Sougia

This hike starts Southwest of Sougia at the far end of the Sougia harbor. There will be a rocky beach and a small wooden gate that you must open and close behind you. There will be a little wood sign that says "Lissos" to let you know that you're headed in the right direction. The first 30 minutes or so of the trail will be through pines, with the exception of a couple fallen branches the trail...

The gorge of Aghia Irini takes its name from the village located near its entrance. Aghia Irini is a small village on the road from Chania to Sougia, approximately 43km from the city of Chania. The gorge is one of the most popular gorges in Crete, attracting several thousands of hikers each summer when it is accessible to the general public. The trail that crosses the gorge is clearly marked, ...

Omalos plateau is one of the highest plateaus in Crete at an altitude of 1080m above sea level. It is located in the heart of the White Mountains sierra and it is surrounded by seven of their peaks. One of them is the iconic Gigilos. From far away, Gigilos seems the wildest of all, however it has the easiest trail to reach the peak and therefore it is the summit that is most accessible. Gigilo...

Omalos plateau is at the center of the White Mountains sierra in western Crete. It is located 38km south of Chania at an altitude above 1000m. All around the plateau, several of the high peaks of the sierra stand creating an impressive scenery. Above the plateau, at an altitude of 1680m, lies the mountain shelter Kalergi. Kalergi is the most popular and well-organized shelter of Crete. It is b...

Gyaliskari is one of the most beautiful beaches at the southwest of Crete, near the small town of Palaiochora. It is approximately 4km away from the town and the route is perfect to cycle. Once in Pakaiochora, if you haven't brought your own bike, you can rent one as there are numerous bike rentals. In the description, I have marked as a starting point the main street of the town where you can ...

First off, if you're traveling to Crete I suggest staying on the South side of the island in a town called Paleochora. It gives you an authentic feel of Greece without sacrificing some key amenities. It's also a great starting pointing to rent a motorbike and see some of the other areas of the island. For this trip in particular it starts in Paleochora and ends in Sougia, another beautiful beac...

Lake of Krios or Viena beach is located on the west side of Cape Krios and it is the most remote beach of the coastline in the Palaiochora area (the closest city from the beach). The beach is mainly rocky, with sand in some places. It is protected by a large wall of rocks, that forms a small enclosed bay resembling a lake. The beach is situated in the exact location of the ancient Hellenistic o...

Meskla and Zourva are two villages located at the roots of the White Mountains sierra, island of Crete, Greece. Both villages are easily accessible by road, however there is a path that connects them that is a hiker's paradise. Starting from Meskla, one enters the woods and soon enough arrives at the small gorge of Sarakina. The gorge, despite being short, is very impressive. It follows the ban...

Pahnes is the highest summit of White Mountains sierra (Lefka Ori in greek) at western Crete. It is located at the heart of what the locals call "mountain desert", a unique geological area at an altitude of 2000m and above, where one may encounter more than 30 peaks lying above in cone-like shapes. The easiest way to get to the trail is to follow the dirt road that starts from Anopolis and ente...