Immense and exceptionally interesting is the wealth of religious monuments and edifices of eastern Crete.

Country churches are here in Crete the trademark of the countryside, as it is the case elsewhere with castles and towers; these little churches offer visitors a feeling of peace and spirituality.

Monasteries are splendid monuments of architecture and art, especially in terms of wood-carving and religious painting; they are also places closely connected with the local history and tradition. The most important ones are the Toplou Monastery, where there are two museums, one of church items and one of engravings, the Kapsa Monastery, perched on the eastern slopes of the craggy rocks at the canyon situated in the south of the prefecture, the Faneromenis Monastery at Pachia Ammos, the Kroustalenias and Vidianis Monasteries at the Lassithi Plateau, as well as the Selinariou , Aretiou , Kseron Ksylon, Kremaston, Koufis Petras and Agiou Antoniou Fraro Monasteries in the wider Neapoli area.

There are also many Byzantine churches which are of great interest; Panagia Kera (consecrated to the Virgin Mary) at Kritsa, for example, with its elaborate frescoes, Afendis Christos and Agios Ioannis Theologos at Kritsa, Agios Nikolaos in Agios Nikolaos town, Agios Dimitrios at Orino, Early-Christian basilicas at Elounda, Spinalonga, and many others.