Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
church has a sixth-century Byzantine mosaic as the foundation, although most of it is
in Haniá's archeological museum - but there are a couple of fabulous walks: down the
beautiful
Ayía Iríni
Gorge
or a wonderful hour-long hike over to the nearby ancient site
of
Lissós
with temples and mosaics.
There are a number of good tavernas, cafés and a couple of minimarkets in the village;
the latter will exchange money.
GETTING AROUND
THE SOUTHWEST COAST
By bus
Haniá to: Frangokástello (1 daily; 2hr 30min), Hóra
Sfakíon (2 daily; 2hr), Paleóhora (4 daily 5am-4pm; 1hr
30min), Soúyia (2 daily 5am & 2pm; 2hr).
By boat
Hóra Sfakíon to: Loutró/Ayía Rouméli (3 daily
April-Oct; 15min/45min), Gávdhos (2-3 weekly; 3hr).
Ayía Rouméli to: Soúyia (2 daily April-Oct; 45min),
Paleóhora (1 daily May-Oct; 1hr 20min). Paleóhora to:
Elafoníssi (daily May-Oct), Soúyia (daily May-Oct; 30min).
Taxi boats
can be hired in Loutró and Hóra Sfakíon to take
you to local beaches and coves.
INFORMATION
Tourist o
ce
Paleóhora Pebble Beach, close to the ferry
harbour (June-Sept, Mon & Wed-Sun 10am-1pm &
6-9pm;
T
28230 41507) provides accommodation lists
and a useful map with listings.
7
Services
Notos Travel, Odhós Venizélou, Paleóhora (
T
28230
42110), can book ferry tickets. There are also plenty of other
travel agents along and around central Venizélos. There's a
post office on the road behind Sandy Beach.
ACCOMMODATION
91231,
W
agiaroumeli.gr.
Simple, airy rooms with a/c,
fridge, TV and balcony, most with sea view, and there's a
café
belo
w for coffee and breakfast (not included). April-
Oct.
€40
HÓRA SFAKÍON
Livikon
T
28250 91211,
W
sfakia-livikon.com.
Has
great views from the upper-floor rooms though some noise
from the tavernas below.
All
rooms are en suite with a/c,
balcony, sea view and TV.
€40
Stavris
T
28250 91220,
W
hotel-stavris-chora-sfakion
.com.
Plain but comfortable en-suite rooms with balcony,
some with side sea view. T
hey
also have smarter
apartments on the edge of town.
€35
Xenia
T
28250 91202,
W
xenia-crete.com.
Has the best
location in town with amazing views across the Libyan Sea.
This former state-owned hotel, now refurbished, has
en-suite rooms with a/c,
frid
ge, satellite TV and balcony
with sea view. April-Oct.
€50
PALEÓHORA
Anonymous
Homestay
Off Odhós Venizélos
T
28230
42098,
W
anonymoushomestay.gr.
Among the least
expensive places in town, and something of a travellers'
meeting place, with simple, en-suite rooms around a
courtyard ga
rden
and a very friendly, far from anonymous,
atmosphere.
€25
Camping Paleohora
1km north of Pebble Beach
T
28230 41120.
Set in a large olive grove with plenty of
shade and decent facilities, next to a rather desolate stretch
of beach. Opposite is the Paleochora Club (see p.505);
although indoors and soundproofed, some noise from late-
nigh
t rev
ellers is inevitable when the club is open. May-
Oct.
€16
Ì
Castello
Overlooking the southern end of Sandy
Beach
T
28230 41143.
Exceptionally friendly place, most
of whose simple rooms have balconies overlooking the
beach; otherwise enjoy the view from the excellent café.
The alleys behind here, beneath th
e ca
stle, have many
more simple rooms places. April-Oct.
€30
Sandy Beach
Seafront at the southern end of Sandy
Beach
T
28230 42138.
The town's chicest hotel option,
right opposite the beach, its a/c balcony rooms
equ
ipped
with fridge, TV and sea view. Breakfast included.
€55
Scorpios
North end of Pebble Beach
T
28230 41058,
W
scorpios-rooms.gr.
Comfortable rooms, most with sea
views, and quieter than most thanks to a positio
n ne
ar the
end of the beach. Breakfast included. April-Oct.
€50
LOUTRÓ
Blue House
T
28250 91127,
W
bluehouse.loutro.gr.
Simple, yet comfortable, sea-front en-suite rooms with
balcony and a wonderful (slightly pricier)
to
p-loor
extension as well as a great taverna. April-Oct.
€45
Nikolas
T
28250 91352.
Thanks to its position right at
the eastern end of the seafront, the simple rooms with a/c
are probably the quietest you'll i
nd
in Loutró, some with
balcony and sea view. April-Oct.
€40
Porto Loutro
T
28250 91433,
W
hotelportoloutro
.com.
The only place with any pretensions at all, whose
comfortable rooms with a/c and balcony spread across
several attractive cubist white buildings by the beach (and
mor
e roo
ms by the ferry dock). Breakfast included. April-
Oct.
€60
AYÍA ROUMÉLI
Hotel Kalypso
Western end of the village
T
28250
