Natural Landmarks
 

Hania, Rethymno, Iraklio, Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, lerapetra - each one of these cities has a distinct personality that attracts many visitors to the island.

       

 The Samaria Gorge. 43 km from the city of Hania, this is the longest gorge in Europe, measuring same 18 kilometres and renowned for its awesome beauty. At same points the passage is just 3 meters wide and at times the sleep sides rise to a height of 600 meters. The gorge is cut by a stream which flows between the highest peak of the White Mountains and Mt Volikas. Hiking down the gorge is permitted from May until late September, and weather permitting until late October. At the entrance to the gorge, at Xiloskalo, there is a tourist pavilion with a view of majestic Mt Gygilo (alt. 2.083m). On leaving the gorge one encounters the village of Agia Roumeli where one can take a launch to Hora Sfakion and catch a bus back to Hania. The road from Hania to the entrance of the gorge traverses picturesque lowland and mountain villages. At the village of Omalos and the Omalos mountain range one will find rooms for rent and a number of taverns.

The Lassithi Plateau. 22 km east of Iraklio the road passes through the wooded villages of the plateau (alt. 900m, area about 25.000m2) punctuated by same 7000 colourful windmills that water the market gardens and apple and pear orchards in this lush region.

Hora Sfakion. 74 km south of Hania, an unusual village built in a rocky, barren area, difficult to reach whether by sea or overland. To get there one crosses the Askyphos mountains and the Nimbros gorge.

Gavdos. An islet 24 nautical miles south of Sfakia (Hora Sfakion). There are scheduled boats from Sfakia to this virgin isle with its spotless beaches and its cedar trees all year long (weather permitting). The island boasts same taverns and a few rooms to let.

The Therisso Gorge. An impressive gorge, 6 km long running between Hania and the village of Therisso at the foothills of the White Mountains, 16 km south of Hania.

Lake Kournas. 48 km east of Hania. A picturesque lake, the only one on the island. The mountains surrounding it are reflected in its calm waters. There are taverns in the area for a bite to eat.
Gavalohori. Traditional settlement situated about 26 k. SE of Hania, surrounded by olive and oak trees. Its name comes from Philip Gavalas, a Byzantine who settled there between 1080 and 1182 obeying the Byzantine emperor. A Historical and Folklore Museum operates there. It is housed in a building which is characteristic of the local traditional architecture that used to be developed in two levels. A part of the building was constructed during the Venetian period, where as the second floor was added during the Turkish period. Among the exhibits one can see furniture, hand-woven and silk fabrics, embroideries, stone and wood carvings, samples of iconography and pottery, weapons, coins, etc. In the village square there is an office of the Women's Agricultural Cooperative of Gavalohori where one can either get information about the area or buy products made by the locals.

Argiroupoli. 27 km southwest of Rethymno. A village nestled among greenery, built on a knoll not far away from springs feeding same enormous cisterns and setting watermills in motion.

Spili. 28 km southeast of Rethymno. A wooded village with stone houses and cobbled lanes. In its small square overhung by plane-trees there are 25 water spouts, sculpted in the shape of lions heads, whose water comes directly from Psiloritis.

Anogia. A mountain village, 53 km southeast of Rethymno, famous for its woven cloth.

Fodele. 29 km west of Iraklio, the birthplace of the famous painter EI Greco (Domenicos Theotokopoulos) in 1545. A picturesque village hidden in a verdant valley studded with orange groves and plane trees.

Hrissi. An islet lying exactly opposite lerapetra, 9 n. mi. away, reachable by small excursion boats. It too boasts lovely beaches and cedar trees.

Matala. Matala became famous because of its unique location in between the chalk-cliffs, by which the many holes give the place its characteristic face.

Preveli. Preveli is famous for its palm beach and because of the monastery which was erected at the end of the 16th century.

Vai. For Greece a unique palm tree wood with a beautiful blue sea gives Vai the appearance of a paradise.

Source: GNTO