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Walks and treks

Samaria Gorge, Crete

Greece Crete Chóra Sfakíon

Samaria Gorge, Crete
Photo: Maesi64, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

One of Europe's longest gorges, 16 km through the White Mountains of western Crete, down from Xyloskalo at 1,250 m to the Libyan Sea at Agia Roumeli. At the narrowest point, the 'Iron Gates', the walls are only 4 m apart and 300 m high. The walk takes 5 to 7 hours, downhill all the way.


The gorge is open from about May to October. Agia Roumeli has no road; take a ferry to Sougia or Chora Sfakion to meet buses back to Chania. Wear good shoes; there's drinking water along the way.

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