The impressive cavern of Pelekita or “tis Sikias o Spilios” is one of the biggest caverns in Crete and of a high archaeological importance. It is about 5 kilometers in the north-east of Kato Zakros, on the foot of the Traostalos hill. In order to reach the entrance of the cavern, you should walk about 1 hour from Kato Zakros or go in 15 minutes by boat.
It is 310 meters long and its area is about 4.5 acres. Large rooms are in the cavern that is about 45 meters wide.
Very high columns, impressive stalagmites and stalactites are in the Pelekita cavern. A lake is in its end. There is water in the river as, in the past, it was an underground riverbed.
Traces that show its inhabitance during the Neolithic Era are in the cavern.
The name “Sikias (i.e. fig tree) or “Spilios” came from the fig tree in the entrance of the cavern and the name “Pelekita” (i.e. carved in Greek) came from the stone mining in the area. The Minoan Palace of Kato Zakros was built by the stones of the quarry in the Pelekita area.