10 Long walks in Apokoronas
The best way to discover the beautiful island of Crete is on foot! This is certainly also the case for the Apokoronas region, an area with great diversity located in the northwest part of the island. The 10 walks described in this book are spread over this unique region and the combination of the beautiful nature and interesting history makes every walk a special and surprising discovery!
Location of the walks
The 10 walks described in this book are quite strenuous but technically not so difficult. The walks are between 11 and 20 km long and mostly you will follow easy dirt tracks, land roads and paths.On a few occasions you will find some steeper stony paths.
For most walks the ascend and descend is between 400 m and 600m. One walk is less (280 m) and one walk has more (820 m). For almost all walks there is the possibility to make a shortcut.
The Apokoronas Region
Apokoronas is the region in north-west Crete, at the east of the city of Chania. Since January 2011 it is a municipality of the Chania Prefecture, with its capital at Vrisses. The municipality is divided into 6 municipal departments which are: Armeni, Fres, Georgioupolis, Krionerida, Vamos and Asi Gonia. The name ‘Apokoronas’ possibly originates from the ancient city of Ippokoronion. This city
may have been located near the village of Nippos, or on the site of the Venetian fortress, Castle Apicorono, on an outcrop between Kalyves and Almyrida.
The municipality extends from the foothills of the White Mountains to the coast on the north, in a wide plain with rolling hills. It covers approximately 200 square kilometres. It is an area with varying terrains with lots of tracks that are ideal for walking! To the east, Cape Drapanon (527m) rises above the plain and extends out into the Sea of Crete. It is a very green and fertile area, unusual for rocky Crete. It is a rich agricultural region with many olive groves, vineyards and orange groves. As typical in the whole of Greece, you can often
hear the sound of sheep and goats who roam freely. You find many cypress trees and even areas that you can call forests. The breathtaking views from every angle on the ‘Lefka Ori’ (White Mountains), the wide views over Souda Bay, the Akrotiri Peninsula and the Drapanos Mountain are typical for the Apokoronas region.
Nice views in Apokoronas!
Nowadays there are approximately 13.000 inhabitants in 50 villages and settlements. The major villages are Vamos, Vrisses, Kalyves, Georgioupolis,
Kournas, Armeni and Fres. Most have municipal and utility offices as well as taverns, mini markets, schools and churches. Kalyves, Almyrida and Georgioupolis are beach resorts. All together the Apokoronas region is a beautiful region to Discover... on Foot!
