February is Carnival time in Crete! These Greek celebrations are not widely known outside the country but it is a great surprise to enjoy these Cretan carnivals!  Some of the best in the island – are in Kalyves, Rethymnon and Souda. Its one of the traditions anchored in antiquity, but as so often shaped later by the Orthodox Christian faith.

Its believed to be as a worship to Dionysos, the God of Wine and Feast.  What a great god, and one we should especially celebrate at Panokosmos!   Celebrate Dionysus the god of wine, fun and fertility at the end of winter to celebrate the Spring with a new cycle of life in nature.

Carnival, Lent and Easter

In the Orthodox tradition lent lasted for 40 days and was a time of fasting and self discipline leading up to Easter.  Apokreas is the preparation for this meaning literally saying “goodbye to meat”.  It lasts for 3 weeks, but really gets going at the end, with Tsiknopempti – “Meat Thursday”.  This is really something, go to any of the villages or towns around the Apokoronas and you will be enticed by the smell of barbecue. 

At every corner, shop or outside apartment blocks neighbours will set up charcoal grillswith sizzling chops, steaks and loukanika.  Their spontaneous hospitality is overwhelming, you’ll be invited to eat, and plied with local wine and tsikoudia. 

The Carnival parades

Apokreas ends with the Grand Carnival parades, where thousands of locals gather to celebrate.  Most are masquerades, dressing up in a huge range of disguises.

The shops have been full of everything from masks, blow up hammers and axes, to full costumes. 

In Rethymnon this year there was a cyclist with an axe thru his head!    

Some of the Participants!

There are pirates, and soldiers, Mexicans and knights in armour, wild animals? 

Old and young participate and the streets are packed with locals enjoying the spectacle.

The parade of floats have everything, so much energy and creativity, not to mention support of local businesses and organisations.  Before the parade, many floats are set out in the streets, Rethymnon is the place to see. 

In 2020 snow boarders leapt, castles kept watch, electronic cats smirked. 

A monk – with a nod to Belgium perhaps – plied ale. 

A fearsome judge laid down the law. 

Strawberries jay walked!

Learn how to enjoy yourselves – from the Cretans!

Its one of the great aptitudes of the Greeks, and particularly the Cretans, to know how to enjoy themselves. 

For so many years, thru the financial crisis and in the hard times afterwards, the Cretans still got out and danced, and sang. 

The panayias – the summer festivals – were still crowded and they took every opportunity to enjoy life.

In the Apokoronas there are great carnivals in Souda, Kalyves and Kissamos, as well as the king of Cretan karnivali at Rethymnon. 

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

Our room overlooked the giant Christmas tree in front of the Agora where there was this Santa Run booth. 

Queuing for Santa

We originally were going to contribute to the causes. but when we got into the queue to join the run we found we got a full Santa outfit. It came complete with beard, as well as a whistle and an invitation to the party afterwards. How could we resist?

Its a tradition which started in 2011.  It’s a parody on the “runs” held in cities around the world, here there is no competition, are no medals but only the disadvantaged children win.  Every year Santas gather on Boxing Day to walk nearly 4 km in the streets of Chania.  This year, there must have been over a thousand of them, all donating to four charities for children with health issues.

Before the event, Santas begin to appear dotted about amongst the crowds. 

Sometimes looking a bit forlorn…

We all gather in the grounds of the school where there?s some heavy rock from Change House

to get everyone in the mood, including us!

There were young Santas

Elves adjusting their dress

There were some splendid beards around too.

Santas taking photos, on the phone, milling around

And we’re off on the Chania Santa Run 2019! The Start

The start is sort of staggered by the small size of the exit and gradually we Santas spilled out into the street!

Along the way are countless DJs with a cluster of enormous speakers, blasting out pop songs and Christmas tunes. 

There are dancers, acts and tables with free beer.  At one point, high above the road, suspended from a crane was an aerial silk display. 

The young lady performer climbed the silks, wrapped and finally dropped a heart stopping 15m with no safety nets above the cobbled street. 

When we got to the harbour the sea was breaking over the quai and spraying unsuspecting Santas!

On the far wall, near the lighthouse a display of Cretan dancing – the high kicks particularly daring on the narrow wall!

And in front nautical Santas patrolling the harbour.

Gradually the Santa crowd diluted, with elements drifting off for a coffee, a rest or a quiet smoke! 

We were all under surveillance, hopefully not malevolent…

But leaving the harbour, up Daskoligianni St, the density grew as the entry gate back in to the school grounds came close.

Back inside it was souvlaki and Xarma beer and more music and dancing.  We oldies, tired by all the excitement drifted out and back to our car.

Celebrating success with hats raised!

Find out more about the Santa Run – better still, be here at Christmas and join in!

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

It’s a lovely part of Christmas – nativity scenes in Crete, that each of the villages sets out a nativity scene.

Nativity scenes in nearby villages

Normally in the central square, usually opposite the village kafenion, Joseph and Mary are standing under a tent,

with the babe in a cradle, with shepherds and sometimes graced by the presence of wise men! 

At Armenoi, set opposite the kafenion and next door to the famous White Boots Butcher, we think there is a donkey there amidst the sheep surrounding the crib!

Here there are angels, cast ephemerally in the shadows

We’ve loved, over the years, collecting pictures of these in our local villages.

These days they are normally aglow with inner light! Sometimes a bit more two dimensional, but all created and presented with love.

Christmas decoration traditions in Greece

Apart from the Christmas nativity scenes in Crete, there’s a tradition of sailing boat decorations in Greece.

A debate rages over whether this is the traditional emblem, supplanted by the “foreign” Christmas tree, which came with the Bavarian King Otto in 1833.

There is evidence that Christwood, the decorating of houses with fronds from evergreen trees dates back to at least Byzantine times, and there are plenty of firs, particularly in the northern Greek mainland.

But maybe best is to take the route of Thessaloniki, and have both Christmas tree and sailing boat!? Both when decorated are very festive, and whichever is a lovely tradition.

And if all else fails, there are always angels

Chania at Christmas is a feast of illuminations

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

What its like

It’s a stunning experience, because about 200m above the tree line (about 1600m) the landscape changes.  It becomes a totally alien moonscape.  Barren, harsh, unforgiving and inhospitable, the mountains and valleys stretch away in every direction in glaring white. 

There’s hardly any visible life.  There are brilliant white perfect cones, long knife edged ridges, deep circular sinkholes.  The quiet is complete, and, together with the landscape, a little ominous.  But above the sky is a vivid enticing blue, white clouds scud across, making a striking contrast.

How to climb Pachnes in a day trip

Unless you are a really keen (or insane) hiker, you wouldn’t want to climb the whole way in a day.   But there is a way to do it from the North coast. From the Apokoronas you first need to drive to Anopoli.  Its a wonderfully quiet and peaceful plain, high above the south coast. 

Then arrange to be driven up to the start point with brothers Manousos or Antonis at Anopoli Taverna

They will take you up in their pickup trucks to Rousies, a spot about 400m below the summit. If your bottom isn’t up to an hour long drive over dirt roads sitting on a hard bench, you can travel in comfort inside!

From there it’s a 2h walk (took us more but we are old!) to the top. 

To clarify this “walk”, it is a fairly chunky hike with a bit of clambering over rock faces, long traverses over sloping solid rock, and some long paths in shale & gravel.

Madares – the high desert

Up in the heart of the White Mountains, Pachnes forms part of the Madares – the high desert.  This is unique on earth, a limestone landscape subjected to over 200cm of rainfall, mostly as snow. 

This makes it one of the wettest places in Europe.   The word Pachnes means romantically “morning dew” or on the other hand more prosaically in Cretan “fog”!

Why is the Madares so barren?  Because the limestone rocks are porous, crumble into scree and thus break down into sand and silt.  There is nothing to retain water despite the immense rainfall.  This falls mainly as snow which when it melts, disappears into the sinkholes which dot the landscape.

And why are there so many perfectly conical mountains, all with the same slope ? which is apparently at an angle of 32 degrees?  That is caused by frost breaking up the rock into scree.  At steeper angles the scree rolls downhill.  Any hollow gets filled, any projection gets shattered by frost therefore creating this slope.

What lives at 2400m?

Even at this altitude we saw sheep “grazing” – heaven knows what on.  We saw tiny plants right on the summit.

There are thistles on the way up. However, you’d think the sheep spent more energy moving from one tiny plant to another than the energy they might provide!

Stand on the summit, take in the extraordinary views. For example, there’s the Aegean sea in the north and the Libyan in the south, the conical peaks, the sinkholes, the vivid whites and pinks of the rocks.  Its an awesome experience.

And how to get back down again!

Surprisingly perhaps, tho there is no mobile phone signal on the way up, there is on the summit. 

Very convenient to call Manousos to come to collect you.  It will take you about an hour to get back down, just about the time it takes him to drive up to meet you!  Then you have time for a great meal at the taverna before the drive back to your accommodation. So you can climb Pachnes in a day too!

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

Stylos is a bit of a forgotten place. Its in the midst of the Apokoronas, but overshadowed by Kalyves, about 5 km away.  Discover a Cretan village here in Stylos. Amidst the shade of plane trees, the running water of the Koliaris river, you can get a feel for rural life in Crete. 

The village has an authentic Cretan character. This is because there’s a  mix of old stone houses, more modern concrete structures, bougainvillea and jasmine. 

Byzantine Church

The old Byzantine church of St John towers over the village centre. Its from a similar era to the Agios Nicolaos church outside Kyriakoselia. Its flanked on the other side by the plant which bottles the Samaria water.

The Koliaris waters feed fountains too, just outside the taverna Moustakies – the “Whiskers” of Google maps fame! – named apparently after the splendid moustache of the owner. Unfortunately the taverna has now closed, and we think the owner has passed away.

In the grounds of the church is a huge fossil sea cow from the Pleistocene era, 3 million years ago.  Very well preserved skeleton, its an ancestor of the manatees, and was discovered whilst widening the road.

Tavernas in the Village

There are many tavernas and cafes in the village, an interesting one being Treis kai O Cook.  Its run by three friends and their chef is from Thessaloniki.  The food has these influences which makes for some subtle changes from the local Cretan cuisine. Unfortunately this taverna didn’t survive the Covid era lock downs and is no longer there.

Almost opposite this is Pissas, where the family of the butcher have for the last 6 years run a taverna.  Because much of the outside space is on the edge of the newly developed park of the village, this has lovely shade and cool breezes.

  Due to this as you could imagine, the meat here is the principal attraction – biggest pork chops you ever saw!, and tasty lamb.  They do charcoal barbecue with meat on the spit, its well frequented by the locals.

Stylos in WW2

It seems hard to imagine as you sit drinking your beer in this pleasant quiet and sleepy environment that Stylos was the scene of fierce fighting in the second World War.  Australian and New Zealand forces held up the advance of the invading German army, in order to enable allied troops to escape to Sfakia and the south.  Some of these troops were hidden at great risk by the villagers.

In Minoan Times

Yes, there is more to discover in a Cretan village! Closeby the village, up the hill towards Megala Chorafia, is the site of a Minoan settlement.  There’s a well preserved tholos tomb, nearly 5 metres in height, with perfectly cut huge stone blocks making a perfect circular structure. 

Maybe this was a burial site of an important Minoan ruler in the late Minoan period (1400 BC).  Get in by walking the 20 metre long dromos, which drops down from ground level, flanked by stone walls.  The site is marked from the road, in an olive grove. 

Its not obvious where is the tholos – enter the site (tho padlocked, the key is conveniently hung on a chain next to the padlock!) after that keep left up the hill. 

Take the second track off to the right, and the tomb entrance is 30 metres or so on the left hand side.

Nearby via another marked entrance is the rest of the settlement, where the foundation of a pottery kiln is visible, surrounded by a fence and roofed over.  This area may have been the main site of Aptera which was an important town in the Minoan era.

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

There’s so much to see in west Crete its difficult to decide what to see and do!  Make a start with our “Ten things to do” blog to give you ideas.  We don’t single out the monasteries amongst these, but the Preveli monastery drive is such a great wide ranging experience its really not to be missed!

What’s in the drive…

You get the benefits of a green and shady walk with freshwater pools to swim in, a beautiful (if a bit crowded) beach. 

The views from the monastery out over the Libyan Sea are spectacular, and there is a special feel about the place.  The commemorative statues of WW2 set in an equally stunning setting on the way to it are bold and dramatic.

Kato Preveli

Shortly before the end of the drive from the North coast you will pass by Kato Preveli – these are the ruins of the original monastery. 

The monks moved up to the more remote new site which was more easily defended against pirate raids.  This monastery was sacked by the Turks, and then again by the Germans.  This was in retribution for the part the monastery, and particularly the abbot, played in getting allied troops off the island after the battle of Crete.   The troops were fed and hidden by the monks and then ferried out to submarines waiting off the coast.

Next comes the turning to the parking above the beach, but before this we recommend driving on to the monastery.  It’s a winding climbing road which levels out at the site of the commemorative statues of the war. 

The War Memorial

A highly arresting juxtaposition of a full size allied soldier and a gun toting Greek abbot stand overlooking the sweep of southern coast and the sea.  The statues were funded by the Australian government, whose soldiers were amongst those saved by the monks.  The site is fenced off, and often locked, but the fence is low and simple to step over – enough said!

Drive along the road and the monastery comes into view, a tight cluster of buildings and huge Aleppo pine trees perched high on the hillside overlooking the sea.   

Preveli Monastery

The site can be crowded, but generally it’s a coach load of tourists, who descend for their 15min, and then take off again.  In between it can be delightfully quiet so you can your way to the courtyard, under the shade of the tree to sit and contemplate, to take in the special atmosphere of the place, calm, protective, full of positive energy.

In the grounds is a beautiful mosaic of the baby Jesus…

…and the bougainvillea spills out over some of the ruined buildings. 

The cats are watchful and protective of their space, but not so much as the patrolling monk in the church who calls out anyone with the temerity to lift a camera.

Turn back up the road, take the turning off to Preveli beach.  There’s a carpark (actually with a car park attendant to collect fees!) high above the beach.

The Beach and the Freshwater swimming

From there it’s a 15-20min walk down well maintained wide steps, mostly with handrails too, to the beach.  

Here you may find it a bit crowded with sunbeds, but you can take the well kept path back up along the river.  This flows all year round and creates a lush green valley of palm trees, very unusual in Crete. 

Walking up this path you will come to several freshwater lakes and plunge pools which make a great place for a swim or a dip. 

You may not be entirely alone, but there’ll not usually be more than one other party there.

Preveli Monastery drive – the Return

The downside is the climb back up!  But there is the consolation of the taverna at the top, just above the carpark.  Taverna Rousolakos, a little place with a charming shady terrace overlooking the views, and an eclectic but sophisticated selection of drinks – Greek microbrewery beers, and “3 Cents” sodas with their highly unusual flavours!

On the way back, stop off in Rethymno, we love Prima Plora, where you can dine literally on the rocks by the sea, with the townscape over the bay in the background.

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

The Chania harbour front, created in Venetian times, is special, quintessential Crete partly because the iconic lighthouse adorns the cover of many a guidebook!

The Venetian Lighthouse

Though originally Venetian it was rebuilt 1825-32 by Egyptian troops in the form of a minaret. They were in Crete defending the weakening Ottoman empire.  That’s the reason people often refer to it as “Egyptian”.  Most recently a complete renovation in 2005 has straightened its lean and smartened its appearance!

Great place for selfies too!

From there we can see the sweep of restaurants and bars, backed by the, now well restored, Venetian merchants’ houses. 

Chania harbour front

We love the gentle slap of the waves against the harbour walls. The sounds of the swifts swooping over the harbour and amongst the buildings. The enticing smells of fresh food from the restaurants.

We are often in town in order to get provisions, sorting issues and searching for things. 

After we’ve done our chores and shopping we like to stroll the Chania harbour front, so that we can check out some of the sites, chillout in one of the bars, and end up with a meal.  Here are some of our favorites.

Our Favourites

Al Canea is a wine bar on the edge of the first harbour. Its across from the lighthouse and next to the Maritime Museum.  A quiet relaxed place which is set a little bit back and up from the main harbour front. We like to watch folk stroll by, so it’s a great place for people watching.

Right at the other end of the second harbour is the Apostolis Taverna.  Its a place to come because here the fish is delicious, the views are out over the posh boats, and they serve Lyra beer, brewed in Kissamos and one of John’s favourites!

Things to see

The old mosque now houses temporary exhibitions and markets, so its worth popping in to see what’s on.    

In the second harbour, in a restored Arsenali, you can see a life sized and fully functional vessel modelled on the Minoan oared vessels.  Its fascinating to look into this ship, with its tiny cabin aft, the rows of benches for the oarsmen, all in the open, its primitive sail, and finally the elegant leaping dolphins on the bows.

The row of seven arsenali, have been heavily modified for use as warehouses. But they are still a vivid reminder of the Venetians naval prowess.  At the time their floors were at sea level so that the Venetian sailors could haul their galleys to be repaired and worked on..

Choosing a restaurant

Many of the restaurants on the waterfront are still very touristy.  They have toned down the greeters, now “we don’t press you, we don’t stress you”.  However, at one time they had become quite intrusive and bothersome to strolling tourists, trying to bully them into eating at their establishment.  A place we like is the Amphora, with friendly staff and interesting and well cooked food.

After that we go back to the square with the Venetian fountain where we often get Tshirts from Kostas, who can print anything you have electronically on caps, mugs, Tshirts, you name it!

And what place would really claim to be on the map without a (S)tarbucks!  We don’t like the coffee they brew but their range of single origin coffee beans is great.

After that you may be hot and tired, so just off this square is Lets Spoon, where you can finish off with delicious frozen yoghurt and a good range of flavours of creamy rich ice cream.

In the Evening

In the evening, as the sun is setting, Pallas is great for cocktails.  Partly because its first floor bar and restaurant have great window views of the harbour lighthouse.   

And although their restaurant is good, we prefer Salis, in a fine location on a corner in the second harbour.  Its partly because at this place you can get top class dishes with Cretan notes but also because there is a more friendly atmosphere.

Afshin is co owner, an Iranian/Swede chef/sommelier married to Alex, who owns the Manousakis Winery.  Therefore, as you would expect, the restaurant has a great (and huge) wine list!

After a long day in the City

Chania is a wonderful experience, but the intensity of the city with its busy bustle, its frenetic (particularly two wheeled) traffic, and its noise and pace need to be balanced against the quiet and peace of rural Crete.  So its great to be able to come back to a place in the country to relax and chill out.

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

From the Apokoronas plain the Lefka Ori, the White Mountains, stretch out from Chania facing north east, to beyond Georgioupoli towards Rethymno.  The foothills, up to 1600m high are split with gorges, sharp peaks rear up and vegetation is scattered thinly in patches down their steeply sloping sides.  Its a great place for a mountain walk.

It may look as if the terrain is pretty tough for walking, but there are paths up into these hills, exposed to cool mountain breezes and with the most spectacular views.  Read on so we can show you a few of them.

We’ve plotted some of them, linked them to the excellent walking guides created by Geoff Needle which you can buy thru Amazon. 

The routes are mostly on gravel tracks used by 4 wheel drives, sometimes over solid rock and the slopes are generally moderate.  In the height of summer you’ll be best to set off early, preferably shortly after sunrise, take plenty of water and wear hats because of the sun, and wear good walking shoes/boots. It can get quite a bit cooler higher up, so take a thin jacket in your backpack.

Madaro-Volikas Refuge

Starting from Madaro village, at 560m one of the highest in the White Mountains, this mountain walk climbs back and forth along the face of the mountain, until it disappears from view up the cleft to the mountain refuge.  From this height the views across the Apokoronas to Souda Bay and the Akrotiri are magnificent (Geoff’s Walk 43).

Kares-Gerani Gorge

This walk starts in green fertile lands but climbs into the wild landscape of the White Mountains.  The views are first across the Apokoronas, then the gorge and finally of the steep White mountains towering above you.  It ends with a small church Agios Pavlos. (Geoff’s Walk 41).

Melidoni-Profitis Ilias

The village of Melidoni has a big church with an atmospheric kafenio set in the square.  It’s the starting point for a couple of walks.

One of which climbs up around the edge of Tria Korfalia to a well known church, Profitis Ilias, well known because the Cretans celebrate the religious festival of Holy Spirit Sunday amongst others. 

After these events if you are in the right position, you can watch the line of car headlights nosing slowly down the slopes as the congregation make their way home again!

Melidoni-Agios Pnevma Spring

This route splits off from the Profitis Ilias route to zig zag up a foothill (in shade until about 0830 in the summer!).  It then crosses rocky ground via a stepped path to a tiny spring set in the hillside. 

It makes a fine mountain walk with splendid views, lots of beehives and shepherds huts and enclosures.

Fres into the Foothills

Described in Walk 36 in Geoff’s second book, this climbs from the Fres-Tzitzifes road, on quiet country tracks.  This leads to ever better views of the plain to Kalyves bay.  After that the final goat track section takes us over a brow, and the landscape of the mountains unfolds.  It’s a remarkable place, calm and timeless, because there is no evidence of man’s presence.

Most of these walks are described in the excellent books by Geoff Needle which you can buy from Amazon. 

And finally, after your mountain walk, how nice it is to come back to relax, maybe with a glass of Cretan wine!

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, climbing to the top of Pachnes in the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

The folding of the rocks, like crumpled paper, similarly the vast overhanging rock faces with cave like holes, their surfaces coated with marble, like stalactites and stalagmites – its all an experience of getting closer to nature and these forces.   

It’s a “not to be missed” experience when you come to Crete. So which one to pick?

Gorges: how did they come about?

Gorges are one of the really special things about Crete. There are over 50 in total, a greater concentration than anywhere else on earth!  Its fascinating to try to imagine the sort of forces which led to their formation – the movement of the giant tectonic plates. As a result the African plate forced its way under the Aegean microplate. You can see the arc running from just south of the Pelopponese beneath Crete towards Lindos. 

Currently geologists believe – as recent as 2013 – that this pressure along the fault line wasn’t even, as a result the plate fractured at right angles to its edge, forming a series of “teeth”.  The gorges formed between the teeth. Water, landslides and further quakes subsequently carved them out.

Samaria: the longest gorge in Europe

The longest and most complex gorge is the Samaria, at 11 km, the longest in Europe.  To traverse it is a great experience but there are some downsides:  its popularity. It is big but you will share it with at least 11 coachloads of tourists.  This often seems to degenerate into a “who can do it most quickly race” therefore the opportunity to stop and feel, admire and take in the extraordinary features is lost. 

Then it’s a massive undertaking for a single day.  For example, from the north west of the island you’d need to drive to Kalyves for 7am, then get on a coach to the Omalos.  The walk takes you to Ag. Roumeli where you’ve barely time to have a drink and a sit down before you need to catch the ferry to Hora Sfakion and reboard the bus for the return trip – home again by 10pm.

What we recommend

We recommend three gorges which differ in their degree of challenge, but all of which are much less crowded, give you the full “gorge experience”, and can be done comfortably in a day.

Imbros Gorge

The Imbros gorge is the easiest – a 2-3 hour walk over a relatively easy gravel base to Komitades. 

We suggest that you take your car to the village so that you can take it to the beach after the walk. We point out where to organise a lift back to the top – in the back of a pick up truck is the favourite – and also where to get off to start the gorge walk.    

Every taverna within miles of the entrance claims to be at the start of the gorge, but you can save yourself a long walk on the flat by starting at the right point!  Its good to take a packed lunch too, for half way down!

Then, at the end, its simple to drive to Frangokastello for a swim in the wonderful sheltered lagoon before driving back, stopping off at our favorite taverna, To Panorama, in the Askifou. 

Here Andreas provides such a gentle friendly service, whist his mother, who has won several gourmet awards, does probably the best genuine Cretan cooking you will come across on the island.

Kalikratis Gorge

A longer and more challenging gorge, but one where you will struggle to find another soul, is the Kalikratis Gorge.  Again its best to drive to the coastal plain, and pick up a lift from a taverna in Kapsothassos village.

From the plain it looks as if the villages are spilling out of the cleft in the mountain caused by the gorge. 

Christos, from the taverna Vigles, will take you up the new road, an exciting ride with an endless series of hairpins over 1000m up to your starting point!

This should be where the E4 path leads off the tarmac road, look out for the little sign! 

You could go on a bit for a coffee and snack at Janine’s, in the village. 

She has a wonderful shop with a great selection of dried herbs, essential oils (which they prepare themselves), and an eclectic collection of souvenirs. 

The shop is built around a massive natural rock which forms a centrepiece!

Aradhena Gorge

The Aradhena Gorge Is a spectacular day out.  The route there is thru Anopolis to the head of the gorge, where you cross a bailey bridge (the noise of the wooden sleepers when you cross in your car makes your hair stand on end!).  Here they organise bungy jumping for the brave (or stupid!). 

If you’ve got time you can stop at the kiosk there for a wonderful mountain yoghurt and Sfakian honey to fortify you for the journey. 

It’s maybe a 4-5 h trek, with some difficult sections involving a metal ladder bolted to huge fallen rocks. 

The alternative is a series of hairy sets of steps cut into loose rock around them. 

It’s a long walk at sea level out to the coast but Marmara beach is a blessing, and there is a lovely shady taverna perched in the rocks above for a drink. 

Its possible to get someone to bring you back, and Manoussos or Antonis from the Anopolis Taverna will come down with a pickup to meet you a couple of hundred metres up from the beach. 

After the trek…

Back to your car, you can drive to this taverna in Anopolis village.  Its  our recommendation, as the one serving a really  genuine Sfakian meal whilst you are looked after by the family, before the drive back to the north.

Whichever of these gorges you fancy doing, its easy from the North West – the shortcut to the best of the south west of the island runs from Vrysses!

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. These show things to do in Crete, whether it be walking a gorge, hiking in the foothills of the White Mountains, or taking a drive to see the sites.  Chania is a great town to visit, particularly to go to the street markets, and of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.

This is a sort of cross section of ideas, compiled over years of moseying around Crete ourselves, and talking with others.

Sometimes you will want some real rest, relaxation and to recharge your batteries.  But then sometimes the urge to wander and explore gets too great to ignore. So strike a balance, on the one hand chilling out in your accommodation, maybe wtih lush Mediterranean gardens & lazing on a sunbed by the pool. And on the other hand getting out to see some of the sites on a leisurely and relaxed basis.

For example here are our suggestions:

1. Walk a Gorge

Its one of the unique experiences of Crete, and there are accessible ones ranging from the Imbros – a couple of hours , to Aradhena – a full day’s walking. 

For example take a look at our blog on gorges. Each has an itinerary which takes the hassle out of the planning because it looks after getting you back to where you started, and leaves you a chance of a cooling dip in the Libyan sea after your exertions!

2. Visit the old town of Chania

There’s a magic atmosphere in the back alleys, cool and shady even in the midday summer sun.  History is all around, be it Minoan excavations or the warm stone of the massive Venetian fortifications.  The old harbour with its iconic lighthouse is the magnet for tourists, but here are some spots where you can people watch without being part of the crowd. For instance take a look at our blog on the Chania harbour front.

3. Sample Olive oil

Olive oil is the mainstay of Cretan agriculture and the Cretans would claim most certainly it’s the best in the world! Drive through rolling hills with neat lines of olive trees.  Judge for yourself at an olive oil tasting at Terra Creta, where you can see one of the most modern olive oil mills in Europe.  In addition you can see the very olive grove that the oil you buy has come from!  Then go on to see what is maybe the oldest olive tree at Vouves. Likewise we’ve got a blog which covers this too!

4. Visit the Lakes

There are only three freshwater lakes on Crete, and only one is natural.  They are all great places to bird watch.  For instance, on Kournas you can take a pedalo for a leisurely exploration of its far shores; certainly Lake Agias has great birdwatching locations; in contrast Potami is wild and beautiful, with an impressive curved sweep of the dam, and a partially submerged village on one edge. Try our our drive which also takes in a Carob Factory and some Roman tombs.

5. Make a trip to a Winery

Manousakis, Karavitakis or Dourakis are all close by.  Local Cretan wines are very good, with vineries which have passed thru several generations. That is to say the current sons and daughters are educated in oeneology in Italy or Germany. Firstly they combine the latest technologies and thinking with knowledge of the land and climate. Secondly they are rediscovering and experimenting with local grape varieties – Vidiano, Kotsifali, Liakoto, even the names have an exotic and romantic sound!

6. Walk into wonderful scenery.

Walk right out of the door into wonderful scenery.   There is a “Five Villages” walk for example takes you over the hill behind Chiliomoudou village on the way to Ramni. This walk takes you to typical mountain villages. Each will have their own character, some with a genuine kafenion. Certainly there will be Cretan shepherds and farmers discussing politics!  Views change as you walk along the route, from wild and mountainous to well kept groves of olives to neat vineyards, spotted with village houses and also the odd characteristic abandoned car!

Here we describe a short easy walk to a lovely little white chapel in the foothills from Kyriakoselia. Make it one of your ten things to do in Crete.

7. Take a boat trip

Take a boat trip – to Loutro or Freshwater Beach from Hora Sfakion in the South.  This is an impressive trip because the boat passes mountains which drop 1000m in vertical cliffs to the sea. Secondly the water at Freshwater is divinely warm, and finally Loutro has a very special atmosphere with some lovely restaurants and a bar serving splendid cocktails!

8. Experience Cretan country life

There are locally arranged tours that take you to an icon painter, a local dairy, beekeeper, olive mill or a lyra maker where you can see how these tiny Cretan instruments are made, and hear their sounds amongst the orange and olive trees.

9. See 5000 years of history

Signs of past civilizations are all around.  For instance, just 15 min from the villais ancient Aptera -wonderfully preserved Roman aquifers, Greek temple and theatre remains, and a Turkish fort with a sweeping view over Souda Bay.  Close by on the Akrotiri peninsula, there is a ruined monastery a short walk from Agia Triada where you can see the work of the monks and experience the quiet serenity of the monastery church and square.  In contrast, Zakros, the bay where parts of Zorba the Greek were filmed is close by, and the War Cemetery in Souda a touching reminder of past conflicts.

10. Chill out back at your Accommodation

More about living in Crete

There is much more in our blogs. Try out the street markets, find out about beers!, discover the Cretan carnivals, and the charming Christmas nativities set up in the villages. And of course you’ll want to get the benefits of the Cretan diet – be it the yoghurt and cheese, or the olive oil.