Hidden Crete 2025 – walking the northern trails

SUMMARY

Dates: Tuesday October 21st to Tuesday October 28th  7 nights and 5 days of walking

HIGHLIGHTS: Unspoilt location with the sea a few steps away, great fresh local food and friendly, welcoming people

Guide: Local guide Dafni (with local host Camille)

Walking Grade: 2 Goats with each walk being between 4.5 to 5.5 hours and moderate difficulty.

Base: Sunny Bay Hotel – a 3 star beach hotel. The complex lies in an idyllic position in the bay of Kissamos, 37 km west of Chania and just ten minutes from the centre of Kissamos town on foot. All the rooms have a balcony with a wonderful view of the crystal clear blue sea. There is also a large pool that guests love. If you do like sea swimming we recommend reef shoes to help walking across pebbles on the beach.

Guests loved meeting at the hotel bar and being able to walk out to a variety of tavernas with very good Cretan food at very reasonable prices.

Price: £1350 per person per holiday inclusive:

• Ensuite rooms with seaviews (no single supplement)
• All breakfasts
• Welcome Dinner and Farewell evening meal
• Local Transport required for walks
• Beach Towels
•  Local english speaking guiding and support throughout your stay.
• Airport transfers on arrival and departure to Chania. Pick Ups and returns will be arranged to suit your flights. We recommended arriving approx 3pm and leaving after 12 noon so we can arrange transfers together as much as possible.

Transfers to and from Heraklion can be arranged at an additional cost.

Not included: Travel to Chania.Travel Insurance. Meals and drinks on the other 5 nights.  Local tavernas are in abundance and very reasonable.

If you are travelling with a partner or friend and share a room there is £200 per person discount making the total holiday per person £1135 . We will adjust your invoice after booking and the deposit is paid.

DETAILS

Our location offers the opportunity to walk in one of the most beautiful places of the Mediterranean. The area of Kissamos in Western Crete is part of the European Programme NATURA 2000 which aims to promote its rich natural heritage and to promote eco-tourism. We don’t use private transport and only leave green footprints!

The Sunny Bay Hotel is chosen to give walkers a place they can relax at the end of the day with the opportunity to swim in the pool or the sea. It is also close to restaurants and cafes for evenings out.

The walks are graded two goats as they take you on a pleasant exploration of the local countryside. There are secluded valleys and groves, quaint hill top villages and spectacular views over the bay. The walks are also rich in archeological, historical, botanical and artistic features. You will learn lots about this fascinating island.

There is plenty of time for stopping in local cafes and tavernas and sampling local produce.

We hope the weather will be sunny and not too hot but sometimes it can rain and it is advisable to bring a light rain coat.

ITINERARY

PROGRAMME – this can change as it always depends on the weather. We always say Trust Your Guide as they know their area and will guide you to make sure you have the most experience.

Each day starts from the hotel and you can expect to leave between 9 and 10am. Walks will vary in length and your guide will brief you each day about the next days activities . Expect to be walking for a minimum of 4 hours with breaks.

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL – WELCOME MEAL

Arrival day. Transfer from Chania airport. You will be met by our local taxi driver and taken to your family run hotel. To get to our destination on the following days we usually walk or take the public bus, to keep our carbon footprint low and to enjoy being part of the reliable local transport system. On the first evening we offer you the chance to get to know everybody at the Welcome Dinner.

The walks below give an example of what you can expect

PLATANAKI – KORFALONAS – KISSAMOS

Duration: about 4.5 hours. Distance : 12 km. Elevation: 1m-20m.

From our hotel we walk to the sea and then along the beach to the Platanaki and Korfalonas areas. We cross the little river of Korfalonas and continue further until we cross the little river of Kissamos and reach Kissamos town, where we can visit the local archaeological museum and local traditional shopsselling honey, wine, tsikoudia, herbs etc. We return either on foot or by the regular bus service.

DRAPANIAS – CHERETHIANA – POTAMIDA – KALOUDIANA

Duration: about 5.5 hours. Distance : 13 km. Elevation: 5m-170m

After a 30 minute walk from our hotel, we reach the village of Drapanias which we skirt round. Going uphill we find an old track leading through the olive groves to the little chapel above us built into a cave… Michael the Archangel. We continue on this track over a small river bed and a magnificent mulberry tree until we reach a country road and more old tracks. At the sides of the path is a rare kind of mint and a lot of caper flowers amongst many other plants. We reach now Cherethiana which is a small typical, picturesque Cretan Village at an altitude of 160 meters. We walk through the village and have a break for a coffee if the local traditional Cafe is open. Now coming downhill we reach another cave chapel … another Michael the Archangel, nestling under the shade of a plane tree from which the old church bell is hanging. From here we take the road to Potamida in the valley and turn back towards the sea, passing on our right the famous natural clay marls which tower above the fields. We will visit the mill museum where we will have a break and then we walk further through the village. On the return to our hotel we might have a break for a beer or food in the village Kaloudiana.

KOLYMBARI – ASTRATIGOS – AFRATA

Duration: about 5 hours. Distance : 12 km. Elevation: 5m-210m.

We go by public bus to Kolymbari and walk uphill to the west on the Rodopos peninsula in order to find the picturesque village of Astratigos: a very small village at an altitude of 210 metres without any shops but with beautiful views to Chania bay. We walk further to the north of the peninsula and arrive in Afrata, another small village with a tavern and a traditional Café. Time for a coffee break. From here on, during our whole way to the Gonia Monastery the views to the Chania bay are spectacular. The city of Chania and the island of Ag. Theodoroi are visible. Our next stop is at the famous Gonia Monastery which was built between 1618 and 1634 in its present location, with Venetian influences in its architectural design and adornment. The distinctive fountain in front of the monastery’s entrance was built in 1708 and the belfry in 1849. The monastery was heavily damaged by Ottoman bombardments on many occasions throughout its history and finally in 1867 during the Great Cretan Revolution (1866–1869) against the Ottoman Empire, evidence of which can be seen today in the remaining cannonball lodged in the monastery wall. The monastery contains numerous Byzantine artifacts from the 15th and 17th century including Cretan icons by painters of the famous Cretan school of icon painting (which shaped El Greco). It also has numerous relics and other rare religious treasures from the Byzantine period and ancient inscriptions on the walls. In the village nearby there is a charming harbour with fishing caiques moored, cafes and tavernas for refreshments.

KOLENI – MESONISI – ROKKA – KOTSIANA

Duration: about 5.5 hours. Distance : 14 km. Elevation: 5m-225m

We go by road to the village of Koleni. Walking through the village we find the old soil road towards the beautiful old settlement of Mesonisi which faces the dramatic exit of the Rokka gorge. We wander through the gorge which is rarely visited and encounter wild goats and buzzards and if we are lucky we might see a golden eagle. In the middle of the gorge we find the path leading to the giant rock which dominates the landscape. Just below its crown or dome as the locals call it is the picturesque village of Rokka. Above the 18th/19th century houses is the site of the remains of an ancient village, whose rooms, streets, steps and tombs were cut into the stone. From there the views are staggering: South across the Rokka gorge and North to the blue sea in the distance. We return home down a kalderimi (old stone road) passing an ancient wall, peach, plum and mulberry trees amongst the olives. We walk through the countryside to Kotsiana where we might have a break for a coffee in the traditional Kafenio of the village. Our path leads us to Ano Drapanias where we walk past a medieval Venetian tower and then through the village before we return to our hotel.

NOPIGIA – PANAGIA MYRTIDIOTISA – AGIOS VASILIOS – RAVDOUHAS

Duration: about 5 hours. Distance : 12 km. Elevation: 1m-120m.

Starting from the hotel we will walk past the open air theater to the little chapel of Panagia Myrtidiotisa in Nopigia and then along a rough path over stones and rocks towards the little medieval chapel of Agios Vasilios on the Spatha peninsula. The blue sea is always beside us. We will encounter only a few sheep and goats and enjoy great views towards the Gramvousa peninsula across Kissamos bay, with the Spatha mountain on our right. After our little break at the chapel of Agios Vasilios we walk further to the outskirts of Ravdouhas over the top of an abandoned iron mine, enjoying fantastic views of the village. We walk past amazing rock formations and Nopigia beach to our hotel.

THERE WILL BE A  FREE DAY

A free day to rest or do further walking or sightseeing on your own. You could enjoy the many attractions of Chania, or visit the famous Balos beach by a short boat trip or hire a car to explore further a-field or … even walk through the Samaria Gorge (detailed information provided on request).

DAY 8 – DEPARTURE

Departure day. Transfer to Chania Airport.