Hiking is one of the best ways to experience a country, its land and its people. It gives you the chance to be one with nature and to feel yourself becoming a part of it. This is travel at its best, offering you the opportunity to see a country from a new perspective.
EcoGreece offers a 9 day hiking tour to the historical country
of Greece and the island of Crete.
Crete is like a land of its own. It is unique for its huge variety of landscapes.
It is hard to find another place that combines old Venetian towns, little mountainous
villages, secluded beaches, tourist resorts and 7500 feet high mountains, all
in an island 160 miles long and 30 miles wide.
Day 1, Friday. Our tour starts at our Hotel in late afternoon in the beautiful city of Hania, located in western Crete. After a short tour briefing, the group will walk to a traditional taverna for dinner.
Day 2, Saturday. Today we take a guided city tour of Hania. We begin with a visit to the public market and continue along the narrow streets of the old historical center. The 4000 year history is evident everywhere you turn. The nations that invaded Crete, including the Romans, Arabs, Byzantines, Turks and Venetians, have left their influence on the architecture of the city, The Byzantine walls still exist, as well as the more impressive Venetian Walls and the Venetian Harbor, one of the most scenic harbors in the southern Mediterranean. We continue our tour with a visit to the Naval Museum; afterwards we will have lunch by the Venetian Harbor. The remainder of the day is free for you to either explore the neoclassical mansions and quaint shops or just rest your feet in a traditional taverna with an iced coffee. In the evening we meet for dinner.
Day 3. Sunday. An early departure to Kissamos town. We will take the ferry to Gramvoussa Island, visit the Venetian fortress built there at an altitude of 400 ft and then continue on to the Mpalos lagoon. We will have lunch on the boat. After lunch we will walk from Mpalos to Kalyviani village for approximately 3 hours along Cape Gramvoussa. This is a scenic coastal walk with views to the Kissamos Bay and the White Mountains far to the south. Our bus will take us from Kalyviani village and transfer us to the eco village of Milia. Here we will stay for 2 nights. The eco village of Milia is where all the houses are made of wood and stone. There is no electricity, except some lamps that use solar energy. The food served here is also produced here.
Day 4, Monday. Today we walk from Milia to Sirikari village and descend in the Sirikari gorge. We will walk by olive trees, thyme, sage and chestnut trees to the village of Polyrinnia and the archaeological site of the Polyrinnia Acropolis. Here we will have lunch. Hiking time: approximately 6 hours .We will return by bus to Milia and have dinner.
Day 5, Tuesday. (No luggage). An early morning departure brings us to the Omalos Plateau, to the entrance to the Samaria Gorge. The Samaria gorge is the longest gorge in Europe (16 Km, about 10 miles). We will descend from 4000 feet down to sea-level on a paved path. Toilets, water and rest points are approximately every 1 hour. Good shoes and strong legs are required here. Arrival to the village of Agia Roumeli after approximately 6-7 hours. Lunch in Agia Roumeli. We will stay in Agia Roumeli for one night with dinner at a local taverna. Agia Roumeli (ancient Tara) is a little village by the Libyan Sea, the southern sea of Crete. It can only be reached by foot or boat. Far in the horizon the island of Gavdos is visible. It is believed that Gavdos was the island of Calypso described by Homer in Odysseia. It is the southern border of Europe.
Day 6, Wednesday. We leave Agia Roumeli and walk along a coastal path for approximately 6 hours to the village of Loutro. Again, this village can only be reached by foot or boat. The coastal walk takes us past the Byzantine church of Saint Paul. It is believed that Saint Paul disembarked on this coast on one of his trips. This area provides a very long pebble beach with a pine tree forest above it. Lunch along the hike. Our luggage will have arrived by ferry to our hotel in Loutro.
Day 7, Thursday. Today you have an option of a free day enjoying the crystal-clear sea and the serenity of Loutro, or hiking with your guide in the area.
Day 8, Friday. We leave Loutro and take the ferry to Hora Sfakion, the nearby main town of the historical Sfakia area. We will meet our bus and take the winding road up to the Askyfou plateau. It is here we can enjoy panoramic views to the Libyan Sea. We continue for approximately two hours driving northeast of Sfakia where there is the Myloi (watermills) gorge with the abandoned village of Myloi in it. Here we walk for approximately 2.5 hours. Lunch along the way. After the walk we continue by bus to Iraklion .
Day 9, Saturday. Guided tour to the Minoan Palace of Knossos and the archaeological Museum of Iraklion. Following this tour we have lunch. Around 2:00 to 3:00 you bid a fond farewell to your group for an afternoon departure.