Getting around west Crete
The western coast of Crete is what some would say is the real
Crete. It is the perfect territory for walkers, full of dramatic
scenery with majestic mountains, deep wooded gorges, ravines and
valleys, lakes and little islands, accessible only by caique
with idyllic villages that seem steeped in history and frozen in
time.
Starting south-west of Rethymnon is the freshwater Lake Kourna
set in a beautiful landscape with its backdrop of the White
Mountains, Lefka Ori. It is the only lake in Crete, fed by
streams flowing off the hills an mountains that surround it.
Lake Kourna is an ideal place if you feel like a change from
lying on a beach. The lake has good facilities for visitors, and
it is possible to hire pedalos, swim or just stroll around the
lakeside. To walk the full circuit of the lake takes
approximately one hour.
At a distance of 5km from Lake Kourna is the popular holiday
destination of Georgioupoli that is well served for tourism and
has a fine long beach of several kilometres. It has a quaint
little harbour , fringed with eucalyptus trees, where local
fishing boats moor and a small river that flows into the sea.
Further west is the village of Vryses with its plentiful water
fed by local springs and lush vegetation. Here are extensive
ruins from the Minoan period and Neolithic pottery has been
excavated in the cave of Kera Spiliotissa close by.
Imbros is a wonderful place to stop to sample the local Sfakian
dishes, in particular sfakian pies which are actually thin
pancakes stuffed with cream cheese and drizzled with honey.
Imbros has an altitude of 780m and is covered by snow for most
of the winter, when its 100 inhabitants move south to winter
down in the villages on the south-west coast.
The people are tough and hardy and Imbros has been the birth
place of many of Crete's revolutionaries.
The sheer gorge of Imbros can be reached from the village and
ends 11km further along at the village of Komitades. It is easy
and safe to walk and a small entrance fee is charged. Parking is
available for cars.
It is a popular alternative to the Samaria gorge because it is
shorter, less crowded and less strenuous. The road through the
mountains and across the Askiphou plateau down to Khora Sphakion
is especially spectacular with breathtaking views as the road
hugs the sides of the gorge.