Explore Crete
Crete’s westernmost quarter is one of its least visited, partly because there are no big sandy beaches to accommodate resort hotels, and partly because it’s so far from the great archeological sites. But for mountains, scattered coves and unexploited villages, it’s unrivalled.
The city of Haniá (Chania) is an excellent reason to come here, but the immediately adjacent coast, especially to the west of the city, is overdeveloped and not particularly exciting; if you want beaches head for the south coast or the far west. Here, Paleóhora is the only place which could really be described as a resort, and even this is on a thoroughly human scale; others are emptier still. Elsewhere on the south coast, Ayía Rouméli and Loutró can be reached only on foot or by boat; Hóra Sfakíon sees hordes passing through but few who stay; Frangokástello, nearby, has a beautiful castle and the first stirrings of development. Behind these lie the White Mountains (Lefká Óri) and the famed walk through the Samariá Gorge. In the far west, great beaches at Falásarna and Elafoníssi are mostly visited only as day-trips.
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Haniá
Haniá
HANIÁ, as any of its residents will tell you, is spiritually the capital of Crete, even if the political title was passed back to Iráklion. It is also the island’s most attractive city, especially if you can catch it in spring, when the White Mountains’ snowcapped peaks seem to hover above the roofs. Although it is for the most part a modern city, you might never know it as a tourist. Surrounding the harbour is a wonderful jumble of Venetian streets that survived the wartime bombardments, while simply wandering the old town you will discover old city walls, Ottoman, Byzantine and Minoan ruins. Restoration and gentrification, consequences of the tourist boom, have made inroads of late, but it remains an atmospheric place.
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The Samariá Gorge
The Samariá Gorge
From Haniá the spectacular SAMARIÁ GORGE, which claims to be Europe’s longest (it’s a 16km hike), can be visited as a day-trip or as part of a longer excursion to the south. It’s strenuous – you’ll know all about it next day – the path is rough and it’s not a walk to be undertaken lightly, particularly in the heat of summer, and walking boots or solid shoes are vital.
The gorge begins at the xylóskalo, or “wooden staircase”, a stepped path plunging steeply down from the southern lip of the Omalós plain. The descent is at first through almost alpine scenery: pine forest, wild flowers and greenery – a verdant shock in the spring, when the stream is at its liveliest. About halfway down you pass the abandoned village of Samariá, now home to a wardens’ station, with picnic facilities and toilets. Further down, the path levels out and the gorge walls close in until, at the narrowest point (the sidherespórtes or “iron gates”), one can practically touch both tortured rock faces at once and, looking up, see them rising sheer for well over 300m.
At an average pace, with regular stops, the walk down takes between five and seven hours (though you can do it quicker); beware of the kilometre markers: these mark only distances within the National Park and it’s a further 2km of hot walking before your reach the sea at Ayía Rouméli. On the way down there is plenty of water from springs and streams, but nothing to eat. The park that surrounds the gorge is a refuge of the Cretan wild ibex, the krí-krí, but don’t expect to see one; there are usually far too many people around.
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The southwest coast
The southwest coast
The ancient capital of the Sfakiá region, Hóra Sfakíon, lies 70km south of Haniá, reached via a spectacular twisting asphalted road over the mountains. It’s the main terminus for gorge walkers, with a regular boat service west along the coast to Ayía Rouméli and Loutro, which are accessible only by foot or boat. Frangokastello, with its castle fortress and sandy beaches, lies a few kilometres east of Hóra Sfakíon, along the coastal road. Other main routes south over the mountains from Haniá are those to the small town of Paleóhora (from the north-coast highway at Tavronítis) and to the laidback seaside village of Soúyia (via Alikianós on the Omalós road).
