What to expect
Varied Walking Programme
Five fully guided walks included
Traditional Greek Tavernas
Enjoy meals in local Greek tavernas with the group
Seafront Hotel
Stay at the family-run Sunny Bay Hotel
About this trip...
What's included?
Airport Transfers
Twin/double room for single use with private facilities
Solos Board; Breakfast daily, 4 lunches, 3 taverna dinners
Welcome drink and information meeting
5 guided walks
Accompanying Solo's Tour Leader
Passports and visas
- International flights are not included
- Travel insurance
- Tips & drinks
- Meals not included in the itinerary
- Activities not included in the itinerary
- Climate Crisis Resilience Tax – €5 per night, payable locally
Itinerary
- Arrive Crete
- Polyrinnia & Kastelli
- Villages & Hillsides
- Crete West coast
- Day at leisure
- Ravdouha
- Sirikari to Polyrinnia
- Depart Crete
What you'll be doing
Day One: Arrive Crete
- Dinner Included
Day Two: History & Discovery
- Breakfast and Lunch Included
Day Three: Traditions & Views
Today our walk encompasses wonderful scenery as well as a real insight into traditional Cretan life. We begin with an informative tour around a typical village house where a Cretan welcome awaits, and hear tales of Cretan past and present. Passing from the small hamlet with its abundance of trees – walnut, orange, lemon, cherry and olive, we follow a path through the mountainous countryside with amazing mountain and sea views, up to the traditional village of Milia, continuing through the beautiful hillsides to appreciate fantastic views. Walking Distance - Approx 9km
- Breakfast and Lunch Included
Day Four: West Crete
Our walk today encompasses beautiful scenery over to the far west coast of Crete. Our route takes us through a pretty village, olive groves, along a path with stunning sea views which overlook the west coast of Crete. We end up at the stunning sandy beach of Falassarna. Here, we have time to swim in the crystal-clear ocean. Walking Distance - Approx 6 km
- Breakfast and Dinner Included
Day Five: Day at leisure
Today can be spent at leisure to rest at the hotel or take an excursion such as the Gramvousa Boat Trip. This is a full day excursion to the island where you can see the ruins of an ancient fortress and swim in the crystal-clear waters of the wonderful lagoon of Balos. Approx €38
- Breakfast Included
Day Six: Ravdouha
Today we take the main road leading from Ravdoucha to the beach, where we meet the Byzantine church of Agia Marina. This location has a unique sea view, and the temple is built in the rock recess. The church has a frescoed wall painting. As in many chapels on the Rhodopes peninsula, we also see inscriptions from the various travellers of the time. We follow a coastal path to the villages of Ravdoucha and Nopigia. We pass remote pebble beaches, such as the creeks of Choni and the quay of the Dark. Also on the path is the restored Byzantine church of St. Basil. We finish with a delicious Cretan lunch at the village taverna. Walking Distance - Approx 8 km
- Breakfast and Lunch Included
Day Seven: Sirikari Gorge to Polyrinnia Trail
Our final walk is along the spectacular gorges from Sirikari to Polyrinnia. This stunning walk will certainly not disappoint and takes in fantastic views. You may even spot Griffon vultures circling overhead. A beautiful way to finish our week of Cretan walking. In the evening, we meet for our final evening dinner together. Walking Distance - 7 km approx.
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day Eight: Depart Crete
Check-out and transfer to the airport for our onward flight.
- Breakfast Included
Accommodation
Three-star Sunny Bay Hotel
Facilities include
Room includes
Dates & Prices
Essential Information
- Walking boots with good ankle support
- Waterproofs – jacket and trousers
- Walking poles – recommended as they provide good support for the knees, particularly on downhill sections of walks and when conditions are wet/slippery
- Lightweight trousers and shorts with pockets
- Shirts or t-shirts for walking in
- Walking socks – several pairs
- Lightweight fleece or jumper
- Hat & gloves
- Daysack/rucksack for walking
- Umbrella – it can be used also for protection from the sun as well as rain
- Lightweight drinking bottle to carry water whilst walking
- Small first aid kit – plasters, insect repellant, etc
- Good, high factor sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses – the sun’s strength is often multiplied in mountainous areas.
We recommend that you check passport and visa requirements for the country you are visiting at the State Department if you have a U.S. Passport. Most countries require that your passport have at least six months validity when traveling internationally, and many require that you have one to two blank visa pages for either an entry stamp or visa. As a general rule, please check that your passport has six months validity beyond your planned trip, and if not, please renew your passport with plenty of time to provide Solos with your updated passport information by the final payment due date.
We recommend that you check if vaccinations are required for your destination at the CDC’s recommendations for your visited destination(s). We also recommend you purchase travel protection. A travel protection plan can often assist with medical emergencies and reimburse costs that are covered by the plan. Please verify coverage details with Solos before you travel.
- Gramvousa Boat Trip A full day excursion to this island where you can see the ruins of an ancient fortress and swim in the crystal clear waters of the wonderful lagoon of Balos. Lunch is not included in the price, but food is available on the boat. Approximate cost: €38.00
- Chania You can visit this beautiful Venetian harbour town that has excellent restaurants, shops and a great atmosphere by the local regular bus service. The journey takes approx. 1 hour. Approximate cost: €10.00 per return bus ticket
- Walk the Samaria Gorge (Easy to Medium Walking Week) Approximate cost: €65.00
