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Western Crete Satellite picture of Western Crete Western Crete is still the less touristically developed region of Crete and certainly the most spectacular area! The White Mountains, with more than 30 peaks rising over 2000m, dominate this region. In the south, the mountains plunge steeply into the Libyan Sea and there are lots of spectacular gorges (faragi) including, of course, the most famous of all, the Gorge of Samaria. The south coast is the least developed area, and certainly the most spectacular coastline of Crete. In the northern part lie the three peninsulas of Rodopou, Gramvousa and Akrotiri, which are very characteristic for the province of Chania. A beautiful and very green region in Western Crete is the province of Apokoronas, further described below.

Apokoronas The green landscape of Apokoronas Would you like to go for holiday to Crete and enjoy the combination of wonderful beaches, old traditional villages, possibilities for walking and easy access to the beautiful cities of Chania and Rethymnon? Well, the Apokorononas area in Western Crete is just the perfect place to be! It is the greenest area of Crete and the place where FaragiTours is operating from. It is an ideal place for a mixed holiday and if you decide to do some walking, we are there to provide you our services. Below we describe some beautiful villages in the Apokoronas area that are very interesting to visit or to stay. Click on the villages for more information. Vamos Gavalochori and Douliana Kalyves and Almyrida Geourgioupolis Fres Vrisses

Vamos Old street in Vamos In the center of the Apokoronas prefecture, on a hill you find the village of Vamos. All over the region there are signs to this village since the medical centre is here as well. The last 10 years many old buildings have been beautifully restored and turned into guesthouses. The organisation responsible for this is the Vamos S.A., a co-operative that is founded to promote eco-tourism. It has a travel office, a nice taverna (Sterna Tou Bloumosifi,), art gallery, art café, and a shop with local products. It also organises several activities like cheese making, cooking courses and walking tours (organized by FaragiTours). Through this organisation you can book a beautiful restored traditional house. In Vamos you will find some nice local kafenia, small shops, good taverns and still genuine local Cretan life. Vamos has wonderful views to the Lefka Ori and is close to the beaches of Kalyves, Almyrida and Georgioupolis.

Gavalochori and Douliana Beautiful church in Gavalochori Located a few kilometres north of Vamos the traditional village of Gavalochori has a lot of beautiful restored stone built houses. You find here nice little streets, Venetian arches, Romans tombs and a bit outside the village the beautiful Venetian Wells which is a perfect spot for a picnic! Gavalohori has also a lovely Folklore museum and a Women’s Co-op which has developed the fine art of handicrafts such as knitting, embroidery, and lace-making. About 4 km from Vamos the idyllic little village of Douliana is situated on a top of a hill overlooking Souda Bay and is surrounded by olive groves and terraced farmland, dry stone walls and ancient Byzantine donkey paths. There are a mini-market and a rustic little kafenion in the tiny village square. From the square narrow little streets with whitewashed walls garlanded by flowers wend their way to the church. On the edge of the village you will also find a delightful little taverna serving authentic and very tasty Cretan food. The beaches of Kalyves and Almyrida are nearby, circa 4km.

Kalyves and Almyrida The beach in Almyrida The village Kalyves is situated at the Souda Bay and, although touristic, is still a real Cretan village. Even during winter time it's a place where the locals go for shopping or for a drink. There are plenty of hotels, rooms to let, restaurants, coffee shops and souvenirs' shops. A small river crosses the village and there are two nice sandy beaches. The fishing village of Almyrida, about 8 km from Vamos, becomes more and more a touristic resort. It has two small golden sand-beaches that are ideal for swimming. Just outside the village you can visit the ruins of a 11th century basilica with a beautiful mosaic floor. In the village there are plenty of good taverns, especially for fish and sea-food.

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last update: 30-06-2010