Askyfou Crete

Askyfou, Crete: Mountain charm and great nature, in a historic, scenic
plateau.

Askyfou, Crete, is not a village by itself, but a community of four
small villages: Ammoudari, Kares, Goni and Petres. Askyfou is located about 50
km southeast of Chania city and is part of the Sfakia region.

Among the
villages that constitute the community of Askyfou,
Crete, the most organized for travellers is the
village of Ammoudari. In Ammoudari you can find some traditional local taverns
and rooms for rent. Generally, Askyfou does not have many amenities for
travellers,
but that is part of its wild beauty.

You can get
to Askyfou from Chania city, either by car, or by the efficient local bus
service. Characteristic of the community is the great church of the two Sfakian
Saints, Manolis and Ioannis.

Askyfou, Crete – a place with a unique mountain charm

Askyfou took
its name from the ancient Greek word “skifos”, which means cup. The name comes
from the homonymous plateau, where the community of Askyfou, Crete is located,
which has a cup-like shape, as it is surrounded by the high peaks of the Lefka
Ori, or White Mountains. Askyfou plateau is on an altitude of 750 m above sea
level.

Askyfou
plateau is ideal for stock farming. Hence, the main occupations of the locals
are raising sheep and goats, as Askyfou has also remained largely unaffected by
tourism. During the winter, the plateau is one of the few places in Crete that
are covered with snow. Askyfou is also known as the home of the largest cypress
forest in Crete.

One of the
most known natural monuments that is located in Askyfou plateau, is the Imbros
Gorge, second only in Crete to the great Samaria Gorge.

Imbros Gorge
starts its path at the village of Imbros, at the southern part of Askyfou
plateau, and ends at the village of Komitades, a village very close to the sea
of South Crete and near the village of Hora Sfakion.

Imbros Gorge
is 7 kilometers long, and is easy to walk through, as long as you descend
through the gorge from North to South, or from Imbros to Komitades, and not the
other way around. This is due to the high difference in altitude between the
two ends of the gorge: Imbros, on the south of Askyfou plateau, has an altitude
of 700 m, while Komitades is almost at sea level. You can walk through the
gorge in about 2-3 hours, but, as is true for all walks in Crete, you should always
have enough water with you and avoid the hot midday summer hours.

Askyfou, Crete – a remote but historic location

Askyfou
plateau, in older historical periods, was isolated, in relation to the big
cities in the north coast of West Crete. However, it was always a strategic
location that connected the north to the south coast of West Crete.

If we add to
the above the strong free wit of the locals, it is no surprise that Askyfou,
Crete has been a place of continuous revolutions and fights between the locals
and foreign powers that wanted to occupy the island.

The
Venetians, the Ottomans, the Egyptians, and in recent history the Nazi German
troops have all engaged in heavy fights with the local population.
Characteristic is the fact that here in Askyfou, was the place where, for the
first time in Crete, the Greeks won the fight against the more powerful Ottoman
occupation troops in 1821, the year of the Greek Revolution. Today, you can
find scattered in the whole area of Askyfou, Crete, several monuments in
remembrance of fierce fights that have taken place here.

Askyfou is
a traditional community and a plateau with certain qualities that set it apart
from other popular destinations in Crete. The unique natural environment, which
includes the nearby Imbros Gorge, and the interesting mentality of the local
population, make Askyfou, Crete, an
excellent location to visit, if you want to experience that other side of Crete
and Cretan hospitality.

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