Κυριακή 5 Αυγούστου 2018

Samaria Gorge Travel


The gorge of Samaria is situated in the National park of Samaria, in the White Mountains in West Crete. This majestuous gorge is considered one of the great attractions of Crete and many tourists want to visit it. But you must realise that it is a long (5 to 7 hours) walk on rough terrain so you will need to have a certain degree of fitness and walking experience in order to enjoy it.

Opening times of the gorge of Samaria

The Samaria National Park has traditionally always opened to the public at the beginning of May. It has often been possible to enter the gorge of Samaria at some point in April from the bottom part but this depends on the weather and the amount of work needed to restore the path after the winter rains.

So the opening dates of the gorge vary: it could open a little before the 1st of May, on the 1st of May or later (if the weather is bad or repair work is late).
In 2018 the gorge of Samaria will open on the 1st of May

The gorge of Samaria closes to the public at the end of October. but may close earlier if autumn rains (not uncommon in October) damage the path or make some cliffs unstable.

The gorge will also be closed on rainy days (when there is a danger of rock falls).
In winter, high water makes the gorge of Samaria dangerous and impassable.

The park opens daily at daylight (so the exact time will vary depending on the time of the year) and closes in the evening. If you want to enter the park after around 14.00 you will not be allowed past the first quarter of the walk and will need to return to your starting point.

You have to pay an entrance fee of Euro 5.00 to enter the park (free to children under 15, half price to students).

If you need to know for sure if the gorge is open on a specific day phone +30 28210 67179

Dispelling a few myths about Samaria

It seems that most of what has been written about the gorge of Samaria was plagiarized from the same original source. This means that the same errors have been repeated almost everywhere.
Let's put a few things right:
  • The gorge of Samaria is not 18 km long (the 18 km refers to the distance between the settlement of Omalos on the northern side of the plateau and the village of Agia Roumeli) but is 16 km long, starting at an altitude of 1230m and taking you all the way down to the shores of the Libyan Sea in Agia Roumeli.
    The walk through the National Park of Samaria is 13 km but you will have to walk the extra 3 km to Agia Roumeli from the exit of the National Park making it a total of 16 km.
  •  The very narrow passage near the end of the gorge is often called the "Iron Gates". None of the former inhabitants of Samaria know why the place suddenly got this name. They were always known by the locals as "Portes" which means "doors" or "gates", but certainly no "Iron" anywhere!
  • Samaria is said to be the longest gorge in Europe. Good marketing but not quite the truth: the "gorges du Verdon" in South France are a little over 20 km in length.
  • Samaria is not always crowded. There may be up to 2000 or more people a day walking through the gorge of Samaria but on many days there are only a few hundreds. Keeping in mind that these people do not start at the same time and most of them walk in only in one direction (down) the number of people you will encounter is much lower and it is quite possible to have the gorge more or less to yourself if you choose your time well (see below 'When is the best time to walk through the gorge?' ).

The infrastructure of the National park of Samaria

The park is supervised by the Department of Forestry and is one of a dozen national parks in Greece. You need to pay an entrance fee of 5 Euro (free to children under 15).
  • The path is maintained and is substantially better than "normal" mountain paths in Crete.
  • There are wardens along the way (in radio contact with each other) who will help you in case of trouble or injury.
  • There is also (in theory) a doctor stationed in the village of Samaria. This has not been the case in the last few years (2009-2014).
  • There are well-maintained springs on the way so that you do not have to carry much water.
  • There are toilets in several places and plenty of rubbish bins. You find surprisingly little litter, considering the amount of people passing through every day.
  • You also get a set of rules aimed at protecting the park and making the experience safe and pleasant for everyone.
The gorge is open only during the day time and if you want to start walking in the afternoon you will only be allowed in up to a certain point.

The guards want to make sure that everybody who walks in also gets out before nightfall. This is the reason why they ask you to present your ticket on the way out as it (supposedly) enables them to know if there is anyone still in the park at night.

 

Getting there

If you go to Omalos with your own car in order to walk through the gorge of Samaria you will be forced to get back to Omalos to retrieve your car and it is not always such a good solution.

Alternatively there are public buses (KTEL) going to Omalos from Chania every morning (only when the gorge is open). Once you have walked through the gorge and are in Agia Roumeli you take a ferry boat returning to Hora Sfakion (or Sougia and Paleochora if you prefer but there may not be a connecting bus to Chania) and take an evening KTEL bus back to Chania.

If you are not alone, why not share a taxi to Omalos? The cost from Chania to the entrance of the gorge is Euro 75 (2017 prices) for up to 4 persons.

The most common way to "do" the gorge is to book an organized tour. This can be done from most places on the north coast (some come from as far as Agios Nikolaos or Ierapetra, which I wouldn't recommend because it entails an almost 24 hour round trip!). 

You will be picked up from and returned to your hotel. The buses are air-conditioned and you have the benefit of a guide. This does not mean that you need to walk in a group: everyone walks at their own pace and meets at a prearranged time and place in Agia Roumeli. 
These tours are not very expensive and can be booked locally, often directly at the hotel where you are staying.

With your own car

If you must, it is also possible to drive to Omalos with your own car, park it there , walk through the gorge, take the ferry back to Sougia and then take a taxi back to your car from Sougia (about 40 minutes drive). 
But you must pre-book a taxi as there are only two taxis that operate from Sougia.

The public bus service KTEL has also been running buses from Sougia back to Chania via Omalos for the last couple of years to connect with the ferry arriving from Agia Roumeli so this could be an option as well. The buses may not run at all times (especiially early in the seaon) so best to check with the bus company.

What to take with you on this walk?

  •   A water bottle which you can refill on the way.
  •   Sun cream and a hat, especially for the last part of the walk which has very little shade.
  •   Good shoes. These don't have to be hiking boots but you won't be contributing to your enjoyment by wearing tennis shoes or sandals.
  •   Some food. There is no food available inside the National Park.
  •  Something warm to wear for the early morning: it can be cold at 1200m.
  •   A supply of plasters in case of blisters.

What sort of terrain will you encounter?

Stones , stones and more stones! The terrain is stony most of the time but it varies. At the beginning the path is paved with uneven stones, then at times it is more like a forest path with some earth.

Once you reach the river bed you walk mainly on pebbles (which is tiring on the sole of the feet). You also have to cross the river at least a dozen times, sometimes on small wooden bridges but more often by stepping on rocks.

These have been placed at strategic intervals but still require some sure-footedness. The only easy path is once you leave the southern end of the National Park: it is flat and there are no stones, no shade either so that the last 3 km can be really really hot in summer.


How long does it take and how fit do you need to be?

A walk of 16 km on flat ground should take just over 3 hours if you walk at a brisk pace. This is theoretically quite easy in the gorge of Samaria as you are going down most of the time but the path requires some care and attention and the walk will take you a minimum of 4 hours of walking time.

Add to this time to rest, to stop and look at the scenery, take photographs and you can count about 6 or 7 hours to cover the entire distance.

The walk is long and can be arduous but it is not a difficult walk. Still, every day people get into trouble or end up having an experience which is far from pleasant. The most common factors are:
  •  people who never do any exercise and suddenly want their body and legs to walk 16 uneven km without protesting.
  •  bad shoes creating blisters and / or foot-ache.
  •  problems with the heat (in summer).
  •  knee problems that develop during the steep descent at the beginning of the walk and have no time to get better once that original strain is over. (source:west-crete)

Τετάρτη 18 Ιουλίου 2018

Well-known Old Towns in Crete


Chania
or Rethymno?
Over time, the question remains without a definitive answer, seeing that both towns boast a significant history which is evident in their Old districts that possess a charming mixture of Venetian and Ottoman heritage elements.

The Old Town of Rethymno was built on the cape along the north shoreline and it is –to this day- extremely well-preserved, it could even be called an open air museum.

Among the most interesting monuments are Fortezza, Loggia, Rimondi Fountain, Porta Guora [Great Gate], the central entrance to the Venetian fortified walls, the imposing church of St. Francis, the picturesque Venetian harbour, the mosques of Kara Mousa Pasa & Neratze and many more.

In Chania, behind the Venetian harbour, there is a fascinating world that oozes the style and ambiance of past times. Topana, Splantzia, Kasteli, Santrivani districts and the Jewish quarter are there for you to visit them and explore their meandering alleys, discover the monuments that flank them, their history as well as the essence of Cretan culture.

Wander around, stop by the traditional cafes (kafeneia) and tavernas and drift into their magic atmosphere!
(visit greece)

Birdwatching in Crete - Plakias

 

Birdwatching in Crete will take you at some of its most beautiful, isolated and unpopulated areas, mountains, gorges, lakes particularly when you are looking for birds such as eagles, vultures and falcons.

It is true that lovely Crete has still a plentiful and wide variety of beautiful birds. Crete is located at the crossroads of three continents (Europe, Asia, Africa) therefore Crete hosts thousands of migratory and rare birds in its wetlands and other areas every year.

Crete is one of the main flypast routes for species they wintered in East Africa, but breed in eastern and northern Europe.

They migrate every spring up the Nile Valley, and then move across the eastern Mediterranean, often in huge numbers. This happens from mid-March to mid-May, depending on the species and the weather. The return migration in autumn is less spectacular because it is less concentrated in time, but still worth watching out for.

Moreover, more than 412 different bird species have been identified in Crete to date, most migratory, thus birding in Crete is one of the most common activities. There are a few endemics that breed on the island.

The great thing about birdwatching in Crete is that, if you pick your time right, you can see both resident and migratory species.

The mountains of Crete, Idi, Lefka Ori, Dikti, Asterousia hold some of the most exciting birds. Smaller birds like the blue rock thrush, cirl hunting adn alpine chough are  common, and there is a good chance of seeing large and dramatic birds of prey.

One very rare species of vulture, the Lammergeier (or bearded vulture) is currently on the dramatically endangered list although it is more common in Crete than everywhere in Europe, maybe you will be lucky to see one the island's three remaining birds soaring above the Lasithi or Omalos plateau.

The diversity of habitats and the richness of the environment on Crete for bird-life, results in an impressive species list and many unexpected surprises, especially during Spring and Autumn migrations.

It is well worth coming on holidays in Crete to see and enjoy these beautiful birds.

Bird watching in Crete attracts many fans, guests every year, so during your next trip in Cree don't forget to bring with you all the necessary supplies - travel cases, binoculars, or other items.

Nearby Plakias Village is the Kourtaliotiko and Kotisfos gorges excellent birding areas with species as Jackdaw, Rock Dove, Blue Rock Thrush; Raven, Chukar, Alpine Swift, Griffon Vultures, and Crag Martins.

The area around Plakias Village is popular with migrants too. Species include: Montagu`s harrier, Short-toed Larks, Spanish Sparrow and Woodchat Shrike.

The rocky places around Plakias attract Rock Doves and the rare Eleonora's Falcon (Falco Eleonorae). In Plakias Bay, Garganey can be seen. Other species in the area include: Little Bittern, Squacco Heron, Chukar, Wood Pigeon, Cetti's Warbler.

The mountainous area around the palm beach of Preveli is another excellent birding location in Rethymnon. Especially around the Preveli Monastery there is a great variety of migrants as Nightingales, Turtle Doves, Golden Orioles, Flycatchers, Ortolan Buntings and Ruppell`s Warbler.

At Geropotamos you can see Reed Warblers and at Pertres River Little Bittern, Squacco Heron and Griffon Vulture.
(source:Cretetravel)

Τετάρτη 27 Ιουνίου 2018

Ancient Greeks drank beer 4,000 years ago!

Archaeologists discover seeds for the brewing of beer

 Ancient Greeks may be known for their love of wine, but it seems they also had an affinity to beer, according to a study by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Two Bronze Age brewers that were recently discovered prove that Greeks would brew beer on a regular basis 4,000 years ago!

Archaeologists from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki found several archaeobotanical remains of a cereal that could have been used in beer brewing. Similar remains found in the Archontiko area in the island of Corfu were also discovered in Argissa in Zakynthos.

At Archontiko, archaeologists found about 100 individual cereal seeds dating back to the early Bronze Age from 2100 to 2000 BC. In Argissa, they found about 3,500 cereal seeds dating back to the Bronze Age, approximately from 2100 to 1700 BC.

Furthermore, archaeologists discovered a two-room structure that seems to have been carefully constructed to maintain low temperatures in the Archontiko area, suggesting it was used to process the cereals for beer under the right conditions.

This discovery is the earliest known evidence of beer consumption in Greece, but not in the world.
(Source: protothema)

Παρασκευή 1 Ιουνίου 2018

Summer has officially arrived ..

Summer has officially arrived .. 

We wish you a great one from PlakiasSuites

Τετάρτη 30 Μαΐου 2018

Photo of the day: Meet me by the sea


Plakias Beach in the South part of Rethymno - Crete.

Greece Among ‘Most Excellent’ Places to Travel Worldwide, Says TripAdvisor


Greece is among the “Most Excellent” global tourism destinations that have the highest percentage of TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence recipients, according to travel planning and booking site TripAdvisor.


More specifically, Greece ranks fourth on the list of TripAdvisor’s “Most Excellent” countries, with Iceland in first place, Ireland in second, the UK in third and Morocco in the fifth position.

In its eighth year, the Certificate of Excellence is given to accommodations, restaurants and experiences that deliver great service and consistently achieve high traveler reviews on travel planning and booking site TripAdvisor.

 “Most Excellent” Countries Overall
1. Iceland
2. Ireland
3. United Kingdom
4. Greece
5. Morocco
6. France
7. The Netherlands
8. Italy
9. Portugal
10. Belgium



“When travelers see a Certificate of Excellence sticker or certificate on display, they immediately know that the business has a track record of offering highly rated guest or dinner experiences.

Now, with our ‘Most Excellent’ lists, we’re excited to reveal the destinations where travelers are most likely to encounter these excellent businesses,” said Neela Pal, Vice President of Brand Marketing at TripAdvisor.

Greece also ranked second on the lists of the “Most Excellent” Countries for Restaurants and Experiences; and eighth among the “Most Excellent countries for Accommodations.

 “Most Excellent” Countries for Restaurants
1. Iceland
2. Greece
3. Ireland
4. United Kingdom
5. Portugal
6. France
7. Italy
8. Spain
9. The Netherlands
10. Hungary

  
“Most Excellent” Countries for Experiences
1. Iceland
2. Greece
3. Mexico
4. Portugal
5. Morocco
6. Vietnam
7. United Kingdom
8. Brazil
9. Thailand
10. Chile

 















  “Most Excellent” Countries for Accommodations
1. Singapore
2. United Arab Emirates
3. Morocco
4. Iceland
5. Ireland
6. United Kingdom
7. Australia
8. Greece
9. Canada
10. Indonesia


 The Certificate of Excellence winners were selected using a proprietary algorithm that takes into account the quality, quantity, and recency of user reviews, as well as the business’ tenure on the site. 

Recipients must maintain an overall TripAdvisor rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least twelve months. 

A business must be listed for the full 12-month qualifying period between April 1 to March 31 to be considered.
(Source: GTP)