Listed 15 sub titles with search on: Sights for wider area of: "SFAKIA Village CHANIA" .
AMOUDARI (Village) SFAKIA
Askifou is 52km south of Chania on the Chania - Hora Sfakion road.
It is at 730 metres altitude, and has characteristic Turkish towers on a hill
in the middle of the plateau. The Lefka Ori surround the plateau with the high
peaks of Kastro on the west (2,218m), Tripali on the east (1,493m), and Agathes
(1,511m) giving it the appearance of an amphitheatre. The plateau of Askifou was
probably a lake in prehistoric times and the fertile patchwork fields yield wheat
and potatoes. On this plateau in 1821 there was a major battle between the Turks
and the Sfakiani revolutionaries that resulted in a victory for the locals. The
fierceness of the battle and the heroic fighters are still remembered in local
songs. You may rent rooms in the middle village, Amoudari of Askifou. You may
also eat the local Sfakia pita, delicious kefalotiri cheese, and local thymari
(thyme) honey in the pleasant village square. A statue to a local revolutionary
hero Polentas has recently been erected here and to Tsontas, a hero from the Macedonian
conflict in the 1900s.
This text is cited Nov 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.
The Krapi Plateau is on the road to Sfakia from Chania, before Askifou
Plateau.
The Lefka Ori surround the plateau with the high peaks of Kastro on
the west (2,218m). Above the Askifou Plateau, in Tavri, near the plateau of Niatos
(1200m), there is a Mountain Refuge (Information: Mounainteering Club of Chania).
The area of Askifou offers many walks for nature enthusiasts.
ANOPOLI (Village) SFAKIA
From the plateau of Anopolis one has an exceptional view of the south
side of the Lefka Ori. Climbs of the highest peaks of the Lefka Ori, at 2,500
metres, start from here. The view of the mountains is particularly impressive
in the spring when they are covered in snow. The area is protected from the north
winds and it has very mild weather all winter. This area of the Lefka Ori is also
famous for its rare wild flowers that can be seen in the spring.
This extract is cited Nov 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains image.
FRANGOKASTELLO (Castle) SFAKIA
Tel: +30 28210 56119, 53033
Fax: +30 28210 56118
The Venetian fortress
was erected by the rulers of the island in 1371, in order to protect the small bay from the pirates. However it was barely used for
defensive purposes during the Venetian era and on the eve of the Turkish attack, it was actually abandoned. In 1828 the Cretan
rebels occupied the fortress and during the siege that followed, its towers were destroyed.
The fortified castle is a typical example of the Venetian defence architecture with a rectangular shape with
towers on each side.
Over the gate, one sees a relief with the Lion of St Marcus and the Venetian crowns. The buildings in the interior, as well as the
battlements, were constructed during the ottoman occupation; at the same time many repairs were carried out. Underneath the fortress,
there are the ruins of the church of St Marcus.
According to tradition, during the second half of May and with a specific weather, shadows of the armed cretan warriors,
who lost their lives there, seem to march towards the fortress. The locals call them "Drosoulites". Near the fortress, is the church of
St Niketas of 1371, where there are traces of an Early Christian basilica. The works of restoration and consolidation were carried out by
the 13th Ephorate οf Byzantine Antiquities.
The exterior of the Venetian fortress (1371) has survived in excellent condition although the interior is in ruins. It has a square design with a tower at each corner. Above the gate is the emblem of Venice, the lion of St. Mark. The Venetians built the castle to deter pirate raids and to bring some order to this area. The castle is associated with some fierce battles. In 1828, a small band of Greeks, headed by Hatzi Michali Daliani, occupied the castle in an attempt to spread the War of Independence to Crete. He and his small band of rebels were massacred by the much larger Turkish force on the plain of Frangokastello. Their martyrdom became the subject of heroic legends and songs. The local legend says that on or around the anniversary of this battle (17 May), you can see the ghosts of Daliani and his army. They appear in the early morning, marching from the castle. These spirits are called "dhrosoulites" or "dew shadows" by the locals.
This text is cited Nov 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.
AGIOS IOANNIS (Village) SFAKIA
The road from Aradena to Agios Ioannis goes through a very attractive
pine forest, one of the very few in Crete, and it has a view of the clear waters
of the Libyan Sea from high up and the bulk of the Lefka Ori from the south.
ANOPOLI (Village) SFAKIA
It is another of the densely wooded worth visiting gorge of Sfakia
with high precipices.
From the mountain village of Anopoli you can start walking on the
rural-mountain road leading to the White
Mountains, while reaching an altitude of 2000 m near their highest summit.
After walking for one hour and a half, a small ramification leads rightwards to
the Byzantine chapel of the Rood that contains remarkable murals. You can drive
up there too.
It takes about 3 hours to walk up to the exit of the gorge, where
there is an asphalt road leading from Chora
Sfakion to Anopoli. A few meters downwards , there is a very clean beach called
Iliggas, where you can enjoy swimming in the Lybian
Sea.
If you can't make the above crossing, you can have a global view of
the gorge by walking as much as you wish toward the inside of the gorge from its
exit on.
This text is cited April 2003 from the Prefectural
Committee for Tourism Promotion of Chania pamphlet.
ARADENA (Settlement) SFAKIA
The impressive gorge of Aradena starts from the Lefka Ori north of
the village of Aradena, and ends up in the sea, south of Aradena. You may walk
down through the Aradena Gorge and exit near Marmara on the south coast. There
is a path from Aradena that allows you to descend into the gorge. The walk may
take 3 to 4 hours as it is 7km from the Aradena entrance to the sea. You should
not attempt the walk without ample water, boots, and arrangements to be picked
up at the walk's end. A path at the bottom goes to Marmara beach, Finikas, Loutro,
and Hora Sfakion. The coastal path is narrow and quite dangerous in places between
Loutro and Hora Sfakion. Alternatively, you can walk to Loutro and take the boat
to Hora Sfakion.
This text is cited Nov 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.
ASFENDOS (Village) SFAKIA
In the east of Sfakia
there is the gorge of Asfendou, which has its entrance in the almost deserted
mountain village of Sfakia called Asfendou (at an altitude of 770 m and a distance
of 8 km from Imbros)
You reach the gorge by coming from the area of Ambelos - Tentas -
Seli and after walking for 3 hours, you meet the old village of Agios
Giorgos (former Kolokasia) situated at an altitude of 260 m. The 1700 m long
rural road will lead you from there to the main road of Chora
Sfakion - Fragokastello
and to the new village of Agios
Nektarios, 73 km distant from Chania
and 7 km from Chora Sfakion.
This text is cited April 2003 from the Prefectural
Committee for Tourism Promotion of Chania pamphlet.
IMBROS (Village) SFAKIA
The Imbros Gorge starts just south of the village. During World War
II, twelve thousand soldiers evacuated the island walking through the gorge to
the south coast of Crete under aeroplane fire. There they were taken by the Royal
Navy to Egypt. The Imbros Gorge is very narrow in certain parts, with impressive
walls. There is unique flora all year round. It is 11km long, takes 4 to 4 1/2
hours to walk and ends in the village of Komitades.
This text is cited Nov 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.
KALIKRATIS (Settlement) SFAKIA
It is situated eastwards the Asfendou
gorge, starting from the mountain village of Kalikratis in Sfakia at an altitude
of 750 m (14 km distant from Imbros)
and you need three hours in order to cross it.
The gorge ends in the village of Kapsodasos
at an altitude of 120 m and at a distance of 8 km from Chora
Sfakion.
This text is cited April 2003 from the Prefectural
Committee for Tourism Promotion of Chania pamphlet.
VRASKAS (Settlement) SFAKIA
In the east of Sfakia,
apart from the Gorge of Imbros
there is also a parallel series of very small but interesting craggy gorges directed
eastwards. One of them is the gorge of Kapni.
It is a very wild gorge, difficult of access, with a very precipitous
ground slope. Its entrance is situated on the southern side of the mountains of
Akones and at the fourth km of the asphalt road from Imbros to Asfendou
in Sfakia, at an altitude of 900 m. It ends up in the border of the village
of Vraskas at an altitude of 190 m, and you need 3,30 hours in order to cross
it.
This text is cited April 2003 from the Prefectural
Committee for Tourism Promotion of Chania pamphlet.
ANOPOLI (Village) SFAKIA
Anopolis was a revolutionary centre against the Venetians and was destroyed in 1365. Anopolis, and the province of Sfakia in general, was the centre of revolutions against the Turks in Crete and was never inhabited by the Turks, making it the only free place in Crete during the Turkish occupation. The people from Anopolis had boats and their commercial fleet was based in Loutro. Anopolis is the birth place of Ioannis Daskaloyannis, the leader of the revolution of 1770 against the Turks (statue in the central square). By the time of the revolution of 1770, Anopolis had more than 500 men that could participate in the war. Anopolis was completely levelled during the revolution and many survivors left for other places. The same happened in the revolution of 1867. Due to its position, Anopolis was always one of the last strongholds of Sfakia.
KOMITADES (Village) SFAKIA
The historical church of the Panagia Thymiani can be seen from the
road as you approach the village from Sfakia. It was here that the Rebellion of
1821 against the Turks was proclaimed by 1,500 men from all the Sfakia villages.
The church was destroyed by the Turks, as it was also in 1867.
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