The Holy Monastery of Preveli is one of the most important monuments of culture and history for both Crete and the whole of Greece, and is located just eight kilometers from the area of Plakias. The monastery is divided into two separate parts: the now destroyed Lower Monastery of St. John the Baptist and the Back (or Upper) Monastery of St. John the Theologian, which operates to this day. The monastery was probably built in the Middle Ages during the Venetian occupation of the island.
Over the following centuries, it evolved into a cradle of culture and religious reference, until a significant part of it was destroyed during the Greek Revolution of 1821, which was later rebuilt. The destruction of the Lower Monastery in its present form took place during the Battle of Crete in 1941. The Piso Monastery contains some religious relics of unique beauty and many of its restored parts are now open to the public.
The “lake” of Preveli is a coastal area on the coast of Piso Monastiri which is also the end of the Kourtaliotiko Gorge. It is not a real lake but the result of the estuary of the Kourtaliotiko River, in which due to the continuous accumulation of mud this lake-shaped concentration of water is created. At the back of the beach extends a palm forest of unique beauty, which creates an exotic landscape which attracts a multitude of tourists during the summer months. The area of the “lake” of Preveli is without a doubt one of the biggest attractions of the entire island. It combines the amazing geomorphology of the Kourtaliotikos gorge with the unique ecosystem of the area and of course this rare beach. It is designated a natural 2000 area by the European Union.