to return again and again.In Agia Roumeli and its surroundings you can relax, you can switch off the outside world. You almost forget it exists. Here you can watch all the stars, the galaxies. The natural geographical position of Agia Roumeli aids this tranquil sensation. Here you also find the point where the Samaria gorge ends. Many people pass through our village every summer and the majority even forget its name. Agia Roumeli lies in the shadow of this great gorge!
Every person who has made the long walk through the gorge of Samaria knows that this spectacular experience in nature combined with sore feet and exhaustion are a little too much for them.Agia Roumeli becomes merely a place where you get some refreshments. Here you wait for the ferryboat to take you back to a tour bus which will bring you to your departure point. But Agia Roumeli is so much more than this!!
Once the last boat has left, the village becomes again a restful, calm community between wild mountains and the deep, blue sea.
Agia Roumeli has no nightlife, no cinemas and no entertainment. However anyone who can relate to nature can find plenty to do besides enjoying the almost deserted beaches.
More Information about Samaria gorge
The gorge of Samaria is the second most popular tourist attraction in Crete (after the Minoan palace of Knossos) and by far the most popular walk. More than a quarter million people walk through the gorge every year from beginning of May to the end of October. In the winter the gorge (located in the National Park of Samaria) is closed to visitors because of the danger posed by water and falling stones.
The reason for the popularity of Samaria may be that it is said to be the longest gorge in Europe, it may also simply be that it is an area of stunning natural beauty, passing through forests of ancient cypresses and pines, then cutting very deep between vertical cliffs through the mountains to emerge at Agia Roumeli by the Libyan sea in the South of Crete
Do not be misled by the fact that so many people walk through the Samaria gorge and think that it is just an easy stroll: the gorge is 16 km long (not 18 as is mentioned in most sources) and the path, although it is maintained and in good condition by Cretan standards, is always stony and also steep at times. If you never walk or take any type of exercise you may find it all pretty heavy going and you will certainly feel your legs for days afterwards. The walk through the gorge from Xyloskala at an altitude of 1250 meters down to Agia Roumeli will take you anything from 3 to 5 hours of walking time (excluding the breaks).For more details about the Samaria walk and how best to do it check The gorge of Samaria
Finally, if you are attracted by the idea of walking through this beautiful gorge but put off by the crowds there is a way around it: 99% of the people walking through the gorge of Samaria do so in the morning. If you start in the middle of the day and, walking at a leisurely pace get to Agia Roumeli in the evening you will meet only a handful of people. You can spend the night in Agia Roumeli and if you wish, return to your "base" the following day. In the summer months this will also help you avoid walking the last two kilometres which are without shade in the blazing sun. All in all and if you don't have to rely on organized tours to take you through the gorge it will be a far more fulfilling experience than walking with the masses
Agia Roumeli has no nightlife, no cinemas and no entertainment. However anyone who can relate to nature can find plenty to do besides enjoying the almost deserted beaches.
More Information about Samaria gorge
The gorge of Samaria is the second most popular tourist attraction in Crete (after the Minoan palace of Knossos) and by far the most popular walk. More than a quarter million people walk through the gorge every year from beginning of May to the end of October. In the winter the gorge (located in the National Park of Samaria) is closed to visitors because of the danger posed by water and falling stones.
The reason for the popularity of Samaria may be that it is said to be the longest gorge in Europe, it may also simply be that it is an area of stunning natural beauty, passing through forests of ancient cypresses and pines, then cutting very deep between vertical cliffs through the mountains to emerge at Agia Roumeli by the Libyan sea in the South of Crete
Do not be misled by the fact that so many people walk through the Samaria gorge and think that it is just an easy stroll: the gorge is 16 km long (not 18 as is mentioned in most sources) and the path, although it is maintained and in good condition by Cretan standards, is always stony and also steep at times. If you never walk or take any type of exercise you may find it all pretty heavy going and you will certainly feel your legs for days afterwards. The walk through the gorge from Xyloskala at an altitude of 1250 meters down to Agia Roumeli will take you anything from 3 to 5 hours of walking time (excluding the breaks).For more details about the Samaria walk and how best to do it check The gorge of Samaria
Finally, if you are attracted by the idea of walking through this beautiful gorge but put off by the crowds there is a way around it: 99% of the people walking through the gorge of Samaria do so in the morning. If you start in the middle of the day and, walking at a leisurely pace get to Agia Roumeli in the evening you will meet only a handful of people. You can spend the night in Agia Roumeli and if you wish, return to your "base" the following day. In the summer months this will also help you avoid walking the last two kilometres which are without shade in the blazing sun. All in all and if you don't have to rely on organized tours to take you through the gorge it will be a far more fulfilling experience than walking with the masses