Aghios Nikolaos

The implementation of another major tourism investment in Greece will get under way in about a year's time, as the 600-million-euro Elounda Hills project in eastern Crete has just taken another step in that direction.

Mediterranean cyclone "Zorbas" shifted deeper into Greece on Saturday afternoon, bringing showers and gale-force winds to Athens, the central and northeastern Peloponnese and Evia, after tearing up trees and disgorging fishing boats and pleasure yachts across the coast of the southern Peloponnese.

Crete has come in fifth place among the world's top destinations for 2018 in the Travelers' Choice Awards of travel website TripAdvisor, hailed for "its rich archaeological and mythological history that's reflected in its ancient ruins and cultural attractions."

Firefighters were battling several blazes on Friday in different parts of the country and although strong winds and tinder-dry conditions hampered their efforts, they had managed to bring most under partial control by nightfall.

Two of the fires were in Achaia, western Greece, on forestland near the villages of Aghios Nikolaos and Santomeri.

The 2017 National Mountain Running Championship of Greek track and field federation SEGAS will take place this year at Kritsa in eastern Crete on June 4.

In only the second time the event has visited Crete (the first was in 1983), the run will start and finish at the central square of the traditional mountain village of Kritsa, near Aghios Nikolaos.