Voulismeno Aloni

Voulismeno Aloni is located approximately 15km west of Heraklion and next to the old road connecting Heraklion to Rethymnon , near the village Marathos . It is one weird geological phenomenon; it is a very large sinking (karstic doline) with circular shape, which was formed by the precipitation of an older cave.

The maximum diameter of the sinking reaches 90m, while the height of the walls ranges between 15 and 50m. The walls in Voulismeno Aloni are ideal for climbing and during, almost, every weekend you will find climbing seminar schools.

The name " Voulismeno Aloni ” means sank threshing floor and is taken after a folk story about the creation of the hole. According to this, once a farmer owned here a threshing floor.

On the feast day of Prophet Elijah , the farmer went to work at his threshing with his wife and daughter, although it is now allowed to work during that the day. Then as a punishment, the threshing floor collapsed and the unfaithful family disappeared.

Even today, locals say, on the feast day of the Prophet Elijah , you can hear crackling from the threshing straws and the song of the farmer's daughter.