There are places in Crete where Christmas feels quieter, slower, and somehow more honest.
Prinos Shelter, perched above Ano Asites at an altitude of 1,080 metres, is one of them.
High enough to rise above the city noise yet close enough to feel familiar, Prinos looks east toward the villages, the mountains, and—on clear days—the city of Heraklion and its bay. It is a place where the light changes gently through the day and where winter feels like an invitation, not an inconvenience.
This holiday season, the Heraklion Mountaineering Club opens the shelter to visitors from December 23, 2025, until January 7, 2026, welcoming anyone who wishes to spend a day—or a night—wrapped in mountain calm.
A shelter that feels like a home
Prinos is not a hotel, and it does not try to be one. What it offers instead is warmth in the truest sense: a heated space, a wood-burning stove, a simple kitchen, and rooms designed for shared rest after time outdoors.
During the holidays, the shelter becomes a quiet meeting point for walkers, families, and small groups who want to step into the winter landscape without pushing themselves too far. The surrounding area is ideal for short, gentle hikes, perfect for stretching your legs, clearing your thoughts, and breathing air that feels noticeably cleaner than down below.
Even a single day at Prinos can feel like a reset.
Winter walks and expansive views
The trails around the shelter are especially beautiful in winter. Pines, open slopes, and distant ridgelines create a landscape that feels open yet protective. There is no pressure here to “achieve” anything. The walks are about movement, light, and returning to the shelter with cold cheeks and warm hands.
As evening settles in, the wood stove takes over, and conversation naturally slows. This is the kind of place where silence feels comfortable.
Practical information
- Open: December 23, 2025 – January 7, 2026
- Location: Above Ano Asites, altitude 1,080 m
- Visits: Day trips or overnight stays
- Contact (required):
- Shelter officer Fanis Mamos
- 📞 697 753 3551
- ⏰ Call between 20:00–22:00
Before visiting, guests are kindly asked to:
- Check directions: https://www.eos-her.gr/refuge/directions/
- Read the shelter regulations: https://www.eos-her.gr/refuge/regulation/
- Find the shelter on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prinos.refuge
Coordination is essential—not as a formality, but as part of the shared responsibility that keeps mountain shelters welcoming and safe.
A small but essential clarification
Crete has two shelters, named Prinos, which serve very different purposes.
This article refers to Prinos Shelter above Ano Asites (1,080 m), managed by the Heraklion Mountaineering Club.
There is also Toumbotos Prinos Shelter, located at 1,600 metres on the western slopes of Psiloritis, managed by the Rethymno Mountaineering Club. That shelter operates under different conditions, access routes, and arrangements.
Both are beautiful. They simply belong to different landscapes—and different rhythms.
If you are looking for a place where the holidays feel lighter, quieter, and more connected to the land, Prinos above Ano Asites is exactly where Christmas belongs this year.
