Agia Roumeli – Agios Ioannis

This route really combines a lot of unique elements. It is like a « condensed dose» of Crete. If you have crossed the Samaria Gorge, you can spend the night in Agia Roumeli, which is transformed into a peaceful, magical seaside village, as soon as the crowds of the tourists take the last boat to Sfakia.

if you have powers of endurance dare a walk at the Venetian castle which is located over the village with view to the Libyan sea. Tast the traditional dishes at the taverns and sleep early, if you can…because there is a lot of tsikoudia, …sorry, a lot of temptations and good company.

Early in the morning take water for the rest of the day and follow an eastern route next to the sea. At the river of the village, which descends through the gorge, you will see a beautiful Venetian bridge. Continue walking beside the sea in the obvious and marked path Ε4. Majestic beaches and small bays will make your route beautiful and soon you will reach the beach with the sand dunes on the left, where the gorge of Eligia ends. Continue on the coast until the church of St. Paul, which is one of the oldest of the island. –It is said that the ship that transferred Apostle Paul to Rome grounded here because of a storm. In memory of this incident the local people later built the beautiful little church here

There is usually running water near here, on the beach, as the waters of the Lefka Ori flow through underground routes into the sea. Following the path through the pine forest and always a little above the sea you will see after some times a sign for the path on the left, that rises uphill towards the beautiful village Agios Ioannis. The path later becomes an elaborate cobbled road and swirls in the steep slope, reaching the top 2 hours later. The magical view compensates you for the uphill route, because as we look downwards we see the forest, the Lybian sea the beach with St. Paul and in the background Agia Roumeli. Following the path, always going uphill through the forest, you will find yourself after about one hour in the village, where there is a small traditional hostel.

The next day you can take the road to Aradena, where there is an impressive bridge over the gorge from which one can do Bungee Jumping. You jump from a height of 138 meters, the highest in Europe. From the next village, Anopolis, a rural road leads to the area Rousies, at an altitude of 2.000 meters. From here you approach the highest summit, Pachnon (2453m.) in less than two hours. An old path leads from Rousies to Katsiveli and to the shelter of Svourihti after about three hours.