Excursions

Driving trips (car and / or motorcycles)

One can drive in many marvelous places in Chania by car, or motorcycle. Excursionists will be fascinated by the unexpected exchange of the environment, from an alp spot to a semi tropical or even tropical one.

Unique villages built in the green and which years have not changed, only in a few minutes driving from the cosmopolitan north seaside and Leste Luxury Homes.

There are also many seaside clusters of houses still maintaining their traditional fishing character. Byzantine churches and archaeological places are behind everywhere. Guests can also visit home factories of wine, cheese, bakeries and small coffee shops under the trees’ shadow.

Some interesting routes:

1. Chania – Kournas – Asi Gonia – Kallikratis – Fragokastello
2. Georgioupoli – Exopoli – Karidi Monasteri – Vrysses – Alikampos – Fones
3. Chania – Provarma – Samonas – Kyriakoselia – Ramni – Pemonia – Fres – Nio Chorio
4. Chania – Voukolies – Fotakado – Old Roumata – Ano Kefala – Voukolies – Nio Chorio – Sirili – Tavronitis
5. Chania – Sfinari – Kampos – Amigdalokefali – Elafonisi – Elos – Topolia – Kaloudiana (to sleep over)

Organized excursions

For those who prefer not to spend any thought, there are plenty of organized excursions all around Chania and more, by experienced and specialized tour operators and guides, for you to relax and enjoy the excursion you have dreamed of.

Beaches in Chania

Almyrida Chania

A seaside place, inhabited only by fishermen in the past, attracts many visitors mainly thanks to the clean sandy beach.  There are traces from the past, like the mosaic of a church built in the 6^th century and the ruins of a city in the small island of Karga.  Almyrida has been developed and organized in the tourist domain; guests can enjoy their holidays with water sports activities, clubbing, and nice and clean home made food.

Elafonisi

Elafonisi is the reason, thousands of travelers chose Crete as their holidays destination, and especially Chania. It is one of the most famous beaches globally, selected and voted as one of the best, grace to its natural beauty and strong historic past! Thousands, if not millions, of visitors come annually to this unique place on earth!

Elafonisi Island is 100 m. away from the coast. The waters are shallow and one can walk to the island. The vegetation is not very thick, but the beach is wonderful around the island. The best way to reach Elafonisi is by boat from Palaiochora. It is a magnificent sea excursion. From Cavo Crio the island and the turquoise sea water are a spectacle to view.

Elafonisi has been connected historically with Egyptian Pasha Hibraem whose anger slaughtered to death innocent women and children and a few armed men who had escaped there hoping to survive, in 1824. A Turk from Temenia who knew the passage, led the army to the island; it was Easter Sunday, when 850 people were slaughtered, except one, who escaped by swimming.

Falassarna

Ancient Falassarna is 59 km in the south of Chania, with two wonderful beaches. The place was named after Falassarni, a nymph of mythology. Ancient Falassarna was a flourishing town, especially due to its strategic location and commercial connection with ancient Egypt, with, having their own currency: one side of the coin had the head of a woman and the other the Greek letters ΦΑ in between a trident. Falassarna’s archaeological site is of worth visiting.

Gramvousa or Balos

Gramousa, or Balos is a top extinguished destination for travellers for its unique beauty which has been granted.

Gramvousa is combined by two uninhabited islands, Wild and Tame Gramvousa, located in the same named cape.

Tame Gramvousa Island is located 20km northwest of Kissamos approximately, and many visitors come by the ferries (approximate time of trip 1hr), to continue their exploration to the lagoon of Balos. The Fortress which dominates the beach at 137m height, and the hull of a shipwreck consist part of a most beautiful of the place and a most visited tourist attraction.

Wild Granmousa north of the cape is not accessible due to its wild rocks.  It is protected by Natura, since it provides shelter for the seagulls and other species of sea birds.  It is os exceptional beauty, reminding a tropical environment.

Koutalas

Beach of Koutalis (or Koutalas) is located in the edge of cape Drapano, next to Kokkino Horio (Red Village), 25 km approximately east of Chania.  Isolated and not too famous, forms the sea exit of a rocky gorge, next to a big cave, embraced by a long natural bay.  The rocky depth does makes swimming adventurous, but it is an ideal location to relax or to enjoy fishing, for those who love it.  The water is crystal clear and the beach is sandy. Access is easy, since visitors can just drive to!

Seitan Limania

Seitan Limania is located in the east of Akrotiri, 22km approximately from Chania and 2 km from the village Hordaki.  The location was given its name during Turk occupation, by the Turk word “seitan” which means “satan” to describe the “cursed ports” (seitan limania), because of the huge waves.  Next to Seitan Limania, there are three smaller beaches, well protected by the weather, wavy conditions.  The northern one, named beach of Stefanos, or Saint Rafael, or Saint Spyridon, is a small magnificent beach with deep blue water. Huge marble rocks embrace the almost sandy beach and protect it of the wind.  It takes a ten minutes walk to reach the beach, or otherwise one can reach it by boat.

Sports

Walking and Trekking Routes

Most travelers claim that walking is the way to come in contact with the world.  Crete can be characterized by this notion, since there are many sandy beaches, magnificent forests, mountains tops, and ancient towns, shepherds places “mitata” and “koumoi”, which one can reach only by walking, certainly not by driving!

There are gorges, rivers, treks, lakes, which take our steps to a virgin nature rich in pictures, perfumes, tastes.

If you climb up the bare mountains in Chania “Chaniotikes Madares”, you will have a magnificent view to both Cretan in the North and Libyan Sea in the South.

In Chania, you can also visit many caves with unique finding from the antiquity and beautiful rooms with stalagmites and stalactites.

The famous Cretan wild goat, Kri Kri lives in the mountain rocks.  Above the mountains tops wild predatory birds live like the Golden Eagle and the Lammergeyer.  The famous curative dictamnus also grows here since antiquity.

Water Sports

Crete and especially Chania, are famous for their sandy golden beaches, either fully organised or hidden and natural.  But only a few people know they can reach Crete through the sea with a nice sailing vessel.  The Venetian port offers all facilities for such a vessel to dock; sailors with experience can really enjoy and live unique moments in the Cretan Sea.

For the ones who love sea kayak, explorations destined to the sandy beaches in the North and South of the island offer a variety of adventures, , bays’ explorations, swimming and several other sea adventures are offered for the lovers of water sports.

Diving is another magnificent activity; the short coastline, combined with the morphology the bottom of the sea in Chania is ideal for those who love diving adventure.

Just a very few kilometres from Leste Homes, in Almyrida, our guests can find organised sea sports centres to enjoy their favourite sport activity: hire a vessel, canoe kayak, sea bicycles, wind surf, scuba diving etc.

Winery

Visiting the Douraki Winery

Winery Douraki is founded in Kefala, district of Alikampos, 40 km from Chania, on the foot of the East White Mountains.

The owner’s, Andreas Ntourakis, love for nature and creativity is apparent in the biological way he cultivates his vineyards, as well as in his winery, where the aesthetics is a combination of the tradition and modernity.

Come in contact, info@dourakiswinery.gr, and take part in the tours, to taste the wines!  Tours are daily in the winery on appointment.  Do not forget to get all info for art exhibitions and events that take place in the winery too!

Special Activities

Visiting a Pottery Lab/Factory

For those of you who are interested in the art of pottery, do not miss the chance to visit the pottery labs and factories of the area.  It is a wonderful way to get to know the roots of this ancient art craft and to explore modern ceramics exhibitions.

Visiting a blown glass factory

Visiting blown glass factory by recycled glass in Kokkino Chorio is a unique experience.

Do not miss the chance to participate in the blowing glass lessons provided, to experience the joy of creativity.

Do also visit the shop, where you can purchase hand made blown glass objects!

Agro-Tourism

For those of you, who are interested in getting in contact with the Cretan herbs and nature, in visiting the mitata (shepherds’ mountainous shelters) of the area, or in participating in traditional cooking lessons and other agricultural activities and seasonal works, ask us to bring you in contact with the appropriate operator.

Relaxation

For those of you, who wish to experience a body experience or alternative body treatments to enhance your body and free your spirit, we recommend you to visit the local body therapy centres.  Let us know and we will arrange your appointment with the appropriate therapist.