Best things to do in Anopolis in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Anopolis is a village on a fertile plateau 600 m above the Libyan Sea, in the Sfakia district of the Chania region, 12 km west of Chora Sfakion. The remains of a vast city that thrived in the 3rd century BC still stand here, and Anopolis was one of thirty cities and towns that made a peace agreement with Eumenes B’ in 183 BC and won the right to mint their own coins. Ioannis Daskalogiannis, the freedom fighter, was born in the village, and his statue stands in the centre.
Chania is the nearest airport to Anopolis. The village works as a high base above the Sfakia coast, with rooms and a taverna of its own, the deepest gorge in Chania 2.1 km away, and 5 beaches on the shore below within 3 km.
Things to do in Anopolis village
Things to do in Anopolis village start in the centre and drop to the coast within 3 km, and the 6 below run from nearest to furthest.
- Stand at the Daskalogiannis statue. The statue of Ioannis Daskalogiannis stands in the centre of the village that produced him, and the plateau around it carries the revolutionary record of Sfakia under Venetian and Turkish rule.
- Walk to ancient Anopolis. The ancient site lies 1.5 km from the modern village, and the city it belonged to was large enough in the 3rd century BC to strike its own coinage.
- Hike the Aradena Gorge. The gorge is the deepest in Chania at 138 m and runs over 15 km, which is why the old people of Sfakia called it Faragas, the Huge Gorge. It starts 2.1 km from Anopolis at the foot of the Thodoris peak and ends at Marmara beach, and Aradena draws bungee jumpers as well as walkers.
- Walk down to Loutro. The whitewashed village sits 2.1 km away around a sheltered bay, halfway between Agia Roumeli and Chora Sfakion, and no road reaches it, so Loutro stays car-free. It occupies the site of ancient Phoenix, the port of ancient Anopolis and later the winter port of Chora Sfakion.
- Swim at Glyka Nera. The name means “sweet water”, after the freshwater springs that bubble up among the pebbles, and the deep blue water put Glyka Nera among the top 20 European beaches in a London Times list in 2003. The beach lies 2.8 km away, usually reached by boat, by a 30-minute path from the parking near Iligas, or by an hour’s walk from Loutro.
- Find the Kavis Gorge. The canyon, also called Iligas, begins at 1,080 m near the abandoned village of Kali Laki and ends at Iligas beach, 2.5 km west of Chora Sfakion. Kavis lies 4 km from Anopolis, holds 5 sub-gorges and keeps a dry riverbed unless rain has been falling for hours.
Beaches near Anopolis village
Beaches near Anopolis village lie on the coast below the plateau, all of them within 3 km, and none has a road to it. The E4 coastal path and the taxi boats link them to each other.
- Loutro lies 2.1 km away at the edge of Cape Mouri, a seaside village whose naturally formed harbour gave ships safe anchorage in bad weather. It makes a base for the neighbouring beaches, which are reached by taxi boat, canoe or on foot.
- Lykos sits 2.5 km away, a coastal hamlet with a small port 900 m west of Loutro, on the edge of the almost uninhabited village of Livaniana. The beach is rocky and open to southern gusts, and traditional taverns with a few rooms stand behind it.
- Perivolakia and Timios Stavros are 2.5 km away, 3 coves of pebbles and large rock formations midway between Glyka Nera and Loutro on the E4 trail. There are no amenities and little natural shade, and naturists and snorkellers use them for their seclusion.
- Finikas lies 2.6 km away, a small harbour 700 m west of Loutro with a pebble beach, umbrellas and canoes. It is named after the ancient town of Phoenix, the port of ancient Anopolis, and the E4 from Marmara beach to Loutro passes through it.
- Glyka Nera sits 2.8 km away, pebbles and deep blue water fed by freshwater springs, reached by boat or on foot. The hiking paths run close to steep edges, and regular maintenance keeps them safe.
Where to eat in Anopolis village
Anopolis village has 2 places to eat in the centre and 3 more within about 2 km.
- Anopoli Taverna serves traditional Greek cooking, 100 m from the centre.
- Platanos Tavern and Rooms has a taverna and rooms, 100 m from the centre.
- Scirocco Cafe Rooms is a cafe with rooms, 2 km away.
- Notos Restaurant, 2.1 km away, is a restaurant with rooms.
- Helios serves Greek cooking, 2.1 km away.
Getting to Anopolis village
Getting to Anopolis village means driving up to the plateau, 12 km west of Chora Sfakion and 600 m above the sea. Chania is the nearest airport. The village keeps road access, unlike Loutro on the shore below it, which has none at all.
Walkers reach the coast on foot from the plateau. The Aradena Gorge drops to Marmara beach, the E4 runs east from there through Finikas to Loutro, and taxi boats link the coves from there.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Anopolis in Crete?
Anopolis lies on a plateau 600 m above sea level in the Sfakia district of the Chania region, 12 km west of Chora Sfakion. The coast below the village holds Loutro, 2.1 km away, and 4 more beaches within 3 km.
What is Anopolis known for?
Anopolis is known as the birthplace of Ioannis Daskalogiannis and for the ancient city on its plateau. That city thrived in the 3rd century BC and minted its own coins, and the village took a part in the revolts of the Venetian and Turkish periods.
Does Anopolis have a beach?
Anopolis sits 600 m up and has no beach of its own, but 5 lie within 3 km on the coast below. Loutro is the nearest at 2.1 km, followed by Lykos, Perivolakia, Finikas and Glyka Nera.
Can you reach Loutro from Anopolis?
Loutro is reached only on foot or by boat, and it lies 2.1 km from Anopolis. No road runs into the village, so the E4 path and the taxi boats carry everyone who goes there.
How deep is the Aradena Gorge?
The Aradena Gorge is 138 m deep, the deepest in Chania. It stretches over 15 km from the foot of the Thodoris peak down to Marmara beach, and its trailhead is 2.1 km from Anopolis.
Where Anopolis village is
Best things to do in Anopolis in 2024 is located at Anópolis. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
