2016
ANEKORAMA |
189
4
5
The soil, the sky, grey
stones, and turquoise
waters – all indicate
that this land is
rebellious.
best and most difficult part of the route
starts from Imbro, next to wild mountains
and deep gorges, before it descends the
barren slope, with the vast Libyan Sea in
the horizon, and Chora Sfakia just a dis-
tant white dot.
STAY HERE
Families gather in Paleochora and Fran-
gokastello, whereas trekkers, mountain
climbers, and unconventional travelers
go to Samaria, Askifou, and Anopoli. Her-
mits, who love seclusion, meet in new age
Sougia, Loutro, and Agia Roumeli.
Chora – Frangokastello
The soil, the sky, grey stones, and tur-
quoise waters – all indicate that this land
is wild and rebellious. It’s not by accident
that 13 out of, totally, 27 Cretan revolu-
tions erupted in places where people
descending from Sfakia ruled.
Hospitable Chora Sfakia is quiet; it has
conquered its old passions, it still main-
tains its unaffected charm, and it’s ideal
for low key vacations, or as a base for daily
trips in the surrounding area – the boats
to Gavdos, Loutro, Sougia and Paleocho-
ra leave from here. Roam its alleys and
admire some very old Byzantine chur-
ches and a few mansions that resisted
the disorderly construction of the 70’s.
Visit the ruins of the Venetian castle in
Kastelli, which is “haunted” by the myth
of Goldilocks – the Frank Commander
of the area fell in love with the beautiful,
young, blond girl, and tried to kiss her, She
slapped him, and he cut one of her braids
with his sword. The people of Sfakia re-
volted to avenge this insult.
The beach in the small port is suitable
for swimming, but the beach at the west
exit from Chora is more popular. The
neighboring beaches Agiou Charalam-
bous and Sfakiano Ammoudi are deep
and rocky, with small coves. Explore the
nearby caves – the most impressive one
hides a small beach, which is a refuge
of seals, while another cave “accommo-
Χτισµένο πάνω στην αρχαία
πόλη «Αραδήν», το οµώνυµο
χωριό πιστεύεται πως ιδρύθηκε
από Φοίνικες αποίκους. Μέχρι
να κατασκευαστεί η γέφυρα, το
1986, όποιος ήθελε να πάει στην
Αράδαινα ή στον Άη Γιάννη (από
όπου και κατάγεται η οικογένεια
Βαρδινογιάννη), έπρεπε να κατέβει
από ένα φιδωτό καλντερίµι µέχρι
το βάθος του φαραγγιού και να
ανέβει από την άλλη πλευρά – για
τους πιο τολµηρούς, υπήρχε µια
υποτυπώδης γέφυρα από σχοινιά.
Με τα χρόνια και τις κρητικές
βεντέτες, ο τόπος ερήµωσε. Σήµερα
είναι ένα χωριό-φάντασµα, που
προκαλεί δέος στον επισκέπτη.
ΑΡΑ∆ΑΙΝΑ,
TO XΩΡΙΟ-ΦΑΝΤΑΣΜΑ
INCREDIBLECRETE.GR, FLICKR/SPYROS PAPASPYROPOULOS,
NICOLAS NOVA FLICKR, MIRES46.BLOGSPOT.GR
