Kofinas peak in Crete’s Asterousia mountains offers views of sea and mountains alike

In the area around Kofinas, the highest peak of the Asterousia mountains in southern Crete, the landscape offers views that stretch from the Libyan Sea to a rugged mountain interior, according to a report by CretaOne.

The site describes the location as a natural “balcony” where southern Crete and the Libyan Sea open up on one side, while a distinctly different mountainous world dominates the view toward the interior.

A landscape unlike Crete’s northern coast

Unlike the large hotel developments found along Crete’s northern coastline, the Asterousia mountains feature bare slopes, gorges, rocky terrain, small settlements and roads that pass through some of the island’s wildest terrain, CretaOne reports. Kofinas itself is the highest summit of the range and dominates the surrounding area.

Turning inland, visitors see a rough mountain landscape, while to the south the land ends at the Libyan Sea. On clear days, the report notes, the sense of the horizon is striking.

Getting there is part of the experience

Reaching the Asterousia mountains means leaving the island’s main roads behind. The route passes through villages and landscapes that change gradually, becoming progressively wilder as it climbs toward higher ground, according to the report. CretaOne notes that some sections may be narrow or difficult depending on the exact point of the route, and not all roads are suitable for every vehicle.

The publication describes this as one of the most striking features of the Asterousia range: reaching a markedly different landscape does not require leaving Crete, only crossing to the other side of the mountains.

Readers planning similar excursions can find more driving routes across Crete worth exploring, as well as other high-altitude alternatives to the island’s crowded beaches. Visitors interested in the island’s gorges may also find routes through the Asterousia range of interest.