Excursions
Paleochora is the perfect regional starting point for all kinds of excursions and activities, on foot, with a bicycle or motorbike, by car or coach, or by ferry and boat.
Excursions by boat – boating makes you happy!
During the summer months there is a ferry between Paleochora and a string of villages to the east, including Soughia, Agia Roumeli and other villages. The trip takes a whole day, with the ferry returning in the early evening to Paleochora. Another, smaller boat, Sofia, takes visitors on daily trips to Elafonissi, returning in the late afternoon. Tickets are available, depending on weather and season, in the travel agent’s Selino, located in Paleochora by the harbor.
Here a few ideas for day trips:
1. Elafonissi: a piece of the Caribbean in the Mediterranean, the far south-western tip of Crete – it is definitely worth a visit. During the summer, when there are many tourists, you may prefer to take in the whole scene for a while and then walk 20 minutes towards Paleochora along footpath E4, where you can find places to swim and snorkel.
2. Soughia: this unspoiled, idyllic village by the sea invites you to its small tavernas and café’s or to just relax on its famous beach.
3. Lissos: is an ancient site with historical ruins including the preserved mosaic floor of a healing temple. To get there, you take the ferry to Soughia and then walk for an hour along the coast, taking footpath E4 in the direction of Paleochora. Later you can walk back to Soughia or take a taxi boat back there, so you can then take the ferry back from Soughia to Paleochora in the evening.
4. Cave Polifimos in Soughia: taking the ferry to Soughia in the mornings, you walk towards the East, passing the disco there is a path through the riverbed up the mountain, from where you follow the signs.
5. Agia Roumeli: this village is the bottom end of the famous Samaria Gorge. If you don’t fancy the whole walk through the gorge from top to bottom (along with many other hikers and tourists), you can simply visit the village or maybe walk up from there for about an hour to get to the narrowest passage of the gorge.
6. Agios Pavlos: take the ferry to Agia Roumeli and then hike for about an hour along the coastal path E4 in the direction of Loutro towards Agios Pavlos. You will find there a beautiful beach with emerald-green waters where you can spend the day and visit the chapel of Agios Pavlos. According to legend St Paul has visited here. There is a single taverna offering refreshments. Make sure you leave enough time for the way back, so you do not miss the ferry.
If you are interested in spending the day all by yourself on your own private beach, there are many bays along the South coast that are only accessible by boat. Talk to us, and Christos will organise an excursion for you on his boat, time and weather permitting.
If you want to see the pictorial village of Loutro and stay there for a while, you might want to plan to stay overnight in the local accommodation as the ferry only stops here for a very short time during its day trip.
Short walks around Anidri
1. Walk towards Anidri Tower – 15 minutes.
2. Walk towards the chapel of St George and St Nikolaus with its famous, well-preserved frescoes by Ioannis Pagomenos dating back to the year 1323 – 2 minutes away from our Cafe “Sto Scolio”.
3. Walk to the chapel of the Prophet Elias, patron saint of sailors – 30 minutes. Follow the path from the chapel of St. George and St Nikolaus towards Anidri beach. When you get to a crossroads where the path turns towards the beach on your left, and turns right towards the main road, you follow the path straight ahead facing the mountain of Prophet Elias. There you will find a fence where a wooden sign shows a church symbol. Carry on towards the left along the goat path which will lead you up the mountain along a winding path.
Hiking
1. From our Cafe “Sto Scolio” through Anidri Gorge to Gialiskari Beach (about 45 minutes).
2. From Gialiskari Beach following European Hiking Trail E4 in the direction of Soughia (about 6 hours). Return to Paleochora in the evening by ferry.
3. From Gialiskari Beach following European Hiking Trail E4 to Lissos (about 5 hours). Return from Soughia to Paleochora in the evening by ferry.
4. From Anidri to Azogires: this is a wonderful path from one mountain village to the next along the beautiful ridge. The walk in one direction takes 1.5 hours, returning by taxi or hiking back.
5. From Azogires visit the “Cave of the 99 Holy Fathers” (75 minutes): at the entrance of the village, a road leads up towards the left. It is recommended to take a good torch with you. Alternatively, you can take the same road towards the Venetian fortifications. You take the same road up towards the left, but then follow the footpath to the left where a wonderful view will reward your efforts.
6. From Krios beach towards Elafonissi, taking European Hiking Trail E4 (about 6 hours). Leaving Krios beach at the western end of the southern beach, you pass several beaches all inviting you for a swim. In the afternoon you return from Elafonissi with the boat.
7. Walk through Agia Irini Gorge: you leave early in the morning, taking the local bus to the entrance of the gorge at the top. The walk takes about 5 hours down towards the coast, where you will arrive in Soughia from where you can return back to Paleochora in the evening by ferry.
8. Samaria Gorge (the most famous gorge on Crete, located in the National Park): to walk along the whole length of this gorge, the largest in Europe (20 km), you take the bus early in the mornings, to the Omolos Plateau. From there the walk takes about 6 hours, down through the National Park towards the bottom of the gorge and the village Agia Roumeli. There you will probably want a cold drink, a dip in the sea and then you can return to Paleochora by ferry.
Please take into account that it can get very hot during the summer months. On all the walks, carry sufficient provisions
of water with you, cover your head and keep monitoring your condition. It is recommended that you start with the shorter
walks, to get accustomed to the heat and the environment. Take heed of the signs and markings, so you do not get lost.
Excursions by car
E.g. Chania, Sougia, Elafonisi, Krios beach…
Here you will find the timetable for Buses and Boats. For Taxi service information click here.
Art in Paleochora
There are many artists living in and around Paleochora who some years ago founded Paleochora Art Week. This annual occasion has grown into a firm favourite on the calendar of the cultural scene in Crete, based upon its simple idea to make art accessible to the public. There are exhibitions in a variety of locations, along the pebble beach in Paleochora and in many café’s, bars and tavernas.
Some artists also offer opportunities to visit their exhibitions outside of the special art week, at Permanent Art Points.
http://www.paleochora-art-week.com/en_GB/
One attraction, for example, is the sculpture garden of the Austrian Gerhard Stelzhammer on the road to Anidri which is well worth a visit.
Paleochora Art Week
2015 Documentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNP8jlcoITM&feature=youtu.be
Underwater exhibition
2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7uESNtfj_I
2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWPAKK2c0bI