The Kerasia settlement is built on the eastern sides of the Chalepa hill, 340 meters above the sea level, on the 20^th kilometer of the national Heraclion-Mesara road.

The view from the village is magnificent. The Neo Venerato settlement is also under the Kerasia district and 240 people live in Kerasia and 120 people in Neo Venerato. Their main occupation is agriculture and, particularly, the production of grapes and olives.

The Kerasano gorge is in the north of the village and it starts from the East and ends to the West.

HISTORY

The first reference of Kerasia was by Vasilikata, in the 13^th century.

PLACE NAME

The name of the village comes from the words “kerno” (i.e. buy a drink/treat)/ “kerasa” (i.e. bought a drink/treated). It is said that the villagers treated the strangers and that’s how the below folk Cretan couplet was created: “ I went to Avgeniki and only a raisin and raki, I went to Venerato and wandered up and down, I went to Kerasa and they treated me all day”.

FESTIVITIES

A feast takes place on the 30^th of July, the day of the celebration of Saint Silas.