Crete and the second highest in Greece, after Olympus. The mountain was sacred to the ancients – the king of gods, Zeus, was supposedly born here. Various adventure sports agencies arrange one-day tours from Réthymnon and Heraklion. Most take you to a decent starting point and then begin a hike through the dramatic, rocky landscape, following a clearly marked path to the summit, which is crowned by the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It normally takes three or four hours to reach the top, and you’ll need to be reasonably fit, wear good walking boots, and bring plenty of water. The view from the summit is breathtaking – it overlooks the entire island as well as both the north and south coasts.