Chania Trails - APO 08 - Contrasting Landscapes

Starting at an altitude of 350 meters at Kefalas, once a thriving village of stonemasons and other craftsmen in the building trade – as evidenced today by a plethora of architecturally interesting buildings and the ornate, Venetian-style lintels – our route ends at Kalyvaki Beach, where Vlychada River meets the sea.

In between the hiker will walk the drystone-walled lanes cutting through Roupakias Forest and the old footpath connecting Sellia, a village with some fine examples of vernacular architecture, to Agios Dimitrios in Katouna. The hamlet of Argyromouri, meanwhile, is connected to the much bigger Georgioupoli by a small gorge and the Vlychada estuary.

The return journey to Kefalas from the beach goes along the path ascending to Likotinara, which offers a marvelous view of almost the entire province of Apokoronas, as well as of Kavros beach, with Rethymno in the distance.

With its attractive buildings, Venetian wells and the startling view of the sea emerging from among dense olive groves, the village of Likotinara always comes as a pleasant surprise when hikers first come across it, and even more so when they enter it, where pretty courtyards and traditional chimneys from wood-fired household ovens emit a strong sense of Cretan authenticity.

The main square of Kefalas, which signals the start and end of this route, is host to the Apokoronas Environmental Education Center, the old public school (a listed monument) and the impressive Folklore Museum.

A smaller route within Trail 8 covering around 5 kilometers from Kefalas, through Sellia, into Roupakias Forest and back to Kefalas, is also very popular among hikers exploring the trails of Apokoronas.