Zaros

Zaros ( _el. Ζαρός) is a municipality in the Heraklion Prefecture, Crete, Greece. Population 3,370 (2001). Zaros village, at an altitude of 340 metres, is a village with a lake and gorge nearby. The village has a couple of hotels and it is 44 km from Heraklion at the southern foothills of Mount Psiloritis. The population of 3,400 produce olive oil, sultanas, vegetables and spring water. There are a couple of fish farms that serve both trout and salmon. In Zaros, there are cafes near Lake Votomos, as well as a tavern that serves fresh trout called "I Limni" (The Lake). Close by is Rouvas Gorge, which is part of the Psiloritis mountain range and is on the hiking route known as the E4 European Walking Path. Nearby Zaros village are traditional water mills which have been working since the 16th century, as well as archaeological sites and monasteries. Zaros is also famous for its water derived from Lake Votomos and bottled by a bottling plant called Votomos SA.