Agia Roumeli village

Agia Roumeli is a small and secluded seaside village in the historic province of Sfakia, approximately 56km south of Chania. It is situated on a wide bay at the exit of the imposing Samaria Gorge, surrounded by the wild mountain landscape of the White Mountains. The village has tavernas, cafés, small shops and several accommodation options.

Agia Roumeli is not connected to the road network of Crete. It can be reached by seasonal ferry services from Chora Sfakion, Loutro, Paleochora and Sougia, or on foot. The village lies along the E4 trail leading to Loutro and Chora Sfakion and the E4 trail leading to Sougia.

During the operating season of Samaria Gorge, the village welcomes hikers completing the famous crossing. After the afternoon ferries depart, however, Agia Roumeli returns to its peaceful rhythm. In front of the settlement stretches the main beach of Agia Roumeli, while several quieter beaches can be found along the surrounding coastline.

What to see in Agia Roumeli

The Samaria Gorge is one of the best-known and most impressive hiking gorges in Europe. Visitors who do not wish to complete the full crossing can enter the gorge from Agia Roumeli, pass through the old village and continue towards the famous narrow passage known as the Iron Gates.

Modern Agia Roumeli stands in the area of ancient Tarra, an important city of southern Crete. West of the village, at a site where an ancient sanctuary and later an Early Christian basilica probably stood, visitors can see the Byzantine church of Panagia Kera.

On the hill above the village stands the ruined Ottoman fortress of Agia Roumeli, offering impressive views over the village and the South Cretan Sea. Higher on the mountain are the remains of a second fortress known as Kouledaki. When visibility is good, the islands of Gavdos and Gavdopoula can be seen on the horizon.

Near the eastern side of the gorge lies the chapel of Saint Anthony, built inside a natural cavity in the rock. Further north, within the gorge, is the old village of Agia Roumeli. The settlement was abandoned after the severe floods of 1954, and its residents moved to the present coastal location.

View to Agia Roumeli bay from Kakos Poros plateau

View to Agia Roumeli bay from Kakos Poros

Fournoti beach

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 2.53 (353 Votes)

Fournoti is an amazing beautiful beach, located 57km south of Chania, 10km east of Sougia and 1.5km west of Agia Roumeli. It is very nice, with deep blue water, fine pebbles and surrounded by pine trees. The beach is secluded in one of the most beautiful Greek places, the rough Mountains of Sfakia.

Ancient Tarra

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.33 (3 Votes)

Tarra was an ancient city of Crete and seaport of Elyros. Here there was a very famous temple of Apollo and ahealing center. The legend tells that once the god Apollo himself came to Samaria to purify himself by the great priest and healer Karmanor as after killing the Python at Delphi.

Agia Roumeli Koules

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.75 (4 Votes)

On the west side of the exit of Samaria Gorge, above the current village of Agia Roumeli, the Turks built the Koules of Agia Roumeli to suppress the rebels hiding in the gorge. This Koules is in quite good condition. There were three more towers in wider area of Agia Roumeli (in Skoteini, Aggelokambos and Sideris positions)

Church of Saint Paul at Selouda

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.86 (7 Votes)

Saint Paul is a very old Byzantine church that was built at the place Selouda. The church is on the spot where Saint Paul reportedly baptized people on his way to Rome. It is a very picturesque small church, built on the beach using stones from the beach itself. This is why it is not easy to see the church from far.

Caves in Marble beaches

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.50 (1 Vote)

Between Kalogeros beach and the harbor of Maschalis (the west port of Agia Roumeli) some beaches are formed in caves that the locals call them Caves in Marble. These caves are formed in the whitish hard rock of the area and constitute a unique hideout for nature lovers. They can be accessed easily either by a canoe from Agia Roumeli or even by swimming.

Panagia Kera church at Agia Roumeli

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.00 (3 Votes)

One of the most important Byzantine monuments is located in the gorge of Samaria, at the site of a former a temple of town Tarra (1st century AD). The initial church was a three-nave basilica and today what we see is the Byzantine church that was built in place of the initial.

Fort Kouledaki by Agia Roumeli

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 5.00 (2 Votes)

The mountainous and inhospitable province of Sfakia hosts several small and large koules, ie Ottoman towers, which was built by the Ottomans to control this revolutionary area. One of the most unknown forts lies in ruins in the mountains west of the gorge of Samaria and you can reach it via the trail of the known Koules of Agia Roumeli.

Mashali beach

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.25 (4 Votes)

Thousands of visitors, descending the Samaria gorge, reach Agia Roumeli every day and enjoy their bath in the main beach, Gialos, stretching in front of the taverns. However, there are some very nice and quiet beaches around, one could explore. One of these beaches is Mashali and is actually the west part of the bay of Agia Roumeli.

Agia Roumeli

Agia Roumeli village

What to see in Agia Roumeli

Also read: