Crete: Chania

Chania is a rather attractive city, with its cozy harbor, city walls, and hilltop fort. Between 1851 to 1971, it was the capital of Crete. The Old Town suffered less heavy bombing than Heraklion did during WWII. Vestiges of Venetian and Ottoman are still visible.

For example, Agios Nikolaos was Roman Catholic with a bell tower, then Islamic with a minaret, now Orthodox with both (1st below). While the hilltop was badly damaged from bombing, excavations revealed Minoan remains (2nd below).





On our one whole day in Chania we had a hike on the Akrotiri Peninsula (see photos farther below). To start we took the bus to Stavros Beach, walked to the Gouverneto and Triada monasteries, originally established by Catholic monks during Venetian rule. We returned to Chania by walking to the airport to catch the Airport Bus. Whew, a long but rewarding day.

The Old Town is busy in the evenings with folks strolling on the main drag. And later the whole area around the harbour turns into one big seafood restaurant.






The Cozy Old Harbour in daytime and at night.




Here are some photos from our walk which started at Stavros Beach and ended at the airport. Stavros was easy to reach by bus and there was a useful map at the trailhead.


We circled around the big hill, found a spot with a view of the mountains, sat down, and ate our packed breakfast.


As we continued following the red trail markers we were happy to come across many dragon lilies, some of which had been "trimmed"by goats.




After ascending through a gully (1st and 2nd below), and continuing on a pleasant downhill (3rd), we turned sharply right, leaving the trail, and bushwacking (4th) up past the abandoned Monastery of St. Anthony (5th) to the Gouverneto Monastery (6th below).












The Gouverneto Monastery was very beautiful. And the faces in 3D relief near the entrance were amazing.


After passing more dragon lilies and a vineyard or two, the airport was in view. And a few kilometers later we were on the Airport Bus back to Chania.






A few more views of the old Venetian Harbour. The lighthouse (1st below) and the Arsenali (Shipyards) second.




Bonus panorama of the Old Harbour.

Crete: Sougia

One of the top activities for Crete is the Samaria Gorge walk which opens May 1st. Suspecting overhyping and we are still before May 1st, we opted for Agia Irini Gorge walk. We really had to work around the bus schedule, which runs only Monday/Wednesday/Friday. So on Monday we first took the bus from Heraklion to Chania, went to leave our big bags at our Chania hotel, got on the 13:45 for Sougia, got dropped off at the top of the Agia Irini Gorge, and started walking down.

For the first four kilometers there was a running stream, and a number of water crossings. Luckily, we survived with only one wet sock and partially wet boot. Then the water was diverted, it became a dry canyon for another three kilometers. The gorge is a super enchanting place. As a result, we went extra slow. When we finally emerged on the final four kilometer road to Sougia, the sun was beginning to set. Some time later, a nice lady picked us up and saved us a couple of kilometers of walking, and she told us all about the very striking dragon lilies. When we reached Sougia, we were relieved to find our beachfront room was still waiting for us.

Sougia is a tiny village on the south coast of Crete facing the Libyan sea. John loved it. We spent the next day walking west through the Lisso Gorge to the Lisso Archeological site. On Wednesday we walked east on the E4 a little bit before returning to Chania on the 15:30 bus, trying to rest up for more walking in Chania.

We arrived in Chania with an hour to kill before our bus to the trailhead of the Agia Irini Gorge Walk. So we grabbed a couple of super tasty falafel wraps at Falavela, and admired the snow-capped mountains in the distance.




The trail started out easy and well marked.


But then a series of switchbacks took us down into the heart of the gorge, and to the first of many stream crossings. .








The deepest, most narrow section was amazing, and slow going.






The Gorge introduced us to the amazing Dragon Lily. First below, no flowers yet.






As it was getting dark, we tried to pick up the pace, but that was NOT easy walking over makeshift bridges, and through the rocky, but dry stream bed.




We popped out of the Gorge and still had to walk 2 kms to the main road, and 2 kms more to Sougia and our hotel. Once we hit the main road we started hitch-hiking and soon had a ride, and were in our "sea view" room at Zorbas just after sunset.




And the same view for breakfast!


The path to the Ancient Lissos Archaeological Site was well marked, and we easily navigated through a small canyon.




More Dragon Lilies. Woohoo!




A steep uphill led to a seeming never-ending trudge in the sun across a scrubby plateau.




Then a break for lunch with views down to the old port and the Lisson archaeological site. There is a temple, not visible from here, and a small odeon/theatre which can easily be spotted.




The ruins of the ancient temple.


The Odeon up close.


The water was very clear at the small, pebbley Lissos Beach.


The return-the-same-way walk back to Sougia.








Lissos is west of Sougia, on our last morning we walked to the east on the E4 trail to catch some great views, and more Dragon Lilies. The first view is down to Sougia, the second is the other way.






And we left Sougia on the afternoon Friday bus.