| Περιγραφή Τόπου |
The site lays in the western part of Crete, including Granvousa peninsula, the islands Imeri Gramvousa and Agria Gramvousa offshore the northern edge of the peninsula, and the islet Pontikonisi, 10 km west of the centre of the peninsula.Almost all along, the pensinsula consists of rocky calcareous massifs with steep slopes which create rugged coastlines, inaccesible from the sea. Marine caves are a quite common feature of the coastline.The vegetation is mostly phryganic, dominated by the shrubby perennial Sarcopoterium spinosum, Coridothymus capitatus, Callicotome villosa, Cistus creticus and Ballota pseudodictamnus, as well as by dwarf forms (creeping) of Pistacia lentiscus and Ceratonia siliqua.At Balos bay, on the northwest, there are not extended coastal sand dunes with Erica manipuliflora and Pistacia lentiscus, while the area is known for the lagoons that are formed by the mainland and the small Tigani peninsula.The islands Agria and Imeri Gramvousa show almost similar vegetation character, with a greater percentage of rock and sand halophytic species. |
