Seven Villages
Discover the Nature of Crete
A short journey, off the beaten track, to discover inland landscapes, ancient churches and untouched villages. Heading westward, from the very first village, sense the slow pace of the traditional way of life. Find yourselves among fragrant orange orchards, seasonal fruit farms and endless olive groves. At the first stop in the village of Manoliopoulos get in touch with the religious culture and the tranquil scenery. At Babiolos village do not miss the opportunity to try the produce of this area. Through winding streets, after reaching at Koufos village-house of the church of Agios Kyr Ioannis- taste the Cretan hospitality. Travel back to the coast with magnificent views of the White Mountains, crossing more untouched villages. A tour where the passage of time stands still and pure relaxation awaits you!
Tickets
- Adult 22.00€
- Child 11.00€
- Book
DON’T FORGET
- Bottle of water
- Sun cream
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Camera
- Money
Route Itinerary
- Our tour in the untouched hinterland starts after crossing the coastline, picking up the travelers coming from two directions. All together we cross Ano Gerani and Loutraki villages and enjoy the view of the olive and orange groves that dominate the verdant area.
- We arrive at Manoliopoulo village, where we will make our first stop for 15 minutes. We visit the central church with its colorful frescoes and icons and cool off in the traditional cafe.
- After this stop, we depart for Bapiolos village and on the way we have a photo stop to capture the panoramic view of the fertile hills. We arrive at our destination, where Mrs. Stella is waiting for us with traditional treats, based on recipes passed down from generation to generation. We can taste raki , rakomelo and homemade desserts, that she cooks from pure raw materials from her trees and of course we can purchase from these pure Cretan products. We say goodbye to Mrs. Stella after 15 minutes.
- For the last stop, the train descends the winding hills and reaches Koufos, where we will get off at a tavern for half an hour. Fresh orange juice, soft drinks and beer are among the options here and for the hungry ones there is a Greek salad or kalitsounia', the small traditional spinach pies, a must try!
- After Koufos our stops may be over, but we still have more to see! On our way back, the train stops for photos at “ Kyr Giannis” (St. John), a beautiful Byzantine church hidden in the orange orchards. Coming up next is Alikianos, the main village of the region, for admiring the monument of its recent history and the remains of the stone bridge of Keritis river, which was the landmark of the fruitful valley.
- Our excursion ends by crossing two more villages, Agia and Galatas and ending up on the main coastal road, from where we started.
Agioi Apostoloi
Seaside area, quite close to the city of Chania. It stands out for its golden beaches with shallow waters and the park that hosts activities for all ages.
Agia Marina
One of the most important tourist resorts. A delightful village situated on the northwest coast of Crete, located 3 km to the west of Chania. Its long sandy beaches and crystal clear waters make this an ideal holiday location for young and old alike.
Platanias Village
Platanias (Greek: Πλατανιάς) is a village and municipality on the Greek island of Crete. It is located about 10 km (6.2 mi) west from the city of Chania and east of Kastelli-Kissamos, on Chania Bay. The seat of the municipality is the village Gerani.[1] Platanias is a popular tourism village with a beach, several hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. Not far from the coast is the island of Agioi Theodoroi.
Gerani
Gerani is a village and a community situated in the municipality of Platanias, Crete, Greece. It has a population of 1,189 (according to the 2011 census) and it covers 6.398 square kilometers (2.470 sq mi). It is 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) from Chania, right next to the sea. The Gerani beach is awarded with the Blue Flag. There plenty of traditional tavernas, car rental companies, supermarkets and hotels in the village.
Maleme
A Late Minoan tholos tomb has been discovered in the vicinity of Maleme. The tholos tomb, located on "Kafkala" hill, was accidentally revealed and then looted at the beginning of the 20th century. During World War II a bomb caused the partial destruction of its roof and the backfill of the chamber.
Loutraki
Loutraki is located 17 km away from Chania and 2km from Gerani with 150 permanent residents and is part of the municipality of Gerani. It is mentioned at the censuses since 1577.
Manoliopoulo
Manoliopoulo Village belongs to the municipality Platanias (Kydonia), with 265 residents, at an altitude of 120m and 20 km west of Chania. It's a picturesque village built among huge trees. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name and is first mentioned at the Egyptian census in 1834.
Babiolos Village
A small village, standing among the olive and citrus groves. The producer welcomes us there to taste her handmade products.
Koufos
The district Koufos with almost 149 residents, is located approximately 15 kilometers southwest of Chania. It lies on a huge plateau between acres of orange trees and small streams fed in spring with melting snow from the mountain tops.
Alikianos
Alikianos is the head village of the Mousouri municipal unit in Chania regional unit, located approximately 12.5 kilometers southwest of Chania. Alikianos is best known outside the island for the fierce fighting which took place there during the 1941 Battle of Crete, during which the 8th Greek Regiment (Provisional) helped cover the retreat of the 10th New Zealand Division, to which it was attached. Nested in the middle of a fertile valley, and covered with orange and lemon trees, the village stands proud, pleasing the eye with its beautiful orchards.
Agia Village
Galatas
Historical village built in 961 AD by Byzantine families in the ruins of ancient residences. It’s also the homeland of the famous composer Mikis Theodorakis!
Photo Gallery
