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Chora Sfakion
"𝘌𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘹𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴"
Our village is considered one of the most beautiful and charming places in Crete. With a rich history, this peaceful village offers a serene and relaxing atmosphere. It's a refreshing escape from the busy tourist areas found on the island's northern coast. Here, you can truly experience the authentic essence of Crete, away from the crowds. Whether you want to explore the hidden treasures of the island or simply unwind and enjoy the clear waters and stunning scenery, our village is the perfect destination for a memorable holiday.
Chora Sfakion is a great place to start your journey along the beautiful coastlines of Sfakia. From Sfakia one can see the islands of Gavdopoula and Gavdos,22 and 26 nautical miles respectively. Gavdopoula is a small islet, while Gavdos is an island with less than 100 permanent residents. It is the southernmost point of Europe, and its stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters attract thousands of visitors seeking tranquility. You can reach Gavdos by ferry or by an organized boat trip.
Also can reach Loutro, Agia Roumeli, Sougia, Paleochora by ferry and Sweet water beach,Loutro, Marmara, Likos, Finikas by an organized boat trip from Chora Sfakion's port. Αll these places are a beach or a combination of small beaches where you will be impressed by the landscape, the quietness and the clear blue waters.
Swimming in Chora Sfakion:
The central beach is in the west of the small port and called Vrisi. It is a sandy, pebbly and organized beach.
Many beaches are a few kilometers in the west and the east of the settlement. The Iligas beach (2,8 km) and Sweet water beach (3 km) in the west and the beaches of Sfakiano Ammoudi (1,7 km), Agios Charalampos (1,8 km) and Filaki (2km) are in the east.Filaki is nude's beach.
Iligas Beach
Sfakiano Ammoudi
Sweet Water Beach
Agios Charalampos
Filaki Beach
Imbros Gorge is located in province Sfakia and is the third most visited gorge in Crete. The scenery is beautiful and the low difficulty make the descent of Imbros ideal for families with children. The length of the gorge is 11 km and the course lasts 2-3 hours.The route starts from the small village of Imbros, 700 meters above sea level. The initial part of the gorge, which is quite wide, is called Porofarago or Porolagos. Initially the course is descending and the sidewalls are relatively low. But while descending, the canyon narrows continuously, the sidewalls raise higher and the scenery is impressive. Soon the sides of the canyon start approaching and getting higher.We see various caves, while the vegetation consists of old cypresses, oaks and maples popping up through the rocks.After this we reach the most impressive part of the Gorge, Stenada. Here the gorge walls approach at 1.6m, while their height reaches 300m! The rocks are carved with very beautiful formations.After this narrow point, the canyon widens and we meet a resting place at position Mesofarango. Here is a Venetian water cistern.After a few meters we cross a landslide and immediately after the impressive narrowing at Gremnaria. Immediately after that, we meet another trademark of the gorge, the stone arch Xepitira. Continuing our journey, we pass through some narrow passages and soon reach the exit of the gorge by village Komitades.
Hiking in Sfakia:
Chora Sfakion is the perfect starting point for exploring some of the beautiful gorges in Crete. The area has countless opportunities for hiking and exploring the stunning and awe-inspiring ravines and mountains. Sfakia is famous for 32 ravines, the most famous being Samaria, Imbros, and Aradena.
The deepest gorge in Chania is the gorge of Aradaina. The 138 meter deep gorge is ideal not only for sightseeing or hiking but for bunjee jumping in 138m down! This is the highest bridge for bungee in Greece and the second in Europe.The trekking inside the canyon till the exit on the majestic Marmara beach is an unforgettable experience for those who attempt the descent of the canyon. Aradaina gorge is only 7km long if you start from Aradena village.
The Samaria Gorge is the most famous trekking gorge in Europe and a part of the European E4 hiking trail. Thousands of tourists flock here daily in the summer season to walk from the top to the bottom. For many visitors, it is the sole purpose of their visit to Crete. The length of the gorge reaches 14.5km and takes almost 5-7 hours to hike from Xyloskalo at Omalos plateau to Agia Roumeli beach. While the gorge is officially 15km long, this distance actually refers to the hiking distance between the settlement of Omalos on the northern side of the plateau Omalos and the village of Agia Roumeli. In fact, the gorge is 13 km long, starting at an altitude of 1,250m at the northern entrance, and ending at the shores of the South Cretan Sea in Agia Roumeli. The walk through Samaria Natural Park is 13 km long, i.e. from the ticket kiosk at Xyloskalo to the kiosk at Agia Roumeli old village, but you have to walk 1.5 more kilometers to reach the beach of Agia Roumeli, making the hike totally 14.5km.The most famous part of the gorge is the stretch known as the Iron Gates (Sideroportes), where the sides of the gorge close in to a width of only four meters and soar up to a height of 500m.
Moreover, a good idea is to visit the highest peak of the White Mountains. Pachnes at an altitude of 2453m, is to follow the dirt track of Madara that starts from Anopolis and enters the Mountain Desert of Sfakia crossing the eerie landscape at Ammoutsera and terminating at Mavra Gremna. The ascent from Mavra Gremna to the peak Pachnes lasts about 1:30 hours.
