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| 1) MONDAY WALKING ALONG THE RIVER - KOURTALIOTIKO GORGE | |
| START FROM RETHYMNO AT 9:00 AND 9:45 FROM PLAKIAS | |
| Pick up from the Hotel. | 30,00 € p.p. Children < 13 15,00 € |
We start at the waterfalls and the church of St. Nicolas in the middle of this dramatic and scenic gorge. We admire the water coming from inside the mountains contributing to the river Megalopotamos which flows into the sea at Prevelli Palm Beach. It is here that we begin our walk along the river and the 8 km will take us about 3 hours. On the way we pass the hippie caves, the Venetian bridge and the ancient church of St. Fotini and we arrive at the steps of Prevelli Palm Beach. If the weather is nice we descend to the beach to have a break for 1 hour and maybe a swim since winter temperatures here are always better than on the north coast. From the beach we can explore the palm tree forest along the river. Before we go back we will have a lunch in the fishermen’s village of Plakias. Lunch is extra, to be paid at the taverna.
| 2) TUESDAY KNOSSOS / MUSEUM OF CRETAN NATURE & HERAKLION CITY | |
| START FROM RETHYMNO AT 9:00 AND 8:15 FROM PLAKIAS | |
| Pick up from the Hotel. | 35,00 € p.p. Children – 13 17,50 € |
First we go to the archaeological palace of Knossos. We see the excavations of the Minoan palace with a history of more than 4000 years. Specialist guides will be available to tell you the stories of both mythological and factual origin about the architecture and excavations. Than we visit the Museum of Nature and Animals nearby and here we learn about the flora and fauna of Crete. Especially the flora gives us examples of how Crete is proving to be situated on the cross point of 3 continents. Heading for the capital city of Heraklion we will spend a long time in the center with free options to visit the archaeological museum, the war museum and the shopping center.
| 3) WEDNESDAY WALK MOUNTAIN TIMEOS STAVROS & MONASTERY PREVELLI | |
| START FROM RETHYMNO AT 9:00 AND 9:45 FROM PLAKIAS | |
| Pick up from the Hotel. | 30,00 € p.p. Children < 13 15,00 € |
We visit first the monastery of Preveli situated on the south coast on a magnificent place. The church will be opened for us by the monks as will the museum, displaying objects that reminds us of the courageous facts of the monks in the Cretan history. Then our walk starts at the back of the monastery, heading to the top of Timeos Stavros hill, but first we get a coffee or tea in the village of Gianniou. Once we arrive on the highest point of the mountain we have an amazing view over the whole area and with clear weather we can see as far as Matala and Frangokastello. Going down is easy and we arrive in the village of Lefkogia where we close our walk with a lunch in the local taverna. Lunch is extra, to be paid at the taverna. Walking distance is 8 km, 2-3 hours.
| 4) THURSDAY ARKADI MONASTERY-MARGARITES-ANOGIA SNOW FIELDS | |
| START FROM RETHYMNO AT 9.00 AND 8:15 FROM PLAKIAS | |
| Pick up from the Hotel. | 30,00 € p.p. Children < 13 15,00 € |
Our first stop is at the famous Arkadi Monastery where we have plenty of time to see the church, the museum and the surrounding buildings of the monastery which tell us the dramatic history that made this place into the most important of Crete. We continue on slopes of Crete’s highest mountain Psiloritis, passing Ancient villages like e.g. Eleftherna. We stop in Margarites well known for its terra cotta ceramics and we visit a pottery. Than we drive up to the village of Anogia where we see the embroidery fabricated by the local women. Than, in the winter for sure a highlight of this tour - the road to the snow on the mountains of Crete. On the way down we stop for a short visit of the traditional village of Arolithos and we come back from the highway to Rethymno.
| 5) FRIDAY IMBROS GORGE- CHORA SFAKION- FRANGOKASTELLO-PLAKIAS VILLAGE | |
| START FROM RETHYMNO AT 9:00 AND 8:15 FROM PLAKIAS | |
| Pick up from the Hotel. | 30,00 € p.p. Children < 13 15,00 € |
We drive along a beautiful mountain route from Rethymno, passing Vrisses to the Askyfou plain where we stop in the village of Imbros for the start of our gorge walk. The Imbros is called the alternative walk for the Samaria, which is closed in the winter. It’s an easy walk of 8 km and it will take us 2-3 hours to arrive in Komitades. We pass 4 narrow gates and a natural tunnel. The guide will explain to us en route some of interesting flora from the gorge. The bus will be waiting for us at the end of the gorge and it will take us to the fishermen’s village of Chora Sfakion where we can have a lunch. Following the south coast route we stop at Frangocastello for a photo visit and the last stop is in the small village of Plakias. In the summer Plakias is a nice tourist resort but it’s surely not dead in the winter. From here we return to Rethymno and your hotel. Lunch is extra, to be paid at the taverna.
| 6) SATURDAY CHANIA-PARK VENIZELOS-AGIA TRIADA MONASTERY-GAVALACHORI-LAKE KOURNAS | |
| FROM RETHYMNO AT 9:00 AND 08:15 FROM PLAKIAS | |
| Pick up from the Hotel. | 35,00 € p.p. Children < 13 17,50 € |
Taking the highway from Rethymno we arrive in the most beautiful city of Greece- Chania. At first we walk the daily covered market, where we can buy fish, meat and herbs and many other traditional products. The guide will take us by foot to the old Venetian harbor where we spend some free time. We will also pass by the Saturday open air market. Than we go to the memorial park of the great statesmen Eleftherios Venizelos and we visit the nearby monastery of the Holy Trinity, to admire the church but also the strange fruit tree. Than we pass by the villages of Gavalachori and Vamos for a photo and we continue for the only sweet-waterlake of Crete, named Kournas. Here we will have time for lunch. Before going home we stop at the waterfalls at Argiroupolis. Lunch is extra, to be paid at the taverna.