EN - Villa Panora bookguide
Sightseeing
A machinegun/cannon nest nearby the house. A German post to control boats sailing into Souda Bay. You find it like this : go down the tarmac road and turn right by the dirt road. Continue straight away, and the road turn into tarmac again, but walk on until there is a road going up between the houses, private ones to the right and Sct. Georges Retreat to the left on top of this road turn left and walk up to the very top. Hear you find the nest. Investigate the cave system blown out of the cliff by forced labour from the nearby villages. After they had built it they were excecuted because of their knowledge. Find the memory stone with the names of the Cretans and from witch village theycame from. The Chapel of Sct. George you also find at the end of the cave. Advice : Rememember to bring some light with you.
The nest is supposed to have inspired the movie : " The Guns of Navarone " which is hard to believe, but imagination is important here.
Nazi Bunker - Kokkino Chorio Drapanokefala
A machinegun/cannon nest nearby the house. A German post to control boats sailing into Souda Bay. You find it like this : go down the tarmac road and turn right by the dirt road. Continue straight away, and the road turn into tarmac again, but walk on until there is a road going up between the houses, private ones to the right and Sct. Georges Retreat to the left on top of this road turn left and walk up to the very top. Hear you find the nest. Investigate the cave system blown out of the cliff by forced labour from the nearby villages. After they had built it they were excecuted because of their knowledge. Find the memory stone with the names of the Cretans and from witch village theycame from. The Chapel of Sct. George you also find at the end of the cave. Advice : Rememember to bring some light with you.
The nest is supposed to have inspired the movie : " The Guns of Navarone " which is hard to believe, but imagination is important here.
At the bottom of this bay you will experience the wild and untamed nature of Crete, really breathtaking with is turqouise crystal clear water. You can bathe here, but better bring poolnoodles because you cannot touch bottom. Also take care if the wind is against you, you can be thrown into the concrete wall, but we have bathed there and it was georgious, so give it a try.
How to get there : Go down to Kokkino Chorio and when you pass the cementary you turn left up against Drapanos. In Drapanos you turn right against Kefalas. Follow this road and don´t take the new by-pass road around Kefalas, but continue by the road towards Kefalas. when you see the village sign for Palelioni you turn left on a dirt road, as I remember, pass a little church to the left and now you drive down, down, down and when you think you cannot go futher then down until you reach the very bottom of the bay, you have arrived to this beatiful place.
In the summer time you can buy snacks and drinks, there are 2 primitive kafenions here, but normaly not a lot of people.
15 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Port Ompros Gialos
At the bottom of this bay you will experience the wild and untamed nature of Crete, really breathtaking with is turqouise crystal clear water. You can bathe here, but better bring poolnoodles because you cannot touch bottom. Also take care if the wind is against you, you can be thrown into the concrete wall, but we have bathed there and it was georgious, so give it a try.
How to get there : Go down to Kokkino Chorio and when you pass the cementary you turn left up against Drapanos. In Drapanos you turn right against Kefalas. Follow this road and don´t take the new by-pass road around Kefalas, but continue by the road towards Kefalas. when you see the village sign for Palelioni you turn left on a dirt road, as I remember, pass a little church to the left and now you drive down, down, down and when you think you cannot go futher then down until you reach the very bottom of the bay, you have arrived to this beatiful place.
In the summer time you can buy snacks and drinks, there are 2 primitive kafenions here, but normaly not a lot of people.
The old Venetian Harbour in Chania is a must. It´s a place with a unique atmosphere with it´s tavernas like pearls on a string. They are very eager to have you come in, so take it easy and try to resist as long as possible and enjoy the sight. The tavernas here are quite expensive after Greek standard. We use to drink a cup of coffee here and a raki just to enjoy the atmosphere and all the turists, but if we want to eat we continue around the bow and pass the mosque and pass the rich peoples yachts until a road is going up among the old warehouses to the right. At the bootom of this road to the left we look for the street called Kaligon and here at the back you will find a genuine Greek taverna called DOLOMA. Very friendly people, and you choose your own food from a counter where the food is displayed. It´s not the harbour but the prices are better.
If you instead of going up here continue to the end of the harbour you will find a little museum with a copy of and old boat with which they sailed an olive branch from Crete to Athens for the opening of the Olympics in Athens 2004.
A warning : don´t try to park near the harbour or in the city streets, it´s impossible and a nightmare and could result in bumps. Find a parking cellar instead and relax it´s much better.
Here is how you find one of them : Go by the National Road to Chania and drive for rather a long time on the edge of Chania you can see to the right. When you reach the signs for Hospital and Mournies, go down here and don´t go left towards Mournies and the Hospital, but continue into Chania. Here you pass 3 traffic lights and when you have just passed the third one you will see a P sign 2,5 meters up where the road narrows to the right pointing to the right. Drive down this road and find APOLLON Parking place. drive in here to the right and leave the key in, they will park the car for you. Go and get a ticket with a number and you are free to explore the city of Chania. If you turn left by Apokourona steeet you can soon see the big Market Place. Having seen this you can continue left up the busy main road in Chania until you reach the 1866 - Square. If you turn right here you will walk right down to the harbour.
When you go to claim your car back, they will ask you to which side you want it. Our advice is : choose the same side where you drove in and turn right down to the big road and turne right here. Now you can follow this road for a very long time until you reach the harbour in Souda with the big ferries. Turn up there and go left until you reach the National Road again and find your way back to Kalives.
We almost forgot to tell you about the Old Chania : just one or two streets in from the harbour you find the Old City of Chania, with its crooked back streets. Here you cab still find ruins from teh Germans haevy bombardment of Chania in 1944. There are excavations going on here from the ancient Chania. Notice the worn out grindstones from the olive press being used as part of the the Old City Wall. Enjoy your day in the harbour !
399 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Puerto Viejo Veneciano
8 Agiou MarkouThe old Venetian Harbour in Chania is a must. It´s a place with a unique atmosphere with it´s tavernas like pearls on a string. They are very eager to have you come in, so take it easy and try to resist as long as possible and enjoy the sight. The tavernas here are quite expensive after Greek standard. We use to drink a cup of coffee here and a raki just to enjoy the atmosphere and all the turists, but if we want to eat we continue around the bow and pass the mosque and pass the rich peoples yachts until a road is going up among the old warehouses to the right. At the bootom of this road to the left we look for the street called Kaligon and here at the back you will find a genuine Greek taverna called DOLOMA. Very friendly people, and you choose your own food from a counter where the food is displayed. It´s not the harbour but the prices are better.
If you instead of going up here continue to the end of the harbour you will find a little museum with a copy of and old boat with which they sailed an olive branch from Crete to Athens for the opening of the Olympics in Athens 2004.
A warning : don´t try to park near the harbour or in the city streets, it´s impossible and a nightmare and could result in bumps. Find a parking cellar instead and relax it´s much better.
Here is how you find one of them : Go by the National Road to Chania and drive for rather a long time on the edge of Chania you can see to the right. When you reach the signs for Hospital and Mournies, go down here and don´t go left towards Mournies and the Hospital, but continue into Chania. Here you pass 3 traffic lights and when you have just passed the third one you will see a P sign 2,5 meters up where the road narrows to the right pointing to the right. Drive down this road and find APOLLON Parking place. drive in here to the right and leave the key in, they will park the car for you. Go and get a ticket with a number and you are free to explore the city of Chania. If you turn left by Apokourona steeet you can soon see the big Market Place. Having seen this you can continue left up the busy main road in Chania until you reach the 1866 - Square. If you turn right here you will walk right down to the harbour.
When you go to claim your car back, they will ask you to which side you want it. Our advice is : choose the same side where you drove in and turn right down to the big road and turne right here. Now you can follow this road for a very long time until you reach the harbour in Souda with the big ferries. Turn up there and go left until you reach the National Road again and find your way back to Kalives.
We almost forgot to tell you about the Old Chania : just one or two streets in from the harbour you find the Old City of Chania, with its crooked back streets. Here you cab still find ruins from teh Germans haevy bombardment of Chania in 1944. There are excavations going on here from the ancient Chania. Notice the worn out grindstones from the olive press being used as part of the the Old City Wall. Enjoy your day in the harbour !
Theriso Gorge is the only gorge you can drive through in Crete. It is 10 kilometers long and here the cliffs towers almost vertical up in the air, amazing.
How do you find this pearl : Take the National Road towards Chania. Pass several turn offs to Souda and Chania and continue along the City of Chania, you can see to the right, until you reach the turn off towards Mournies and Hospital. Coming down turn to the left and drive up through Mournies. Take the second road to the right towards Perivolia. Drive 1,5 - 2 kilometers until a sign says : Theriso 10 km. Turn left here and experience the magnificant Theriso Gorge.
On your way you see lots and lots of goats and sheep, and take some pauses and watch the big stones in the rivers, which are being tossed around by the water in the spring, when the snow on the mountains melts away.
When you reach Theriso Village you will see big tavernaes, which will be full Sundays and on Bank holidays and National days too. We use to take our lunch in the taverna to the right in the square.
Futher down the list under restaurants and tavernaes you see the Ecological Taverna Dounias in Dragonas. If you continue up the square in Theriso and after a while turn left you will after 6 - 7 kilometers of mountain drive reach the taverna in Dragonas, a rare experience, almost sacred to us, big words, but try it ! ( read under Dounias Taverna futher down the list )
32 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Therisos gorge
Vasiliou PoulakaTheriso Gorge is the only gorge you can drive through in Crete. It is 10 kilometers long and here the cliffs towers almost vertical up in the air, amazing.
How do you find this pearl : Take the National Road towards Chania. Pass several turn offs to Souda and Chania and continue along the City of Chania, you can see to the right, until you reach the turn off towards Mournies and Hospital. Coming down turn to the left and drive up through Mournies. Take the second road to the right towards Perivolia. Drive 1,5 - 2 kilometers until a sign says : Theriso 10 km. Turn left here and experience the magnificant Theriso Gorge.
On your way you see lots and lots of goats and sheep, and take some pauses and watch the big stones in the rivers, which are being tossed around by the water in the spring, when the snow on the mountains melts away.
When you reach Theriso Village you will see big tavernaes, which will be full Sundays and on Bank holidays and National days too. We use to take our lunch in the taverna to the right in the square.
Futher down the list under restaurants and tavernaes you see the Ecological Taverna Dounias in Dragonas. If you continue up the square in Theriso and after a while turn left you will after 6 - 7 kilometers of mountain drive reach the taverna in Dragonas, a rare experience, almost sacred to us, big words, but try it ! ( read under Dounias Taverna futher down the list )
The 16 kilometers long Samaria Gorge is a unik experience, decending down from The Plain of Omalos ( level : 1100 mtr. ) to the sea. It is challenging, but most people with a normal stamina can walk it. It requires good shoes with thick soles and a water bottle. There are several springs on the way, from which you can fill your bottle, you can easily drink 3-4-5 litres on a hot summer´s day so you need some water to start with, so remember to fill your bottle.
The gorge is not situated in the north of Crete, but in the south. When you reach the sea in the end, you cannot drive fromt here to Chora Sfakion but have to take the ferry. In that context yo uhave to buy your trip from one of the Adventure Operators, who sells tours in Crete. YOU can buy your trip in the lobby at the big seaside hotel in the middle of Almerida. Here you will be picked up in the morning and brought back after having been driven to the Omalos Plain and picked up in Chora Sfakion after the trip with the ferry and finally driven back to Almerida again.
We have heard that the guides are eager to push you through and ask you to hurry, but take it easy, there is time enough to enjoy the tour and watch naturein this unique place. The reason they want to push you is probably that you then have a lot of time and opportunities to buy drinks and snacks at the shop by the beach, it´s only a guess, of course they have to make sure that they get all through the gorge.
There are other gorges, not so challenging and long you can ealk in Crete, but you have to study the offers.
13 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Samaria Reserve Park
1 Eparchiaki Odos Chanion-OmalouThe 16 kilometers long Samaria Gorge is a unik experience, decending down from The Plain of Omalos ( level : 1100 mtr. ) to the sea. It is challenging, but most people with a normal stamina can walk it. It requires good shoes with thick soles and a water bottle. There are several springs on the way, from which you can fill your bottle, you can easily drink 3-4-5 litres on a hot summer´s day so you need some water to start with, so remember to fill your bottle.
The gorge is not situated in the north of Crete, but in the south. When you reach the sea in the end, you cannot drive fromt here to Chora Sfakion but have to take the ferry. In that context yo uhave to buy your trip from one of the Adventure Operators, who sells tours in Crete. YOU can buy your trip in the lobby at the big seaside hotel in the middle of Almerida. Here you will be picked up in the morning and brought back after having been driven to the Omalos Plain and picked up in Chora Sfakion after the trip with the ferry and finally driven back to Almerida again.
We have heard that the guides are eager to push you through and ask you to hurry, but take it easy, there is time enough to enjoy the tour and watch naturein this unique place. The reason they want to push you is probably that you then have a lot of time and opportunities to buy drinks and snacks at the shop by the beach, it´s only a guess, of course they have to make sure that they get all through the gorge.
There are other gorges, not so challenging and long you can ealk in Crete, but you have to study the offers.
Beach
You find the cliff of Stavros at the end of Akrotiri. Stavros means cross, why the cliff has got this name is not easy to say. The cliff is used to one of the dramatic scenes in the movie : " Zorba the Greek " ( you can find it among the DVD'es in the shelf.
At the foot of the cliff there is a little protected bay, an ideal little lagune with still water and this place is rather popular in the summertime.
How to find it : Drive towards the airport of Chania. Just before the airport, you go left instead of right which would lead you to the airport. Then follow the signs for Stavros.
While you are at Akrotiri, there are two monasteries to visit. The biggest one is very near the airport, too. The monks here grow olivetrees and wine and you can buy their products at the monastery.
The other one is more isolated and futher away. Here you also find a path, rather challenging, which leads you to the sea level. Look in the internet about monasteries in Akrotiri.
125 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Playa Stavros
You find the cliff of Stavros at the end of Akrotiri. Stavros means cross, why the cliff has got this name is not easy to say. The cliff is used to one of the dramatic scenes in the movie : " Zorba the Greek " ( you can find it among the DVD'es in the shelf.
At the foot of the cliff there is a little protected bay, an ideal little lagune with still water and this place is rather popular in the summertime.
How to find it : Drive towards the airport of Chania. Just before the airport, you go left instead of right which would lead you to the airport. Then follow the signs for Stavros.
While you are at Akrotiri, there are two monasteries to visit. The biggest one is very near the airport, too. The monks here grow olivetrees and wine and you can buy their products at the monastery.
The other one is more isolated and futher away. Here you also find a path, rather challenging, which leads you to the sea level. Look in the internet about monasteries in Akrotiri.
The beach in Almerida is a fine blue flagged sandy beach. It's a Here you can rent sunbeds and families with kids love to bath here.
Almerida is a more relaxed sea resort, than the more crowded sea resorts west of Chania. There's a shop with diving aquipment and you can catch a boat for a good place to snorkle and bathe. A katamaran sailing school is also available. In the village there are several tavernaes, where you can almost eat with your feet in the water.
Paralia Almirida
The beach in Almerida is a fine blue flagged sandy beach. It's a Here you can rent sunbeds and families with kids love to bath here.
Almerida is a more relaxed sea resort, than the more crowded sea resorts west of Chania. There's a shop with diving aquipment and you can catch a boat for a good place to snorkle and bathe. A katamaran sailing school is also available. In the village there are several tavernaes, where you can almost eat with your feet in the water.
Restaurant
In the outskirts of Kalives you find this unique place, built out of one man's creative mind. It's a stone village built with stones of great variety, sea shells, horn from bucks, upside down debarked trees and much more. This place is for us a must. Find yourself a place where you can sit enjoying a cold beer, while you stare and contemplate. If you fell in love with the place, which is hard not to do, there are accommodations too.
When you reach a stone figur of an English soldier with his machine gun over looking the sea for German soldiers, you have reached the end of the little village.
If you, mostly in the weekends, are so lucky to be there while they roast pork in a big concrete tube, you should absolutely ask for a portion, it´s far the best meat we have ever tasted.
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
ΠΟΛΥΧΩΡΟΣ ΚΟΥΜΟΣ
730 Epar.Od. Kalivon-GeorgioupolisIn the outskirts of Kalives you find this unique place, built out of one man's creative mind. It's a stone village built with stones of great variety, sea shells, horn from bucks, upside down debarked trees and much more. This place is for us a must. Find yourself a place where you can sit enjoying a cold beer, while you stare and contemplate. If you fell in love with the place, which is hard not to do, there are accommodations too.
When you reach a stone figur of an English soldier with his machine gun over looking the sea for German soldiers, you have reached the end of the little village.
If you, mostly in the weekends, are so lucky to be there while they roast pork in a big concrete tube, you should absolutely ask for a portion, it´s far the best meat we have ever tasted.
The taverna Elpis is, together with two other places at the square in Plaka, the village you pass on your way down to Almerida, all 3 good places to eat.
12 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Elpis
48 Epar.Od. Kalivon-KefalasThe taverna Elpis is, together with two other places at the square in Plaka, the village you pass on your way down to Almerida, all 3 good places to eat.
Mythos Taverna is situated in the middle of Kalives. Park down at the seaside and find the entrance for the restaurant here to the right.It's a taverna with a good atmosphere, nice people and big portions.
ΜΗΤΣΟΣ
183 Palea EO Chanion RethimnouMythos Taverna is situated in the middle of Kalives. Park down at the seaside and find the entrance for the restaurant here to the right.It's a taverna with a good atmosphere, nice people and big portions.
Probably the best ecological taverna in Crete. The interior is not much to talk about, you can find wobbly tables and the small taverna chairs, BUT the food is divine if you like rustic ecologocal food. Everything is home grown and home made and baked at the very spot. Ask for their specials to day and listen carefully. We let them choose and when the busy landlord passes your table he has often a little dish with him, a lttle lam's leg, a salad ,aubergine dip, fava ( yellow dried peas cooked with oliveoil and garlic and not to forget their delicious potatoes, which they cook over open fire outside the taverna in clay pots. BUT
IF you decide to go up there ( for some kilometres you drive in the mountains ) in the weekends you would have to order a table. There should be a card on the fridge, otherwise search the internet for ecological tavernaes in Crete and it will turn up as the first or one of the first. Make your order simple : number of persons, a forname and maybe nationality, that's all.
We recommend a lunch.
33 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
ΝΤΟΥΝΙΑΣ-ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΙΑΚΟ ΓΑΣΤΡΟΝΟΜΙΚΟ ΚΕΝΤΡΟ ΚΡΗΤΙΚΗΣ ΔΙΑΤΡΟΦΗΣ
KeramionProbably the best ecological taverna in Crete. The interior is not much to talk about, you can find wobbly tables and the small taverna chairs, BUT the food is divine if you like rustic ecologocal food. Everything is home grown and home made and baked at the very spot. Ask for their specials to day and listen carefully. We let them choose and when the busy landlord passes your table he has often a little dish with him, a lttle lam's leg, a salad ,aubergine dip, fava ( yellow dried peas cooked with oliveoil and garlic and not to forget their delicious potatoes, which they cook over open fire outside the taverna in clay pots. BUT
IF you decide to go up there ( for some kilometres you drive in the mountains ) in the weekends you would have to order a table. There should be a card on the fridge, otherwise search the internet for ecological tavernaes in Crete and it will turn up as the first or one of the first. Make your order simple : number of persons, a forname and maybe nationality, that's all.
We recommend a lunch.
It's a lovely taverna situated in the village of Kaina. The name means " fireplace " and when you get in you can easily see why. The food here is excellent, the people very nice with a high standard of hospitality and the big " father " is watching over the place.
If you come here a Saturday night there will be live music and if you are lucky " father " will ask his sons to remove some tables and he will then dance and invite you to join in the dance. In the end he will kneel down and with his mouth pick up a glass of red wine from the floor to drink.
How to get there : In Kokkino Chorio go up against Drapanos to the left after the grave yard. In Drapanos you turn right to Kefalas and follow the road for quite a while, After about 3 kilometres you see a new road to the right leading you round Kefalas and it's narrow streets. If you count carefully you will get to 32 bends, getting a little seasick at the end. You ask yourself why, is it to protect an old olive tree or a certain building, but the only true story you end up with is this : all the farmers up there sat down and closely divided the expropriation money from EU among themselves and made sure that they all gave a piece of land each. At the end head for Vamos. At the square in Vamos you turn right towards Chania. 300 metres down this road you go left for Kaina. Follow this road and after about 3 kilometers you will bump into the signs for Parasia to the left. You can oark up along the taverna to the left.
16 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Parasia Vamos
It's a lovely taverna situated in the village of Kaina. The name means " fireplace " and when you get in you can easily see why. The food here is excellent, the people very nice with a high standard of hospitality and the big " father " is watching over the place.
If you come here a Saturday night there will be live music and if you are lucky " father " will ask his sons to remove some tables and he will then dance and invite you to join in the dance. In the end he will kneel down and with his mouth pick up a glass of red wine from the floor to drink.
How to get there : In Kokkino Chorio go up against Drapanos to the left after the grave yard. In Drapanos you turn right to Kefalas and follow the road for quite a while, After about 3 kilometres you see a new road to the right leading you round Kefalas and it's narrow streets. If you count carefully you will get to 32 bends, getting a little seasick at the end. You ask yourself why, is it to protect an old olive tree or a certain building, but the only true story you end up with is this : all the farmers up there sat down and closely divided the expropriation money from EU among themselves and made sure that they all gave a piece of land each. At the end head for Vamos. At the square in Vamos you turn right towards Chania. 300 metres down this road you go left for Kaina. Follow this road and after about 3 kilometers you will bump into the signs for Parasia to the left. You can oark up along the taverna to the left.
groceries
Georgos is the owner of this local mini market in Kokkino Chorio. He is a very polite man and he will go far to help you. His prices are a bit higher than in Kalives, but consider he has to bring all his goods from Chania or Kalives, so give him a share of your buyings.
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
LOCAL SUPER MARKET Kokkino Chorio, Chania
Georgos is the owner of this local mini market in Kokkino Chorio. He is a very polite man and he will go far to help you. His prices are a bit higher than in Kalives, but consider he has to bring all his goods from Chania or Kalives, so give him a share of your buyings.