ARHANES
Arhanes village north of Herakleion (Crete’s capital) has been occupied by residents since the Minoan era. The terrain and customs remain almost the same from the ancient days. After a welcome raki toast, we walk to Fourni, an ancient Minoan cemetery.

ARHANES
We tour Knossos, the most famous of all the Minoan palaces, as well as the Archaeology Museum in Herakleion with its exquisite Minoan frescos. In the afternoon we cycle a rolling hills loop that takes in the museum to Nikos Kazantzakis, author of Zorba the Greek, and Greece’s most famous novelist. 45 km, 28 miles

ZAROS
Our ride from Arhanes 1245 feet (380 meters) ascends 1215 feet (370 meters) to the cheerful mountain village of Zaros 2460 feet high (750 meters). The town is known for its bottled mineral water, fresh trout the E4 European hiking path. To build an appetite before dinner we take a hike into a gorge. 47 km, 29 miles

AGIA GALINI
The sea beckons! Today we coast down to the seacoast, first stopping at the Minoan ruins at Phaestos. The mysterious and still undeciphered Phaestos disc, dated 1700 BC, is the earliest printed document in the world. We arrive to our hotel with enough time to take an afternoon dip in the sea. 40 km, 25 miles

RETHYMNO
Our cycling takes us deep into the mountainous countryside, culminating in the village of Spili, 1358 feet high (414 meters), a lovely town of cobblestone streets and verdant shade trees. The pride of the town is a white stone Venetian fountain with mountain spring water gushing from the mouths of 19 lion heads lined up in a row. The home cooked food in this region is exceptional, and equally good is the local organic wine. 55 km, 34 miles

RETHYMNO
The highlight of today’s ride is Melidoni Cave, a place honored in Cretan history as the site where the Turks massacred 340 men, women and children who took refuge inside it, besieged for 3 months. On return a stop at Panormou, a pretty seaside town. On return we visit the Fortezza, the old Venetian fort dominating the city’s coastline. 60 km, 37 miles.

HANIA
The first 24 km are flat hugging the sea coast, then we ascend 6 km to Vamos, a small village about 850 feet high before descending back to the sea. The goal is to reach Hania soon to spend the whole day in this enchanting city. Architectural vestiges of the prior conquerors, Venetians and Turks, color the city, from the Mosque of the Janissaries on the harbor to the 17th century Venetian homes lining colorful Zambeliou Street (the old Jewish Quarter). Hania is also a place to buy souvenirs, particularly jewellery or handcrafted Cretan knives. 60 km, 37 miles.

OMALOS or departures
8 Day participants can either cycle to Omalos in the afternoon (and take the van back to Chania) or depart the tour. 12 Day participants cycle to Omalos to reach the Samaria Gorge where we start the hiking portion of the tour for the next four days (luggage is delivered to our nightly accommodations). 37 km 23 miles one way, 74 km, 46 miles roundtrip. 2.45 hours to cycle up to Omalos, 1100 meters (3600 feet).

AGIA ROUMELI
A steep wooden staircase takes us to the beginning of the astounding Samaria Gorge, said to be Europe’s longest gorge. Wildlife, fresh water mountain springs, narrow cliff walls 3 meters (10 feet) wide and the abandoned Samaria village are a few of the marvels that make this 18 km (11 miles) ravine Crete’s most beloved hiking trail. We overnight in Agia Roumeli, a town accessible only by foot or boat.

SOUGHIA
Of the 200 Aesclepion healing sites in ancient Greece, only one was located in Crete, at Lissos, accessible only by foot or boat. Mosiacs still adorn the exposed temple site which also has a spring. Roman tombs of a later period are nearby. A lovely pebble beach stretches the length of Soughia village.

LOUTRO
We take a boat back to Agia Roumeli to hike the Libyan Sea coastal path eastward to Loutro, another town accessible only by boat or foot. At Agia Pavlos we stop to swim, jump off the big boulder into the sea, and inspect the old Byzantine church supposedly built to honor St. Paul’s shipwreck on this site.

departure
We hike up to Hora Sfakia to catch our bus to Chania and the airport. For those with an evening departure (such as an 8:00 pm flight from Crete), there is the possibility of hiking the Aradena Gorge.