From Elafonisi to Kedrodasos walking through the E4 path

Yesterday we walked through the section of the E4 European Path that connects two of the most beautiful beaches all over Europe: Elafonisi and Kedrodasos.

It took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes to drive from Chanià to Elafonisi, called the “Cretan Caribbean”. We parked the car close to the beach and then we started to walk eastbound, in order to reach, in about 45 minute walk, the wild and uncontaminated “little sister” of Elafonisi: Kedrodasos Beach.

The black and yellow signs, typical of the E4 Path, showed us the way we had to follow. Walking through big rocks, wild thyme, sand dunes and a wonderful junipers forest we finally arrived at the beach.

What can we tell you about this slice of heaven? Well, you will definitely never forget it, that’s for sure!

You will be immediately charmed by this fantastic landscape: intense shades of blue, white and hot sand, the junipers forest all around you and, above all, the wild and authentic beauty of this place. You will not find here any umbrellas or toilets or beach bar… only wild and uncontaminated Nature!

We believe that we all have to keep this amazing landscape clean and protected! So, let’s never leave our rubbish there, let’s not disturb this quiet place and let’s not touch the beautiful, but delicate junipers.

If we learn to protect what is still pure, rare and uncontaminated in this world, we will protect ourselves too.

You can find below some pictures of our amazing excursion…

Thank you! See you 😎 !

(CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE IT)

Imbros Gorge and surroundings: amazing discoveries and surprises

Our dear friends Elena and Fernando, together with little Asia and grandma Stella, came to visit us again this year! Last Wednesday, we decided to explore a new gorge, south of Chania, considered the “younger sister” of Samarià: Imbros Gorge (in Greek “ΦαράγγιΊμπρου”).

DSCN5202We decided to set off early from Chania, at about 8am, to get at around 9am to the entrance of the canyon, just at Imbros village. We parked the car in one of the several free parking along the road, and we entered the first part of the path. After about 15 minutes walking, we found the ticket counter, with a sign saying: “City of Sfakia, Imbros Gorge – Length: 8 km – Tickets – Entrance – Have a nice walk!”. We paid 2 euros each and we started the real excursion, which was all downhill. DSCN5210 The day was super clear, but the mountain air was still crispy at that time. So, we walked swiftly this first part of the route, quite wide and well-marked with medium-size rocks, and surrounded by not too high walls and strangely shaped trees. We barely saw any people for almost one hour of walking, so we fully enjoyed the nature owning this gorge, which reveals itself in different forms just for us, with its pleasant silence and its moss and resin smells that were around us for the whole time.We then started to take the very first stretches of the canyon, with impressive rocky walls, from where some trees (possibly oaks) miraculously spurt out and they seemed to be about to fall over our heads!  DSCN5214Little by little, we entered this landscape getting diverse, with huge logs blocking our way, more or less narrow passages, and cascades of sharp rocks running along the path. All led us to a beautiful S-shaped tunnel, the most suggestive spot of the canyon, with very high and smooth walls, almost resembling a slide in a water park! Foto doppia canaloneHere, we crossed the narrowest point of the canyon, wide just 1.60 mt. After overcoming the hardest obstacles, we went ahead until we reached a very unique bivouac, where we stopped for a snack. It was a wooden canopy with a small table, some benches, stools made of logs and every kind of hanging knick-knacks: Greek flags of all sizes, pictures of excursionists and weird moustached characters, old rusted rifles, a rear-view car mirror, banknotes from all over the world, and even two skulls of billy goat wearing sunglasses! What a bizarre place!DSCN5232 After a brief pit stop, we walked towards the last stretch of the canyon, simple and straight, that after a 2 hours walk led us to the final ticket control. From here, we continued for 5 minutes to reach the village of Komitàdes, where a Cretan guy all in black (beard and rosary included!) offered to drop us back to our car in Imbros on board of his pickup truck, at the price of 5 euros each.

The mountain experience left us totally satisfied, the canyon was enchanting and peculiar as many had told us, and above all it was suitable for anyone, since not very long and easy to cover wearing good shoes. But after that lovely walk, how could we say no to a restoring swim? We picked up our car and took the road to Sfakià, where we decided to lose ourselves in the twists and turns of the souther wild coast, that never stops to amaze us. We soon realized that even this time it wouldn’t have disappointed us!

DSCN5271We accidentally reached a small cove, between Ammoùdi and the nudist beach of Filàki, and we immediately fell in love with it! After realising that this small and beautiful corner would have been reserved exclusively for us, once again we were amazed by the different shades of blue that the Cretan sea may have accordingly to the sand, the shore, the sea bottom or the surrounding landscape. We stayed here, cuddled by a priceless solitude and the fresh and light blue water of the “No name beach”, as we nicknamed it that day (*please see footnote)! We wondered about how many remote coves, similar to this one, would exist here in Crete, and this was a comfort for us because it meant that this island, in its countless corners, is preserving its beauty unspoiled by the mass tourism.  DSCN5279Still not satisfied by the many wonders seen by that time, we agreed to set a last stop on our way back, which is the “Winery Dourakis”. The story of this winery started in 1986, when Andreas Dourakis came back fromSaloniccoto his hometown in Crete, Alikampos, where besides taking over his father’s vineyards, he started to grow more in the nearby lands.
DSCN5295 He was driven by his knowledge of the subject, coming from his oenology studies in Germany and from his extensive experience working in local wineries and abroad, as well as by the very advantageous land and climate of this part of Crete. All of this has helped the fortune of this beautiful business, which is now possible to visit with guided tours, celebrate wedding receptions and, obviously, taste and purchase different and exquisite local wines. Once there, we were already fascinated by the outside property: a stone building, similar to a country farm, with a glowing garden and an outside patio and tables. IMG_20150923_174431100_HDRWe went inside and we were welcomed by Sofia, a very nice and knowledgeable young woman, who took us to their shop to taste, to our delight, an extensive variety of their nectars! Eventually, we couldn’t help but purchase 6 different bottles of wine in view of the coming dinners at Villa Anastasia!! Needless to say, we strongly recommend this place to experience a different aspect of the island rather than the typical beach or the archaeological site.

Once again, we had it all, even the company of our dearest friends, to live these wonderful experiences in Crete!

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*NOTES:

Actually, the “No name beach” is called Agios Charalambos or Agios Haralabos Beach.