Experience

16km west of the Ierapetra is the traditional village of Mythi. At a short distance from the village, the small Sarakina Gorge starts, which ends near the Mirtos. The length of the canyon reaches 1.5km and its width ranges from 3 to 10 meters, with only a few points exceeding that.

The gorge of Agia Irini is on the west side of the White Mountains, with many vertical passes. It gets its name from the homonym village located near the entrance, 46 km from Chania. Its length is 7.5 km and its crossing takes three hours. The gorge ends up in the seaside village of Sougia.

One dominant feature of the area of Ierapetra, in front of the beautiful village and the minoan settlement of Vassiliki is the Gorge Ha. It is considered one of the wildest gorges in Crete, a rare morphological phenomenon of nature, probably caused by tectonic earthquake.

The beautiful Gorge of Kato Zakros (or the gorge of the Dead) starts in a short distance from Ano Zakros, nearly 100km southeast of St. Nicholas, and ends at Kato Zakros. The beauty of the landscape, the historical importance of the gorge and its accessibility, attract many visitors every year.

From the exotic lagoon of Lafonisi, located 4.5km south of Chrysoskalitissa, starts the coastal trail to Paleochora. Originally, it comes from the stunning Kedrodasos beach, passes from the church of St. John, the ancient sanctuary of Viena, Krios Cape, and then from the beaches to the west of Paleochora. The trail is one of the nicest parts of the European trail E4.

The canyon Aposelemis exits at the settlement Agrianá (or Adrianna as its inhabitants call it). It is the longest and most important geological canyon in the northern part of the prefecture of Heraklion.

The coastal trail connecting Sougia to Agia Roumeli is one of the most mountainous, tiring, but also beautiful parts of E4 European trail in Crete. The trail starts from ancient Syia (Sougia), runs through Tripiti and Domata beaches, ascends to 550m altitude and descends to Agia Roumeli.

From Agia Roumeli, at the exit of Samaria Gorge, starts the easy and very beautiful coastal part of the European E4 trail that leads to Chora Sfakion. Originally it passes from the church of Saint Paul, surrounded by pines, and continues along the rocky coast to the exit of the gorge of Aradena (Marmara beach). From there it continues to the settlements Likos and Phoenix, reaching the scenic village Loutro. From Loutro starts another path that comes to the beach Glyka Nera. After meeting the main asphalt road to Anopolis, we come by the beach Iligas and finally Chora Sfakion.