WEATHER

Anogeia

Light Showers
11°C
Wind: 15 Southwest

Rethymno

16°C
Wind: 27 West

Spili

14°C
Wind: 06 West

Fragma Potamon

17°C
Wind: 13 West

courtesy of: www.meteo.gr

The Routes of the E4 European Path in Crete and the Prefecture of Rethymno

In Crete, the path begins its way at Kastelli of Kissamos in the Prefecture of Chania and ends up at Zakros in the Prefecture of Lasithi. The oldest and most experienced mountaineers of Crete have cooperated in order to choose the regions crossed by this path. Therefore, it is guaranteed that everyone, who walks this route, gets to know the most beautiful and interesting mountaineering landscapes and unexplored Cretan nature, since it passes by old paths, villages, monasteries and Crete's high mountains.

In the route that lies furthest in the south of Greece, the E4 crosses Crete, beginning at Elafonisi, on the west coast, and ending up at Kato Zakros, on the east coast, Kato Zakros. In this route, the path often branches off, so that hikers have the chance to choose among routes of variable natural and cultural beauty. Walking at a fast pace, it takes about 15 days to cross Crete following the E4.

In the prefecture of Rethymno, the E4 path also comprises two branches, the northern one and the southern one. The northern branch comes into the administrative borders of the prefecture from the region of Argiroupoli village and the northern one from the region of Rodakino. The two branches meet at the plateau of Nida on the mountainous mass of Psiloreitis and, from there, the path goes on to the administrative borders of the prefecture of Iraklio.

The two branches in the prefecture of Rethymno cross areas of great natural beauty and lands of important geological, archaeological, historical and, generally, cultural value. They also offer the chance to go hiking in the mountains of Krioneritis, Kedros and Psiloreitis. The southern branch is recommended to hikers in good form and to those whose interests focus on the byzantine era. The northern branch is recommended to hikers that are more interested in the Venetian occupation and modern culture.

The routes that the Path follows in Crete and, particularly in the Prefecture of Rethymno, are the following 14:

  1. Kallikratis - Argiroupoli
  2. Argiroupoli - Agkouseliana
  3. Agkouseliana - Spili
  4. Spili - Gerakari
  5. Gerakari - Aplitra (Toumpotos Prinos Shelter)
  6. Toumpotos Prinos Shelter (Hellenic Mountaineering Association of Rethymno) - Plateau of Nida
  7. Fragkokastelo - Kato Rodakino
  8. Rodakino - Agios Konstantinos
  9. Agios Konstantinos - Armenoi
  10. Armenoi - Arkadi
  11. Arkadi - Garazo
  12. Garazo - Anogeia
  13. Anogeia - Zominthos - Nida
  14. Nida - Rouvas - Zaro