Deres

Deres is a verdant semi mountainous settlement of Platanias with many water springs. It is located 30 miles from the center of Chania, very close to the village Limni.

The Metochi that you will be able to see at Deres is an impressive fortress and a complex of buildings of the Venetian period that still survives. It has large internal courtyard and buildings all around and it was the residence of the Venetian ruler and later, the residence of the Turkish Aga who ruled the region during the Ottoman occupation.

If you ever visit Deres, you should definitely experience the traditional festivals and celebrations that are organized four times a year from early July to early September. You will have the opportunity to enjoy the Cretan hospitality and to taste local treats, namely honey, cheese, wine, xerotigana and the famous raki, the traditional Cretan drink. The permanent residents of the village cultivate olives, chestnuts as well as honey and they also produce charcoal in the traditional way. Last but not least, there is also an equestrian club, offering visitors the chance to learn how to ride a horse or to simply take a walk on horseback. A tavern with traditional food is also available.

The story of Deres has its roots in the period of the Venetian Rule, and later, according to the tradition, when the village passed under the command of Augusta Theodora, the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Theophilos, the village took the designation Augusta, in honor of the Emperor’s wife. In an ecclesiastical bronze tray dating from 1857, which is hosted in the church of the Savior, there is an inscription with the name “Augusta” and in brackets, the later name of the village (Deres).

The designation Deres was attributed to the village by the Turks: “dere” in Turkish means ‘stream of water’ and it was attributed due to the fact that the village is located on the banks of Tauronitis River.