The best MTB trails in Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Χανίων

Lake Kournas is today the only large natural lake in Crete and is located in an enchanting landscape. Surrounded by high mountains and olive groves. It is located next to the village of Kournas, 2.5 km southeast of Georgioupolis beach, 43 km east of Chania and 20 km west of Rethymnon. Lake Kournas and its surroundings form a very important ecosystem for Greece. Kournas is one of the very few regions of Crete where vast amounts of fresh water have been accumulated over the years. Therefore, it is protected under the Natura 2000 program. On one side of the lake are cafes and restaurants with a view of the lake. Adjacent to the cafes, small white sandy beaches form in the summer when the water level drops. Visitors can swim on these beaches and rent sun umbrellas. Visitors can also rent pedal boats and kayaks here. It is an ideal choice for the afternoon when the water takes on a wonderful color and is calm. The lake was formed by the accumulation of groundwater coming from the mountains. The water bubbles up from a spring called Amati or Mati (it means "eye"), which is above the lake's water level in the summer, while it is hidden below the surface in the winter. A second spring is below the surface all year round. The lake is small, round, and covers an area of 570 "morgen" (approx. 2.3 km²), has a maximum depth of 22.5 meters, is 1080 meters long and 880 meters wide. In summer, there are 7.5 million cubic meters of water in the lake. The lake is fed by the Delfinas river. Source: cretanbeaches.com/de/str%C3%A4nde-in-kreta/str%C3%A4nde-auf-chania-west-kreta/kournas-see-chania

This imposing stone church reflects the prosperity the village enjoyed during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Built from local limestone, its simple yet elegant façade is complemented by a separate bell tower and finely carved architectural details. One feature easily overlooked is the series of long black iron tie bars fixed across the front wall. These structural braces were installed to strengthen the masonry against the effects of earthquakes, a common requirement for large stone buildings in Crete. Rather than detracting from the church, they have become part of its character, illustrating the practical adaptations needed to preserve historic buildings on a seismically active island. Whether you stop to admire its architecture or to explore the village, the Church of Agios Nikolaos is one of the principal landmarks of Vamos and well worth a visit.

This restored Minoan tholos tomb dates from the Bronze Age and belongs to a burial tradition unique to southern and central Crete. Constructed from carefully laid limestone blocks, the tomb is approached by a narrow, sunken passage leading to a circular burial chamber, where generations of the same community were interred over many years. The massive stone doorway and corbelled construction demonstrate the skill of Minoan builders more than 3,500 years ago. These tombs were not isolated graves but places of remembrance, reflecting the importance of family, ancestry, and community in Minoan society. Standing at the entrance, it is remarkable to consider that this quiet chamber has survived earthquakes, changing civilisations, and millennia of history. It offers a direct connection to one of Europe's earliest advanced cultures and is a worthwhile stop for anyone exploring Crete's archaeological heritage.

The Byzantine Walls of Chania are a remarkable reminder of the city’s early fortifications, long before the grand Venetian walls were built. These ancient remains are mainly found on Kastelli Hill, overlooking the Old Harbor, where the Byzantine acropolis once stood proudly. Dating largely to the 7th century AD, the Byzantine fortifications were constructed over earlier Hellenistic defenses, reusing stones and architectural fragments from Ancient Kydonia—a city damaged by several earthquakes. As a result, the walls not only served as protection but also embodied centuries of Chania’s evolving history. https://chaniaexplorer.com/byzantine-walls/

The history of Georgioupolis dates back to antiquity, when the region was settled by the Minoans and later by the Romans. However, the present town was only founded in the late 19th century and named after Prince George of Greece, who was High Commissioner of Crete at the time. Originally a small fishing village, Georgioupolis began to develop as a tourist destination in the 1960s, thanks to its idyllic location and the natural beauty of the surrounding area.

The lagoon, located east of Balos Bay (Όρμος Μπάλος) between the Gramvousa Peninsula and the adjacent Cape Tigani (Ακρωτήρι Τηγάνι, meaning "pan") to the west, has a northern connection to the open sea at Gramvousa Bay (Όρμος Γραμβούσας), to which the lagoon technically belongs. The Cape Tigani Peninsula, approximately one kilometer long and 700 meters wide, rising to a height of 117 meters, is connected to the mainland at Balos only by a shallow, roughly 50-meter-wide isthmus. The lagoon extends east of this land bridge with an east-west extent of about 400 meters and approximately 600 meters south from the open sea.

Balos Bay lies on the western side of the now uninhabited Gramvousa peninsula. The peninsula, four kilometers wide in the south, stretches 12 kilometers north from the last settlement, Kaliviani, to Cape Vouxa, the northwesternmost point of Crete. At Balos, five kilometers southwest of Cape Vouxa, Gramvousa narrows to about one kilometer in width.

The Rodopos Peninsula, approximately 18 kilometers long, juts out into the Cretan Sea like an outstretched finger, measuring about 5 kilometers at its widest point. The peninsula is located in the western part of Crete's north coast. To its west lies the Bay of Kissamos and, about 15 kilometers away, the Gramvousa Peninsula with its offshore rocky islets of Imeri Gramvousa and Agria Gramvousa. To the east of Rodopos stretches the Bay of Chania. A mountain ridge runs through the peninsula from north to south, its highest peaks being Onichas (748 meters) and Spitakiou Korfi (646 meters). The northwesternmost point is Cape Spatha, which also marks the northernmost extent of the island of Crete.