Platanos is a very small village in the east along the main road between Kavousi and Lastos. It is hardly ever mentioned on the maps of Crete. There is also a village near Kisamos with the same name. It consists only of a couple of taverna's on the road that overlook the small island of Spira. Behind a bush of yellow flowers (in May) there's also a pretty little church, which was open while we were there. It's filled with icons and other religious items. The view on this point is absolutely breathtaking, making you forget the taste of the food a bit ;).
Psira is located in the Gulf of Mirabello opposite the beach of Tholos, and on the island Minoan and Mycenaean remains have been found. In Minoan times there was a kind of city, which consisted of about 60 buildings around a square. The houses were different in size and the largest one even had is own temple. Most of the houses had a fire place. The city was destryed during an earthquake and rebuilt. During the eruption of the volcano on Santorini in 1450 BC the city was destroyed again. On the site various objects were found, including a seal stone with a ship on it, showing that the city was important as a port.
On the island graves from different periods have been excavated, from the Neolithic period to the Late Minoan period, showing that the island has been inhabited for a long time. On the cemeteries lots of objects were found, such as stone tools, pottery, jewelry and bronze objects. One of the buildings contained a part of a fresco, much in the style of the frescoes of Knossos, of two bear breasted women in Minoan dress. Also in the Roman period the island was still inhabited.