15 Chora Sfakion – Fragkokastelo

The charming coastal village of Chora Sfakion, in the regional unit of Chania in southern Crete, and capital of Sfakia, is a popular holiday destination for visitors all around the world. A remote and wild area, with a long history, most notably as a centre for the resistance forces against the Ottoman Occupation, it flourished during the Venetian period due to its harbour and active trading routes. Nowadays, most visitors come to Hora Sfakion long enough to board a ferry boat or bus back to the north side of the island.

Located at the exit of Imbros gorge, it can be reached on foot following the E4 route from Askifou to Komitades through the gorge to the north.

Hikers from Samaria gorge, (port of Agia Roumeli) also arrive here for a short day of exploration before catching a bus back to Chania or Rethymnon. If you chose to stay for longer, you can spend the day relaxing in the quiet bays, dining in fish tavernas by the water and exploring the Venetian castle. Other ferry routes can take you to nearby Loutro as well as the island of Gavdos, a place of exile and the southernmost Greek island. The path to Frangokastello follows the coastline east, through the villages of Komitades and Vouvas and is about 14 km in length through dirt and paved roads.

The E4 route from Chora Sfakion to Frangokastello

From Chora Sfakion (1), we follow the paved road eastwards. After about 3 km there is a right turn-off (2), on which we continue to the village of Komitades (3). The outlet of the Imbros gorge (4) is at the eastern exit of the village. Next, we encounter the villages Vraskas (5) and Vouvas (6) with its small white church of Agia Paraskevi. After Vouvas we come to Nomikiana (7) and the small settlement of Agios Nektarios (8).

Then, the paved road begins to descend slightly towards the plain, at the entrance of which the road splits; the left branch leads to the village of Patsianos, and the right one, which we follow for approximately 3 km, leads to the fortress of Frangokastello (10).