Western Crete - A Walker's Guide

Guidebook to walking in the Kissamos and Selinos areas of Crete. Kissamos, situated in western Crete, offers a rich variety of landscape for the walker to explore. A wide selection of mountain treks, ridge and hill walks, gorge explorations, cliff and coastal walks, and rambles from village to village and through the many archaeological wonders Crete has to offer.

To paraphrase Nikos Kazantzakis, from Report to Greco, ‘the soul of Crete has blossomed within me’.

Kissamos and Selinos

Grecophile or not few places in our world stir the soul or quicken the heartbeat more than the hazy outline of Crete, when seen from sky or sea. The largest island of this country of islands rises phoenix-like between the blue waters of the Cretan Sea and the Libyan Sea. It matters not whether the plane or ferry downs or docks at Chania or Heraklion, emotions are the same, although cosmopolitan historical Chania is our preferred point of arrival for Western Crete, pleasing on the eye and with the stamp of many influences. Its main attraction is that it provides swift passage of one and a half hours or so, via a good bus service, to the intriguing western extremities of Kissamos and Selinos.

This richly varied landscape, 50% classed as mountainous and 17% as fertile cultivated land, covers approximately 900 sq km (347sq miles). Central Agios Dikeos above Elos, at 1184m (3885ft) is the highest mountain within Kissamos, and Agios Zinas above Spina, at 1333m (4374ft), the giant of Selinos. There are gorges a plenty, including Sirikari, Halasses/Portopharaga, Maganistra, Keramariano, Anidri, Spina and Topolia, the latter now unfortunately closed by extensive rock falls, 2003 – 2004. Two spectacular peninsulas, Rodopou and Gramvousa, fertile plains and plateaux clad with the ‘Golden Tree’ (olives), known in bygone days as the ‘Divine Tree’. Olive trees cover 70% of cultivated land within western Crete, and it is doubtful if any walks in this Guide are entirely olive tree free.

Ridge after ridge of challenging heights and summits provide grandstands, far seeing views and sightings beyond compare. Each village, church or chapel, river or lake, town or harbour, trail or track, shoreline or sand dune, mountain ridge or rocky summit all have a story to tell for the adventurous and inquisitive.

Populated by an ancient race, proud and honourable, rich in history and hospitality, this colourful canvas of silvery olives is framed by golden sand, shimmering lagoons and towering cliffs around a bountiful fertile patchwork of vineyards, olive groves and white villages. The area invites exploration, by those with an inquisitive appetite for ancient civilisations and a hunger for new horizons.

This paradise lies west of a line wriggling south for 50 tortuous kilometres (31 miles) from Tavronitis, overlooking the western extremities of the Bay of Chania, via the restored municipality of Kandanos in the Selinos district, to the coastal peninsula of Paleochora. Surrounded by the Libyan Sea and sandy beaches this popular expanding ‘township’ is overlooked by countless olive groves that enhance the adjoining lower slopes of mountainous Sfakia.

The remaining boundaries are within the northern coastline, which include the charismatic peninsulas of Rodopos and Gramvousa framing the Gulf of Kissamou. The eye catching western seaboard is comprised of extensive sandy beaches, stark rock cliffs and the unique lagoons of Balos and Elafonisos situated on the island’s northwest and southwest extremities. The package finally and securely enclosed by a southern coastline of low rounded hills, sandy bays and finally, west of Paleochora, a tomato hamlet of plastic thermokypr (greenhouses).

The area contains three small, but in recent years expanding, townships. Kastelli, the commercial centre and small port within the Gulf of Kissamos; Kandanos, a municipality that grew, from the ashes of war, phoenix-like into today’s capital of the principality of Selinos; and thirdly picturesque Paleochora astride its narrow peninsula, crowned with its crumbling Venetian fort, overlooking the Libyan Sea.

Such variations of terrain, history and interests within the provinces of Kissamos and Selinos and surrounds constantly challenge, change and delight. On offer are a selection of mountain treks, ridge and hill walks (which include sections of the way-marked E4 Trail - European Trail), gorge explorations, cliff and coastal walks, village to village rambles, olive grove and sweet chestnut strolls (Elos is Crete’s sweet-chestnut centre), or simply prowling around the many archaeological wonders. These include the ancient Dorian city of Polyrinnia, the sunken pre-Hellenic naval harbour, also Dorian, at Falasarna/Phalasarna (where the finest Myzithra cheese in Crete is made) or the Mycenean and Roman ruins in Kastelli. Also of intriguing interest are Byzantine churches and their wall paintings within Selinos, and to a lesser extent Kissamos.