Places to go when in Kalyves
Due to its location in Chania Prefecture, Kalyves offers easy access to many sites. Nature lovers and adventurers will be amazed by the fascinating beauty of Crete, as the "Lefka Ori" mountains (the largest mountain range in Crete) provide many opportunities for walking and hiking.
For those looking for less strenuous forms of activity, there are numerous worth seeing alpine or seaside villages around. Additionally, the cities of Chania and Rethimno are not far away.
We can also book an organised tour for you to Samaria Gorge, Elafonissi, Gramvousa, Knossos or Santorini.
Samaria Gorge
Program:
Departure from Kalyves main square at 5:45 (the coach will pick you up from Ag. Paraskevi church). Stop at Omalos village for breakfast / coffee. Crossing Samaria gorge from Xyloskalo and after 5 hours, arrival to Agia Roumeli village, in the south coast of Crete, where you can swim and eat optionally. Departure from there at 16:45, arrival to Sougia or Sfakia (it depends on the weather) after 45 min. The coaches will be waiting for you and drive you back to Kalyves.
About the gorge:
Samaria Gorge classified as a national park, is one of the most spectacular natural parks in Europe. Starting south of the settlement of Omalos, 42 Km south of Hania, spans for 18 Km as far as the south Crete coast. The only way to see the gorge is to walk through its entire length, sometime between May and October when passage is permitted, but rest assured that the five or so hours that you spend in this gorge will award you with incredible views. Take the pedestrian path walk at Xyloskalo, the gorge's entrance, and start your descend in the gorge. After about three hours of walk at a normal pace, you will have descended by 700 meters of altitude on a zigzag path that brings you to the deserted village of Samaria with its 14th century chapel. You will notice that although the sun is high in the sky, the gorge is always in the shadow. Used as a hide out during war years, is now haunted by the Cretan "ibex" known as "Kri-Kri", the chin bearded wild goat of Crete with thick, curved, ridged horns, and only if you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of one. Equally rare is "Dictamon" an herb very much appreciated locally, found on the cliffs of the gorge. One mile before Agia Roumeli at the southern exit of the gorge is the famous "Sideroportes" (Iron Gate), where the rock wall rises 300 meters on either side of the passage, only 3 meters wide. Remember that the walk through is a one-way venture as you start from an altitude of about 800m above sea level going down to zero.
Elafonissi
Program:
Departure from Kalyves main square at 5:45 (the coach will pick you up from Ag. Paraskevi church). Stop for coffee and visit Agia Sofia’s cave close to Topolia village. Visit the beautiful monastery of Chrissoskalitissa and stay at the unique, sandy, rose, beach of Elafonissi, on the south-west area. Departure from Elafonissi at 15:15 towards Chania with small stop at Elos Village.
About the place
In 1824 850 women and children seeked refuge in the islet from the fury of the Turks. However the Turks managed to discover the passage from the mainland to the islet, walked over and slaughtered them all. According to the legend the sand on the beach took its red color from the blood of all the victims. Walking on the beach of Elafonissos the visitor can see various plants and bushes (Atriplex halmus, crithmum, maritimum, rura clepensis, ballota pseudodictamum etc.). There is also a small frog (bufo viridis viridis) endemic to the island and various lizards (podarcis erherdil elaphonisi) considered a protected species. There are also reported instances of a snake (coluber gemonensis gemorensis) . According to studies conducted by the Greek Ministry of the Environment the island serves as a breeding spot for the caretta-caretta sea turtle. Finally local fishermen have reported noticing Mediterranean seals ( monachus monachus) in the open sea. There are very few indigenous species of birds on the area, but the area is very important to ornithologists since it is the last stop from Europe to Africa for migrating birds. The monastery of Chrisoskalitissa is built on a rock on the southwest coast of Crete overlooking the Libyan sea. Its name means “golden step”. Tradition has it that on of the 90 steps that lead to the monastery’s entrance is gold but only those who have never sinned can see it. Another legend says that this step did exist but the monks were forced to sell it in order to help the Patriarchy of Constantinople to pay off its debts to the Sultan during the Turkish occupation. The monastery was deserted for many years since the beginning of the Turkish rule in Crete until in 1855 a monk renovated it.
Gramvoussa
Program
Departure from Kalyves main square at 5:45 (the coach will pick you up from Ag. Paraskevi church) towards the port of Kastelli and embarkation in the boat. Crossing the bay of Kissamos, the ancient shipyard of Tarsanas. Visit the fabled pirate island of Gramvoussa and optional climbing to the Venetian castle. Visit the fabulous lagoon of Balos, with its pristine sand and golden seashells. Return about 17:30.
About the place
At the north-west corner of Crete there is the chersonese of Gramvoussa. On the west side of the chersonese there is an amazing coast that is called Balos. The sand on this beach is very thin and has a beautiful white-red color. From the coast one can see two small islands: Imeri Gramvoussa and Agria Gramvoussa. Agria Gramvoussa is a very small and rocky island. Imeri Gramvoussa is bigger and has on it a Venetian castle. If you want to visit Imeri Gramvoussa as well as the beach of Balos, then you can do it only by boat . You can also reach the beach of Balos by car or motorcycle, although the dirt road is not recommended for the cars.
Knossos
07:30 Departure from Chania, a small stop on the way , for coffee. About 10:00 arrival to Heraklion, visit Knossos Palace and the archaeological museum of Heraklion. Free time in Heraklion until 16:00. Departure and arrival to Chania about 19:00.
Knossos ancient city of Crete, on the north coast, near modern Iráklion. The site was occupied long before 3000 bc , and it was the center of an important Bronze Age culture. It is from a study of the great palace, as well as other sites in Crete, that knowledge of the Minoan civilization has been drawn. The city was destroyed before 1500 bc (possibly by earthquake) and was splendidly rebuilt only to be destroyed again c.1400 , probably at the hands of invaders from the Greek mainland. This marked the end of Minoan culture. Knossos later became an ordinary but flourishing Greek city, and it continued to exist through the Roman period until the 4th cent. In Greek legend it was the capital of King Minos and the site of the labyrinth.