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Georgioupolis in Crete
Hotels and apartments
The village of Georgioupolis with it’s particulary
beautiful setting between sea and mountain, is situated between the
towns of Rethymno, a 30 minute journey by car and Chania which is
a 45 minute drive away. This charming village with its long stretch
of sandy beach and river running into the sea, was until recent times
a sleepy little fishing village in an out of the way place.
Over the past 20 years it has slowly grown into a very
popular little holiday resort, with a wide range of tavernas, shops,
cafes, boutiques and other tourist amenities. The beautiful countryside
surrounding the village is ideal for those keen on walking, while
the splendid sandy shore and relaxed sea side atmosphere make it ideal
for beach lovers.
There is and excellent bus service in all directions
and thus it is possible to go quite far afield, for example to Heraklion
(90 min journey) or the south coast perhaps to visit Phaistos or Matala.
An outing to Georgioupolis is also worthwhile. Closer to home there
are interesting visits to be made to the old quarters of Chania an
Rethymno.
Lake Kournas, famed as the only fresh water lake on
Crete and haven for wild life, is within walking distance from Georgioupolis.
Some distance outside the village, a long row of hotels sits alongside
the sweeping almost 10 km long pale fine sandy beach and crystal clear
waters. However, a part of timeless old Georgioupolis remains very
much in place. As in years gone by, the eucalyptus tree lined square
remains the perfect place to sit and watch the villagers meet each
other in the kafenions to exchange the news of the day over a coffee
or ouzo.
Hotels & apartments in Georgioupolis
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| Tel/fax: +33(0)4 92 15 14 62 --- Mobile: +33 (0)6 08 10 00 85 |
| Address in France: 20, Boulevard Joseph Garnier
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| Address in Greece: Astrikas - Chania - Crete |
Samaria gorge. Crete, Greece
Having a total length of sixteen kilometres, this gorge is the largest in Europe and certainly the most famous and visited among the many gorges of Crete.
Until about the middle of the century it was a wild landscape with a totally undisturbed ecosystem and home to a great number of wild birds and mammals as well as to a small population of woodcutters and shepherds who lived in Agia Roumeli or in the village of Samaria inside the gorge.
Today this village has been abandoned, but the steep slopes of the gorge and the thick forests in the surrounding area are still populated with many rare species. These include over fifty species of wild birds - among them, the extremely rare harrier eagle (Gypaetus barbatus) and golden eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos), both threatened with extinction - and about ten species of mammals among which the famous Cretan wild goat otherwise known as kri kri and the Cretan polecat known as zourìdha. As for the flora of the area, it is abundantly rich and includes many wild flowers native to this land.
In 1962, the gorge, together with a small area to the west and east of it, was officially declared a National Park, so that its delicate ecosystem could be protected.
The park extends over an area of 5100 hectares and, unlikeits quiet days in the past, today it is visited by some 300,000 people a year, all of them determined to walk the gorge. Visits are allowed between May and October, but in July and August the tourists are so many that it is impossible to be alone even for a minute. On the other hand, if you can come between May and early June, or between the middle of September and the end of October, you will certainly enjoy it a lot more.
A good time to visit the gorge (in fact, a time before it is officially opened to the public) is the first weekend of April, when a two-day festival is held in Samaria in honour of Osia Maria. The liturgy in the small Byzantine church is chanted by father Giorgis Chiotakis of Sfakia, an amazing priest who likes a good feast as much as anyone else and yet is a truly holy man.
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