When the Turks were occupying Crete during the 17th-19th centuries, the Christian religion was driven underground - literally. The church of Aghia Sofia is housed in a cave, high up in the sides of a limestone gorge, on the road south to Elafonissi from Kolimbari. Although Christianity is now prevalent and practised openly, the church is still used for ceremonial occasions such as Christmas, when the priest is carried up in a litter. There are a few hundred steps up to the church, which have only been put there in very modern times.
Below: see the narrow grey snaky thing in the centre - that's the road, along which both the local bus and full-sized tourist coaches confidently whizz, horns blaring, every single day.
The chapel entrance to one side of the cave...
