Greece

Crete

Cultural History

Architecture

Abyss X is the musical moniker of polymath and festival founder Evangelia VS.

Across her career, she's worked with the likes of SOPHIE, Rabit and Rui Ho. This month (8 September), the singer-songwriter released her sophomore LP 

via AD 93. It sees the artist lean into swirling and ethereal acoustic-led tracks, focusing on vulnerability, romance and heartbreak. One single in particular – 

was inspired by an old, knotted banyan tree the artist came across in Mexico.

As a nomad woman of Crete descent, Abyss X has strong ties to the Greek island. She credits a lot of juxtapositions within her work to a relocation from the island to New York at the age of seven. It's in Crete, however, that the artist has continued to lay down roots, first launching the intimate festival Nature Loves Courage on the island in 2019. It was inspired by the mystic Terrance McKenna, who linked creativity to the land and sea.

Nature and land, therefore, play a large role in her work. Here, Abyss X chooses off-grid locations in Crete where you can enjoy some respite or immerse yourself in the island's archaeological wonders. Want to dive deep into the mysteries of the land? Scroll down.

I started this festival in 2019 on the southern tip of Crete in hopes of nurturing a space for collective manifestation and esoteric self-exploration in the spirit of freedom of being. I see Nature Loves Courage Festival as an extended family affair and every year I invite friends and peers to be part of my version of a psychedelic sonic playground. The tiny village of Sougia where the festival takes place carries its free-spirited hippie legacy since the 60s, featuring a beautiful, unspoiled nudist beach with translucent turquoise waters which I've been visiting since my childhood.

A beautiful hike away from Sougia lies the secluded ancient hub of Lissos which used to be a town on the south coast of ancient Crete. It features the sanctuary of Asklepios, the God of Healing, which contained not only a temple and sacred area but also special rooms for treatment, healing and resting, since the water of Lissos was considered to have medicinal qualities and it was frequently used to cure many illnesses. There, you can also visit an ancient necropolis scattered with dozens of arcosolium tombs. Definitely worth visiting to witness its interesting remains dating all the way back to the Minoan times.

Another treasure of Crete, Knossos (aka the Palace of King Minos or Minoan Palace) was a major centre of the Minoan civilisation – the oldest civilisation of Europe – and is known for its dark myth featuring the mighty Minotaur. I love the intricate and playful designs of its frescoes demonstrating the artistic excellence of the Minoans, found within its labyrinth-like and carefully-designed architecture.

The only museum in the world featuring Minoan artefacts, the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion is a journey into the mystical and fascinating world of this ancient civilisation, where one can witness the legendary designs of their pottery, jewellery, sculpture, frescoes and mosaics. An absolute must see if you plan on visiting Crete.

This is one of the largest caves in Crete. This cave is an archaeological site – 160 metres deep and 36 metres wide – that served as a place of worship in the Minoan period. The cave features impressive complexes of stalagmites and stalactites. Definitely bring a flashlight if you wish to go deeper into the cave.

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Off-Grid Locations in Crete Chosen by Abyss X

Heraklion Archaeological Museum

Museum 

Archaeological Museum of Heraklion

Abidjan

Abuja

Accra

Addis Ababa

Almere 

Amman

Amsterdam

Asunción

Athens

Atlanta

Auckland 

Bali

Bangkok

Barbados

Barcelona

Bath

Beijing

Beirut

Belfast

Bengaluru

Benin City

Berlin

Bilbao

Birmingham

Brighton

Brisbane

Bristol

Brussels

Buenos Aires

Byron Bay

Cairo

Cape Town

Cardiff

Casablanca

Cayman Islands

Chandigarh

Chicago

Copenhagen

Cornwall

Cotonou

Denver

Detroit

Devon

Dorset

Dubai

Dublin

Durban

Düsseldorf

Genoa

Glasgow

Gothenburg 

Haiti 

Hamburg

Havana

Hawai'i

Hong Kong

Houston

Ibadan

Ibiza

Jakarta

Jamaica

Johannesburg

Kerala

Lagos

Lisbon

Liverpool

London

Los Angeles 

Lyon

Manama

Manchester

Manila

Margate

Marrakech

Marseille

Martinique 

Medellin

Melbourne

Mexico City 

Milan

Minneapolis 

Montevideo

Montreal

Mumbai

Munich

Murcia

Nairobi

Nashville 

New Delhi

New York City 

Nottingham 

Oakland

Oaxaca

Ortigia

Oslo

Palestine

Paris

Pittsburgh 

Portland

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Archaeological Museum of Heraklion

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