Sougia Crete
Sougia, Crete: A small, tranquil village, with a long, magnificent beach and
excellent walking paths all around.
Sougia, Crete, is an ideal place to unwind. The village is located
about 70 kilometers south of Chania city.
The village
of Sougia, Crete, due to its
relative remoteness, has retained its authentic feeling of a South Crete
village, and is the perfect place for real relaxation. However, as it is also a
known destination – less known than Paleochora for example, but with loyal
visitors – it has efficient amenities
for travelers, like small taverns, cafés and bars. The nightlife of Sougia,
although interesting, is also slower and more cool than the summer frenzy in
the north part of Crete.
The road
from Chania city to Sougia, Crete, is relatively narrow and winding. However,
the one hour and a half route is very scenic: it passes through the Alikianos
plain, where there are lots of orange trees, ascends up on the mountains,
passes through Agia Irini village and the homonymous Agia Irini Gorge, and
finally descends through small traditional villages, full of oak trees and
olive groves, as it reaches Sougia.
You can also
get to Sougia, Crete, from Paleochora village, through a winding road that
passes through picturesque village like Temenia.
Finally, as
it is the case with most coastal villages in South Crete, you can get to
Sougia, Crete by boat from Paleochora, Hora Sfakion and Agia Roumeli.
Sougia, Crete – a village with a really large beach
The village
of Sougia, Crete, is built on the mouth of the scenic Agia Irini Gorge, one of
the finest gorges in Crete.
The central beach
in front of the village has small pebbles and is crystal clear. It is
relatively organized with sun beds and parasols.
Regarding
beaches, Sougia, Crete, is a natural paradise: with a total beach length of 1,5
kilometers, and many trees by the beach offering shade in the hot summer
months, every visitor can find his ideal place in the sun in Sougia.
As Sougia,
Crete, was “discovered” by the hippies some decades ago, don’t be surprised to
find that in Sougia beach is one of the most well-known beaches for nudists in
Crete. It is located on the east part of the large coastal zone of Sougia.
Sougia, Crete – history and walking paths
Sougia,
Crete, is built on the exact location of ancient Syia, from which it took its
name. Excavation works continue for many years now, and this is one of the main
reasons that Sougia has been relatively unaffected by tourism: it’s very
difficult to get a license to build a new house in or near the village.
Ancient
Sougia, or Syia, was a port
of the ancient city of Elyros, one of the prominent ancient cities in West
Crete. Syia flourished during the Roman and Byzantine years, but it was finally
destroyed by the Saracen pirates in the 9th century AD.
Another great ancient city near
Sougia, Crete, was Lissos, the second port of the ancient city of Elyros.
Lissos was famous for its temple of Asklepios, and it was a medical centre in
ancient Crete. There are two ways to get from Sougia to Lissos: one is by boat,
and the other is on foot. The second option is through a picturesque path and
takes about two hours.
Speaking
of walking paths, Sougia, Crete, is the kingdom of the walker. A great and
short walk is towards the small church of Agia Irini. The
path to Agia Irini goes up through the mountain side, which is full of pine
trees and offers a magnificent view to Sougia and the sea of South Crete.
Another excellent walk near Sougia, Crete, is through the gorge of Agia
Irini. You can get you to the village of Agia Irini in about half an hour using
the local bus service. From Agia Irini village, the homonymous gorge runs down
to Sougia, Crete. The walking path is considered easy and takes about 4 hours.
Sougia, Crete,
is at the same time a tranquil, small village, a beach lover’s paradise and a
historic location full of scenic walking paths. Although a little further away
from Chania city, the village of Sougia,
Crete, is an absolute must-see for the visitor.
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