There is something deep and heartfelt about Greece. Its barren, sun-washed mountains and crystal-clear waters, octopuses hanging to dry, scorching heat, and the scent of herbs… The smell of goats, the sound of their bells… a symphony of Greekness that somehow grows and engraves itself within you.
A few years ago, we went on an adventure to Crete. We landed with our plane in Chania, Crete’s airport located on the northern side. There, we rented a car and crossed south over the island to Hora Sfakion, the town where we were staying.
Hora Sfakion is a small village on the southern side of Crete with only 265 inhabitants. The town has two small harbors from which you can sail to the small villages on the southern side, which are not accessible by roads.
The small town of Hora Sfakion
The journey across Crete toward Hora Sfakion is beautiful, mountainous, and filled with wildflowers, goats, and small houses and churches. It took us about an hour and a half to cross the stunning island by car.
The town’s houses are nestled close to the coast, consisting of an extended taverna lined with small shops and restaurants, where you can enjoy your meal with the beautiful waves of the sea on one side and the town’s small everyday adventures on the other.
It doesn’t take long to walk from one end of the town to the other, but when you have a 4-year-old boy with you, the many small temptations of the shops can certainly make the walk a bit longer.
Here, Sebastian managed to charm some toys out of us. The bag definitely looks like it contains some treats for kids.
One of the advantages of being the one taking photos is having an unobstructed view of the people you love. I often enjoy that when I walk around with the camera in hand.
Here, it’s Sebastian and Peter heading down one of Hora Sfakion’s (few) streets.
The Greek blue, blue sea
We have explored many of the Greek islands, but few places have we seen water as azure blue as in South Crete. We were there in May, and although the water wasn’t particularly warm yet, it was certainly beautiful.
Sebastian also found the water and the large waves both a little exciting and a little scary—but fun to play with as well.
Hora Sfakion – Loutro by ferry
When I think of Greece, I always imagine ferries. Ferries that sail between the Greek islands and the towns on those islands. For example, not all towns are accessible by car. Loutro, which lies west of Hora Sfakion, can only be reached by ferry. So, it became an obvious excursion destination for us while we were there.
Hora Sfakion has two small harbors. Here, we are leaving the town by ferry—heading toward Loutro.
Loutro, another Greek gem
As we arrived by ferry, the mountains of Loutro were wrapped in thick, dense fog. The mountains radiated a sense of mystery and adventure.
Loutro is a little Greek gem, with whitewashed houses and windows and doors painted in Greek blue. The town is nestled right by the crystal-clear, jade-green waters, surrounded by restaurants and cafés.
Since there are no motorcycles or cars in the town, it is so quiet that even the gentle murmur of the waves mingles with the voices of the locals.
We strolled around the town and enjoyed some coffee and ice cream at one of the restaurants. Here, we sat and looked out over the sea as the fog lifted, revealing the small Greek boats and fishing vessels sailing around. It was easy to fall in love with the little town right away.
The houses of Loutro are scattered from the harbor up the mountains. All the houses are chalk-white, with blue doors and windows in the best Greek style, accented only by pink flowers planted in pots or climbing up the walls.
We had to return to Hora Sfakion the same day we arrived. While we waited for the ferry to come, we explored the mountains that lay in front of the town facing the sea.
It was quite an adventure, especially for Sebastian, who encountered fun lizards and goats. The actual “climbing” in the mountains was something he enjoyed, and he seemed to grow several inches whenever he was the first to reach around a corner or climb onto a large rock.
The journey back to Hora Sfakion was an experience. Where we had thick fog surrounding us on the way out, the most beautiful mountains now revealed themselves, with hiking trails (and hikers), and we saw the loveliest small lagoons with fine, white sand and azure blue water.
On the steep edges of the mountains, we also spotted tiny houses and small, whitewashed churches.
I don’t think Sebastian saw much of it. He fell asleep on my lap.
The secret of Aradena Gorge
One day, we took a detour in the car and drove west of Hora Sfakion. We drove without a specific direction other than to experience whatever we passed by. I actually have a hard time recreating the route we took, but I distinctly remember five elements from that journey:
- Zigzag driving up the mountain
- The old Greek hitchhiker
- Aradena Bridge
- Aradena Gorge
- The secret of Aradena
We zigzagged our way up a mountain. The hairpin turns made me shiver when I looked out the window. I’m not particularly comfortable driving near steep cliffs, but Peter has a firm grip on the car, and I trust him and his driving completely. That helps a lot. I wouldn’t drive in such places myself.
Suddenly, there was an old Greek man standing on the road. White-haired and dressed in a black cloak, he leaned on a stick and reached out his hand to hitch a ride. We pulled over and picked him up. He was headed to a small village at the top of the mountain and had grown tired of walking. When we reached the village, he thanked us kindly and got out of the car. That’s how they manage the journey up the mountain here.
We continued driving. Suddenly, we came to this bridge. One, two, three, and we were over the bridge, and when I looked out to the side, I was shocked.
The bridge we drove over spanned the deepest gorge I’ve seen in a long time. And it came completely unexpectedly.
The bridge rumbled like a thunderstorm had broken loose as we drove across it. Once we reached the other side of the gorge, we decided to stop the car to catch our breath and see what we had just driven over. We walked to the edges and looked down into the abyss. It felt like it was pulling us in; it was that deep.
Then we positioned ourselves to watch others drive over the bridge. It was amusing to observe the surprise on the faces of other drivers when they realized what they were crossing.
Aradena’s secret
Aradena’s secret was an abandoned village located right by one side of the Aradena Bridge. The village is hidden behind olive trees and bushes and is now inhabited only by goats, which roam freely everywhere.
The village was abandoned in the 1950s—reportedly due to a bloody vendetta between two families (over a goat bell).
It’s quite an adventure to wander among the old Greek ruins and imagine what life must have looked like right here once upon a time.
The sunsets in Crete are some of the most beautiful. Here, the sun has set, leaving behind stunning pastels and silhouettes.
See, that was a true Greek adventure.
Links
-> Anendyk Ferries
-> Hora Sfakion
-> Loutro
-> Hiking in Aradena Gorge
