Fun-tastic Elafonisi from Chania!
May, June, October: every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
July, August, September: daily
Duration: 9 hours
Elafonisi Beach
Elafonisi is located 76km west of Chania in the southwestern most point of Crete. Elafonisi is an oblong, which often”breaks” in two parts by water giving the impression of being a separate island and a “Natura 2000” protected area. The island is full of dunes with sand lilies and junipers (like-cedar trees). The endangered turtles Caretta-Caretta and several rare animals nest on the island and it is strictly forbidden to remove any plants, animals from the area. Exotic beach with white sand and turquoise waters, reminding of the Caribbean, are formed on either sides of the peninsula. The sand is pinkish in many places, taking its color from thousands of broken shells.
Near the “breaking” point of the peninsula, the water does not exceed 1m, creating a small lagoon, ideal for children. You can easily cross the lagoon in order to reach the “island”, having your stuff with you, because the water is very shallow there. The eastern side of the beach, in front of the lagoon, is well organized and has the most people. There are umbrellas, showers, lifeguards, snack bars and changing rooms. TripAdvisor website has rated Elafonisi as the 11th Best Beach in the world for 2018.
The Cave of St. Sophia
Built at a height of 80m from the main road that crosses the Topolia Gorge, this church is rich in history and traditions that date back to the battles of Cretans against their conquerors (the Venetians and Turks). Cretan soldiers, who had fought at the siege of Constantinople, carried the icon of Saint Sophia on their way back to Crete. The icon was found wedged inside a rock inside the cave. It is 10m wide and 20m high. Magnificent stalactites, stalagmites and pillars cover the largest part of its surface. Neolithic shells and a previously unknown species of insect that was named Spermophora Topolia were discovered in this cave.
Indicative Time-Table:
08:00-09:20: Pick-Up
09:45: First Stop at St. Sophia Cave
10:15: Departure from the Cave
11:15: Arrival at Elafonissi
15:15: Departure from Elafonissi
Possible stop at Local Village (Optional Lunch)
17:00-18:00: Arrival at your hotel
Remember to bring‼️ Sun Cream (a lot!), Sunglasses and Hat, Long-Sleeved Shirt for Sensitive skin, Swim Suit and a Beach Towel!
Important Notes
- Mandatory use of face covering before boarding on bus
- Pick-up from Kalyves area requires a minimum number of 4 adults with an extra charge of 6.00€ per person.
- Rubbish disposal and taking seashells from the Beach is strictly prohibited
- The travel agency reserves the right to alter or cancel any tour due to adverse weather conditions or insufficient passengers number or force majeure 12 hours prior to departure time with a notification to the traveler
- Please arrive on time to the given pick-up point. Unfortunately, there is no option to wait for latecomers. In case of delay, missed pick-up, missed departure time, no refunds.
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