Hiking in Chania: Mini Hiking options while on Vacation.

Unkown Hiking Tours in Chania:

    Without a doubt, Chania offers a wide variety of options for hiking in Chania and for those who seek adventure. Samaria Gorge and Irini Gorge belong to Cretan natural heritage and are places that cannot be seen elsewhere in the European region and can be booked at an honest price from the reception desk during your stay in Despina Studios.

 

Hiking in Chania: The unknown -off the beaten path- hiking options.

  However, the peculiarity of the Cretan soil offers some little-known hiking and climbing opportunities that will remain unforgettable. Despina Studios lies in a strategic place for small trips to some very interesting hiking sites. We can suggest two mostly unknown routes in the Akrotiri region in which guests can experience some moderate difficulty hiking and combine it with some ecstatic sightseeing and some lunch in local taverns by the side. Akrotiri region is on the north of Chania and it’s the land that surrounds Souda Bay. It is also the region where the main airport is located, from whom you most likely landed in Crete. 

Hiking and Relaxation visiting Monasteries in Chania: 

In this region, and a close distance from the airport heading north you can reach the small but very historic Agia Triada Monastery dating back to the 17th century A.D. You can enter the small but well cared for monastery for a nominal cost and you can enjoy some wine tasting or buy some bio olive oil from the monastery shop that sells original traditional made monastery products. Guests can also wander and experience the vast vineyard areas that belong to the monastery and are at a proximate distance, right in front of the monastery. 

By continuing the journey north for a couple of kilometers in rural roads you can also visit the Gouverneto Monastery which has been there since the 16th century A.D.   Very close to the monastery premises there is a path that leads to the unknown Avlaki Gorge in which you can hike in a medium difficulty path. This Gorge can be finished in 1 hour approximately and is in descending order that leads to the ancient first monastery and a cave in which a well-known hermit-saint lived all his life.

Continuing the gorge in descending order guests will be driven to a small unknown cove that monastics used to transfer goods via boats. There is an excellent chance to have a bath and enjoy a homemade snack on some crystal clear waters. After your bath, we suggest two options: 

  The first is to ascend the same Gorge you hiked on your way to the sea and leads to the Gouverneto Monastery with an approximate time of travel to be 1.5 hours and then continue your exploration by car. The other alternative is to take another small path near the beach, which is the end of the gorge, and head west to the famous Stavros beach, the exact site where many Zorba the Greek scenes were filmed.

Approximate hike time is an added 1-1.5 hours and guests should bear in mind that they have to assure transportation from Stavros because the choice of traveling all the way back to the Gouverneto Monastery,  if you came there with your rental car, is excruciating because of the ascend and total distance, making it an unpopular tourist choice. Whichever option you choose, the natural habitat, the scenery, and the sea views will guarantee you a cheap but unforgettable excursion.

For more information, and for transfer options such as guided transfer or car rental options, guests can reach the hotel manager in the reception desk area or stay with us and choose your extras on our reservations page.