Itinerary
- Day 1
Chania
You'll arrive in Chania and settle into this historic port city built around a 14th-century Venetian harbour. If your flight timing works out, there's an orientation tour available that takes you through the old harbour, past the Venetian lighthouse, and shows you the Grand Arsenal and Splanzia ruins before heading to Kum Kapi beach. This evening you'll get a welcome briefing, and dinner is optional if you'd like to join the group or explore on your own.
Optional Activities
- Orientation tour of Chania old town
- Visit Venetian lighthouse
- View Grand Arsenal
- Explore Splanzia ruins
- Visit Kum Kapi beach
- Welcome dinner (if flight timings permit)
Landmarks Venetian Harbour Venetian Lighthouse Grand Arsenal Splanzia Kum Kapi Beach - Day 2
Paleochora to Sougia to Paleochora
After transferring to Paleochora on the coast, you'll start hiking along the European E4 trail toward Sougia village. The walk takes you on a gentle ascent to the ancient city of Lissos, where you can see a well-preserved temple and original floor mosaics. You'll have time to swim and grab a boxed lunch, then a boat takes you to Sougia beach for a rest before heading back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Boxed lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike along European E4 trail from Paleochora to Sougia
- Visit Lissos ancient city with temple of Asclepius
- Sea swim
- Boxed lunch
- Boat transfer from Lissos to Sougia
Optional Activities
- Coffee, juice or beer at beach-side canteen in Sougia
Landmarks Lissos Temple of Asclepius Anydri Beach Sougia Beach - Day 3
Samaria Gorge
Today brings the UNESCO-listed Samaria Gorge, a challenging 10-mile hike through a chasm in the White Mountains down to the Libyan Sea. The route passes through forests with 22 freshwater springs along the way and takes you past some abandoned villages. You'll cross the river several times as the path winds down, and by the end you reach Agia Roumeli beach where you can swim and relax. Dinner with the group wraps up the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Boxed lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike Samaria Gorge (10 miles/16km)
- Cross river on wooden bridges and via rock hopping
- Boxed lunch
- Sea swim at Agia Roumeli beach
Landmarks Samaria Gorge White Mountains Agia Roumeli Beach - Day 4
Agia Roumeli to Loutro
You'll walk along the southern coastline from Agia Roumeli heading toward the whitewashed village of Loutro. The route passes the 10th-century Byzantine chapel of Agios Pavlos and Marmara beach along the way. Light lunch is included, and if the final steep 2-mile section feels like too much, there's an option to take a boat taxi instead of walking it.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Light lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Coastal walk from Agia Roumeli to Loutro
- Pass Byzantine chapel of Agios Pavlos
- Visit Marmara beach
- Light lunch
Optional Activities
- Private boat taxi for final 2 miles to Loutro (additional cost)
Landmarks Agios Pavlos Marmara Beach Loutro - Day 5
Loutro to Preveli Beach to Rethymno
A ferry takes you from Loutro to Chora Sfakion, then you transfer to the 18th-century Preveli Bridge. From there you'll hike through olive groves toward Preveli Monastery ruins, descending 450 steps through palm-forested terrain to reach Preveli Beach where you can swim in the Libyan Sea. Later, you visit a working olive oil farm for a tour and tasting before transferring to Rethymno for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Ferry from Loutro to Chora Sfakion
- Hike from Preveli Bridge through olive groves to Preveli Monastery
- Hike to Preveli Beach (approximately 2.5 miles/4km)
- Descend 450 steps to beach
- Sea swim
- Olive oil farm tour and tasting
Landmarks Preveli Bridge Preveli Monastery Preveli Beach Kourtaliotiko Gorge Megalopotamos River - Day 6
Eleftherna and Margarites
This day focuses on history and culture, starting with the ancient site of Eleftherna where you'll see a Byzantine tower, Roman reservoirs and tunnels, the acropolis, and a Hellenic bridge. Next you visit the Museum of Ancient Eleutherna to get more context. After that, you head to Margarites, a pottery village where workshops display ceramic work, and you'll have lunch at a traditional taverna. Back in Rethymno by afternoon, you've got free time to spend however you'd like.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional taverna lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit ancient Greek city of Eleftherna
- View Byzantine tower
- Explore Roman reservoirs and tunnels
- Visit acropolis
- View Hellenic bridge
- Visit Museum of Ancient Eleutherna
- Countryside walk
- Visit pottery village of Margarites
- Ceramic workshops tour
- Traditional taverna lunch
Landmarks Eleftherna Byzantine Tower Museum of Ancient Eleutherna Margarites - Day 7
Stylos Villages and Aptera
You'll do a circular walk visiting the villages of Paidochori, Neo Chorio, Diktamo, and Machairon, with lunch at a traditional taverna in one of them. Later the group heads to Aptera, a lesser-known archaeological site that was once an important Cretan city-state. By early evening you're back in Chania for your farewell dinner with the group.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Circular village walk through Stylos area
- Visit villages of Paidochori, Neo Chorio, Diktamo, and Machairon
- Visit archaeological site of Aptera
- Licensed archaeological guide at Aptera
Optional Activities
- Lunch at traditional taverna
Landmarks Paidochori Neo Chorio Diktamo Machairon Aptera - Day 8
Chania Departure
After breakfast, the trip ends. Depending on what time you wake up and when your travel home begins, you might have a final chance to walk around Chania and catch anything you missed before heading to the airport or your next destination.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Final exploration of Chania
