he northern part of the Prefecture is heavy developed and there you can find everything concerning tourist facilities. This part of the Prefecture despite its relative small area has an enormous variety of landscapes. Here you can find countless beautiful sandy beaches, unbelievable rock formations, imposing mountainous landscapes and a unique flora and fauna.

n the other hand the ultramodern hotel units stand not far away from the colourful villages with their old-fashioned architecture, the silent remains of the past, and the ritual Byzantine monasteries. The coastal northern part of the Prefecture as in the rest of the other three Cretan Prefectures is a vast beach. Here you can swim in the crystal clear Aegean waters in beaches like Glaros, Kalamaki, Stalos, Ayia Marina, Platanias, Kolymbari, Kalyves, Almyrida, and Georgioupoli.
But also the historical sights, the charming atmosphere of the villages, and the wild nature are of special interest. You can visit for example villages like Therisso, Vamos, or Vrisses, or to see the only lake in Crete the Lake Kourna .

		f special interest is also the peninsular area of Akrotiri (Cape). This peninsula is extended in the Aegean Sea and with the rest of the Cretan land forms the largest natural harbour in Greece and one of Europe's largest, the Suda Bay. In this place you can discover beautiful villages, colourful landscapes ,interesting sites, and beautiful beaches like Stavros. Here one can visit the famous monasteries of the "Holy Trinity" or the"Gouverneto" Monastery, or to pay a visit in the picturesque villages like Mouzouras.
Undoubtely the northern part of the Prefecture has to offer a lot of things even to the most demanding visitor.

yia Marina is situated in a small distance west of Chania. Before we arrive in Ayia Marina we pass the superb beaches of Glaros, Kalamaki, and Stalos, which with Ayia Marina form a vast beach in reality. These particularly attractive beaches have helped
the area to develop, in recent years, into a modern tourist resort with large hotel units and complexes. Ayia Marina itself has a magnificent sandy beach very well organised. Close to the shore of Ayia Marina is the islet of Thodorou. This is a National Park (landing is forbidden) where the Cretan ibex is bred.

		ccording to the ancient Greek myths, an enormous sea monster with its newborn offspring was swimming towards Crete when the sea-god Poseidon turned it into a rock to prevent it from swallowing up the whole island. The islet was important in history, too: this was the first heroic act of self-immolation in Cretan history, two hundred years before the Arkadi monastery.

This small islet was the the very first point to be attacked by the Turks in 1645. The Venetian commander of the islet with 70 men, was forced to blow up it up, taking with him many Turkish troops. Immediately after Ayia Marina is the tourist resort of Platanias. Platanias is situated on a little hill with a panoramic view. The sandy beach is 3 km long and 39 metres broad.

		eorgioupoli is 39 km east of Chania. This is a coastal village on the Armyros plain. It used to be called Almyros or Armyroupoli, but was renamed in honour of Prince George, High Commissioner of Crete. The river Armyros, which rises in Lake Kournas, flows into the sea here. There is an enormous square with tall eucalyptus trees.

he village has an exceptional good beach, 9 km long with fine white sand, which is completely protected from the northwest winds. Thanks to its beach, Georgioupoli has recently developed into an important holiday resort. From Georgioupoli worths a visit to Lake Kourna. We cross the main road across a bridge and, after 6 km, a track leads to the lake and the village of the same name.

		ake Kourna, the only lake in Crete, covers a total area of some 15 acres. The landscape around the lake is wonderful. There is a dense vegetation, with bushes, reeds and brambles. The south eastern bank is covered with olive trees. Beside the lake here there is a strip of white sand where a café serves "tsikoudia" and coffee and where a swim in the lake can be enjoyed.
To the south of the lake, is the Kourna cave. This cave, discovered in 1961, has richly decorative stalactites and stalagmites and natural pillars. There are labyrinthine passages on a number of levels. We can now climb to the village of Kourna. From the highest point of the road, the view of the lake is magical. The colour of the water can be seen changing from light green to dark blue, with the wild mountains all around reflected in the calm surface of the lake. The village itself is very picturesque.

outh of Chania in the interior after gorges and a densely vegetated plain we arrive in the historical village of Therisso. The village stands among the foothills of the White Mountains, at an altitude of 500 metres. Walks are organised to the highest peak of the White Mountains, Pachnes, at a height of 2,452 metres. Standing as it does in a strong position on the foothills of the White Mountains, Therisso was able to take part in all the struggles of the Cretans for freedom.
Under Turkish rule, the local inhabitants were in an almost constant state of revolt and some fierce battles took place.

		he village acquired its greatest historical importance during the period of Cretan autonomy, with the revolt of Eleftherios Venizelos against the appointment by the Great Powers of Prince George as High Commisssioner. In 1905, Eleftherios Venizelos gathered his supporters there and proclaimed the outbreak of a revolution against the regime of Prince George, forcing him to resign and preparing the way for the union of Crete with the rest of Greece.
In the village, one can see the "Headquarters", that is, the house which was used by Venizelos. The village itself is very picturesque and the landscape around of wild beauty.

fter 30 km in the direction south-east from Chania we arrive in the chief town of the Eparchy of Apokoronos, Vamos. The town takes its name from the Arabic "vamos" meaning pass or crossing. Today, it is a quaint village with traditional houses, steeply-raked tree-lined streets and shady squares with enormous plane trees.
There are numerous Byzantine churches, including one to the Dormition of St. George. Every August, the local Cultural Association organises a kind of mini-festival.

		n a distance of 33 km south-west of Chania we find Vrysses. This village stands on the banks of the River Vrysanos, a shady place of plane trees and running water. To the east of the village to the road to Rethymno, there is a Greco-Roman bridge over the Vrysanos river. The village is very beautiful and worths a visit.

fter Vrysses in direction south we arrive in Askyfou plateau. The landscape here is very imposing and beautiful. This large cultivated area is surrounded by three high peaks, and it is believed that it was once a lake. Even today water gothers there in the winter and slowly drains away to the north. The fields are very fertile and potatoes, grapes and fruit are grown. Shortly before we leave the plateau, we pass through the attractive and historic village of Askyfou.

Photos and text taken from "Crete - today and yesterday" and "Crete - A tour of all the towns and villages" (Toubis Editions)

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