Description
Perfect for impressive keepsakes
After a short drive to the west, to the village of Apokoronos, you will reach a family business of the Braudakis family at the foot of the White Mountains, where olive oil and wine have been produced for generations.
Make a photo stop above the Askifou plateau that stretches north of Imbros. This natural paradise in western Crete impresses with many small surrounding gorges and nature reserves.
You drive across the plateau along the Imbros Gorge, the third most visited gorge in Crete. The smell of wild herbs, cedars and cypresses accompanies you to the coastal region of Frangokastello, where the next photo stop follows. The well-preserved Venetian castle from the 14th century, which lies directly on a dune beach, belongs to the prefecture of Chania. The place Frangokastello is known for the crystal clear sea and its beautiful beach, but also for a legend that exists about the castle. This says that the spirits of the dead soldiers from the time of the freedom struggle against the Turks are still circling around the castle and cannot find peace. The locals call these spirits “Drosoulites”.
Along the south coast of Crete we now go to the small fishing village of Plakias, which lies in a large valley. Until a few decades ago, the village was a small fishing village with only about five houses. The place has grown a lot since the first hippies appeared there in the late 60s.
Then see the Preveli Monastery, a national monument of Crete, which stands approximately 170m above the south coast of Crete. Preveli Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries on the island and overlooks the Libyan Sea and an exotic palm forest with the great river flowing alongside.
Another stop is the famous Kourtaliotiko Gorge, a natural attraction in the south of the island known for its breathtaking beauty and rugged terrain with sheer cliffs, narrow passages, rare plant species and native animals. It forms a mountain range in the south of the island and lies between the mountains of western Kouroupa and eastern Xiro.
Excursion organizer: Destination Tourist Services
