- Start
- Chania
- Driving
- Around 70 km in total
- Best for
- Villages, food and an easy swim
- Needs
- A car
Morning: Aptera
Drive 15 km east to Aptera for the theatre, the Roman cisterns and the view over Souda Bay. An hour is enough.
Late morning: Vamos and Gavalochori
Vamos, about 10 km on, has a preserved stone lane, old houses restored as guesthouses, and tavernas. Gavalochori, a few kilometres away, has a folklore museum, Venetian wells and shops selling the local kopaneli lace.
Lunch
Eat in Vamos or one of the nearby villages such as Douliana or Embrosneros, where tavernas cook with their own vegetables and oil. Order a few shared dishes rather than a fixed menu.
Afternoon on the coast
Finish with a swim at Almyrida, shallow and sandy with the ruins of an early Christian basilica on the shore, or at Kalyves, with its beaches either side of the Xidas river. Both are about 25 minutes from Chania for the drive home.
Questions before you go
Is Apokoronas worth a day?
Yes, if you enjoy villages, food and short drives more than famous sights.
What is Gavalochori known for?
Its folklore museum, Venetian wells and kopaneli lace.
Where can I swim in Apokoronas?
Almyrida and Kalyves are the easiest sandy beaches.
