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In the southeast of Crete near the village of Armeni and at 2 kilometer distance from the village of Papagianades (where you can take the exit to Armeni) are the remnants of the old Venetian village Etia. Once the village was inhabited by almost 600 people. Now the houses in the village are in ruins, the streets and alleys are empty, and the large Venetian private villa on the outskirts of the village is being restored (2008) to its former glory (after it was destroyed by the Greeks during the revolution of 1867 because the Turkish invaders were housed in the villa).

The three-storey villa at Etia was built by the de Mezzo family at the end of the 15th century and was one of the most beautiful Venetian buildings on the island at the time. The thick walls protected the inhabitants and in the courtyard of the villa was a fountain that dates from 1701 and that was supplied with water via an aqueduct. Outside the walls were a number of smaller fountains for travelers and residents of the village. Above the monumental entrance of the villa you can see the coat of arms of the De Mezzo family.

The De Mezzo family originated from the town of Sitia. The Venetian villa at Etia dates from the 15th century. It is a witness to the wealth of the former conquerors. Etia already existed in the Byzantine period, but prospored most during the Venetian occupation. In the village of Etia there are also a couple of beautiful old churches (including two Byzantine, the Agios Ioannis and the Agia Aikaterini) that are worth having a look at. The Agios Ioannis is the smaller of the two and has beautiful carvings above the windows and door. Inside there are remains of frescoes. Near this church on a hill you can see two old graves. The larger white-painted Agia Aikaterini consists of two houses, two half-domes and a bell tower. Inside are a number of icons. In the 1950s, the last inhabitants of Etia left the village to move to nearby Armeni. Since that time, Etia has been completely deserted.