ibyan Sea embraces the southern part of the Prefecture of Chania. As in whole Crete, this is the most deserted and exotic part of the Prefecture. Endless kilometers of fine sandy or rocky beaches, magnificent rock formations, forgotten places, chapels and castles in the sea, picturesque fishing villages, silent remains of the past; all these consist the character of the southern part.
Beyond the classical touristic aspect of the vacation the southern part will give you the opportunity to enjoy a completely different off the beaten track voyage to the lost paradise. Places like Paleochora, Sougia, Ayia Roumeli, Loutro, Chora Sfakion and Frangokastello will give another sense to your trip.The southern part of the Prefecture of Chania is the ultimate challenge for any demanding traveller. Come to your personal discovery experience!

aleochora is the southernmost town in the Prefecture of Chania, on the Libyan Sea. It has a population of 1,500, most of them former residents of Sfakia or Gavdos. The little town is built across the base of a peninsula, its harbour on one side, the sand on the other. Above, on the outcrop, Venetian ramparts stand sentinel. The Venetian Castelo Selino which was built in 1282, gave its name to the whole district. On the outside, the castle is quite well preserved. Paleochora has numerous churches and the ruins of buildings from both ancient and Roman times. On both sides of the peninsula there are excellent beaches, with fine sand and stands of tamarisks. The fine climate, the long spells of sunshine and the high temperature of the sea make this spot ideal for winter swimmers.

		he western beach, with fine sand and plenty of shady trees, is marginally better. It is 2 km long. There are more sandy coves to be found along the road to Yialos, at a distance of 7 km. The beach on the eastern side of the peninsula has no fresh water; there are pebbles and it is less busy. Still further to the east are more little coves with sand and pebbles. These days Paleochora has become heavily developed, but it's still thoroughly enjoyable.

here are regular caique sailings from Paleochora to Sougia. The village stands on the site of ancient Syis, which was the port for ancient Elyros. No trace of this port has remained, however, as the level of the sea has risen. There are some remains of walls, tombs, altars and an aqueduct. An Early Christian basilica with coloured 6th century mosaics has also been discovered, and there are churches with 13th century wall-paintings. Today, Sougia is a quiet, pretty village with an excellent sandy beach, 1.5 km in length, where the swimming is very good.

		fter the exit of the spectacular Samaria Gorge we arrive in Ayia Roumeli, just an ideal epilogue to a long walk; there is an excellent beach with coarse sand, black pebbles and a clear blue sea. Ayia Roumeli is a modern settlement, built on the ruins of the ancient city of Tarra.
This was a small but independent city, which issued its own coins showing the head of a Cretan wild goat on one side and a bee on the other. It is said that Tarento in southern Italy was colonised from here.

religious centre, Tarra had many temples to Apollo. It flourished during the Roman period, as witnessed by the numerous tombs and considerable amounts of jewellery found here. When the Romans discovered that the city had a temple to Britomartis, protector of flocks, they rededicated it to Romelia, their equivalent goddess.
When Christianity arrived it adopted the goddess and turned her into St Roumeli. Communications between Ayia Roumeli and the rest of Crete take the form of little boats.

		n the next bay, is the little village of Loutro, a pretty settlement on a tiny beach between steep cliffs. It stands on the site of the ancient city of Phoinica, and got its name from the baths which supplied water to Anopolis. A narrow strip of land and a small island protect the village from the stormy weather.

hora Sfakion is the more usual terminus for walkers traversing the Samaria gorge, with a regular boat service along the coast to and from Ayia Roumeli. The village is quite beautiful with its houses, one above the other, arranged amphitheatrically, with a superb view out over the Libyan Sea. Gavdos can be seen in the distance. The landscape is wild, harsh and grand, dominated by the White Mountains. The whole area is crisscrossed by gorges, ravines,
difficult passes and wild mountain peaks. Even the beaches are hard to get to, and boats find it difficult to moor there.

		he name betrays this feature of the terrain; it comes from the word "sphax", which means "chasm in the earth"-the land of gorges, that is. Thanks to this position and to the bravery of its inhabitants, Sfakia was never conquered by the Turks and always played a leading role in the fight for Cretan independence. The wildness of the terrain also caused the Sfakiots to turn their backs on the land and devote themselves to the sea.

uring Turkish rule, they were the only Cretans who carried out sea transport and trade-and piracy as well, an occupation in which even the Turks had to admire their prowess. The dense forests of the mountains which surrounded their home provided the wood for their ships. The wealth the Sfakiots accumulated in this manner can be seen in their mansions, some of which are well into their fourth century of life.
They are fine stone-built one or two-storey houses, with enclosed courtyards where the dominanat element is the outdoor oven, and small door and window openings. All these houses were burned and looted in the aftermath of the Daskaloyannis revolt of 1770 and again in 1821, on the outbreak of the war which eventually led to the independence of mainland Greece. he Sfakiots are much attached to their habits and customs. Even their speech retains many traces of its Doric origin. They are very pious and extremely hospitable; it is a social obligation to treat strangers, and any refusal to accept will be taken as an insult. A walk around the cobbled streets will reveal the daily life of these people, unaltered down so many centuries. In the multi-coloured throngs of summer visitors, the traditional costumes of the Sfakiots and their proud deportment still stand out. They stand like ancient kouroi, bringing other memories to mind and making the thoughtful visitor wonder whether and for how long they will be able to resist the "bad" elements of the so-called civilisation.

rangokastello stands on a large bare plain. Its Venetian fortress has survived in excellent condition. It is square in plan, with a tower at each corner. Over the gate is the lion of St Mark, emblem of Venice, between the Quirini and Dolphin coronets. On the seaward side of the castle is the ruined chapel of St Charalambos.

The castle is associated in history with some of the fiercest battles fought by the people of Crete. It is also associated with a unique and unexplained phenomenon. On or about 18 May Old Style (6-7 June New Style), the shadows of men in black appear at dawn; they are armed, wear helmets and carry swords.
They advance from the chapel of St Charalambos, on foot or on horseback, towards the castle and are visible for about 10 minutes. If approached, they retreat and disappear into the sea. The locals call them "Drosoulites" (dewy ones). They believe that the shadows are the ghosts of the Epirot soldiers of Hadzimichalis Dalianis and of the Cretans who fought with them, a force which was wiped out defending Frangokastello in May 1828 against a Turkish army which was far superior in numbers. ome have attributed the phenomenon to a mirage, claiming that the figures are actually a reflection of soldiers existing in Libya, but it is strange that the same phenomenon should be visible on the same date each year, thus implying that the atmospheric conditions are similar. One wonders why modern science has so far failed to explain it. The place itself is very peaceful, with a superb beach and numbers of tavernas and rooms.

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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