Best things to do in Skines in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Skines is an inland village in the Chania region of western Crete, south-west of Chania city in the hill country at the foot of the White Mountains. Skines stands among olive groves rather than hotels, with 2 gorges starting at the neighbouring village of Karanou about 3 km away. The coast lies north, so a stay here trades the beach strip for orchards and ravines.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport. The village works as a base for the Botanical Park, the gorges of the Kydonia hills and the wine and olive country around them, all within about 3 km of the houses.
Things to do in and around Skines
6 outings lie within 6 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- See the olive and oil museum. The Olive and Oil Museum and Dermitzakis Folklore Collection stands 2.5 km away, in the middle of the groves that give this district its living.
- Walk round the Botanical Park. The Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete lies 2.9 km from the village.
- Taste at a local winery. Manousakis Winery is 3 km out.
- Hike the Kydoni Gorge. The walk starts 3.2 km away at an old fountain in Karanou village and drops through a centuries-old olive grove, past the church of Saint Demetrius with its remnants of frescoes, to the stream bed. The Kydoni Gorge is one of the greenest on the island, with trees over 20 m tall closing over the path, and it is named after the Kydonia district rather than the Greek word for quince.
- Add the Boriana Gorge. The second canyon begins 3.3 km away in the Boriana quarter of the same village and runs 1,800 m on a laid-out path to the Mavropiliotis river. Walkers usually pair it with its neighbour, because the Boriana Gorge runs parallel to the Kydoni, past a ruined watermill, caves, a charcoal furnace and the tunnels of the old Averof iron ore quarries.
- Carry on to Meskla. The Sarakina Gorge at Meskla is the third ravine within reach, 5.6 km from Skines.
About the village and its setting
Skines is an inland village rather than a resort, set in the olive country south-west of Chania. The Kydoni Gorge 3.2 km away lies in the mountainous Kydonia district at the base of the White Mountains, which is the landscape the village belongs to: olive groves on the lower ground, ravines cutting down from the range behind.
Olives and wine shape the district. A museum of olive oil and folklore stands 2.5 km from the village, a winery 3 km, and the path into the Kydoni Gorge runs through a grove that has been worked for centuries. The area also carries an industrial past: the Boriana Gorge holds the tunnels and entrances of the Averof iron ore quarries, along with a charcoal furnace and a ruined watermill.
Theriso, 7.1 km away, gives the nearest measure of the drive into the city. Our page for that village puts it about 16 km from Chania, up a winding 6 km road through the Theriso Gorge, and Theriso is known as the launch point of Eleftherios Venizelos’s 1905 revolution.
Beaches in and around Skines
Skines has no beach of its own, because the village sits inland in the hills. The nearest sand is the long strip running west from Chania along the north coast, where Kalamaki, Stalos, Agia Marina, Platanias and Gerani follow one another almost without a break.
- Kalamaki lies 6 km west of Chania, the beachfront of Galatas village, with fine sand, gentle water, umbrellas, showers, lifeguards and water sports.
- Stalos sits 7 km west of Chania, a well-equipped sandy beach at Kato Stalos that holds a Blue Flag, with the traditional village of Pano Stalos 150 m up the slope behind it.
- Agia Marina is 9 km west of Chania, a long organised beach facing the protected islet of Thodorou, with shallow, calm water and stone piers that keep swimming sheltered on windy days.
- Platanias lies 11 km west of Chania, a 2 km Blue-Flag sandy beach fronting the resort, with sunbeds, beach bars and water sports along it.
- Gerani sits 13 km west of Chania between Maleme and Platanias, a wide, calm stretch of sand and fine pebbles that is a protected nesting ground for Caretta caretta turtles from May to September.
Quiet and busy sit close together on this coast. Agia Marina and Platanias are among the busiest beaches near the city, while Gerani keeps long unorganised stretches even in high summer.
Where to eat near Skines
Eating near Skines means the places attached to the attractions and the cafés in the villages around.
- Botanical Park & Gardens Restaurant is 2.9 km away, at the park.
- Enasma Cafe lies 5.4 km from the village.
Getting to Skines
Drive to Skines from Chania, heading south-west into the hills. The same roads carry on to Karanou for the gorges and to Theriso, whose approach climbs 6 km through its own gorge on a narrow but asphalted road. Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport.
For the coast, head north to the Chania-to-Kolymbari road, which strings the beaches together. Platanias, 11 km west of Chania, is the busiest of those resorts and fronts a sandy stretch running about 7 km.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Skines in Crete?
Skines is an inland village in the Chania region of western Crete, south-west of Chania city. It sits in olive country at the foot of the White Mountains, with the village of Karanou and its two gorges about 3 km away.
Does Skines have a beach?
Skines has no beach, because it is an inland village. The nearest sand lies on the coast north of it, on the strip west of Chania: Kalamaki at 6 km west of the city, Stalos at 7 km, Agia Marina at 9 km, Platanias at 11 km and Gerani at 13 km.
Can you walk a gorge from Skines?
2 gorges start at Karanou, about 3 km from Skines. The Kydoni Gorge runs from an old fountain in the village down through olive groves to a stream bed, and the Boriana Gorge runs parallel to it for 1,800 m past old iron ore workings. Hikers commonly walk both in one outing.
What is there to do in Skines?
An olive and oil museum, a botanical park and a winery all stand within 3 km of Skines. The museum is 2.5 km out, the Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete 2.9 km and Manousakis Winery 3 km. 3 gorges start between 3 km and 6 km away.
Which airport is nearest to Skines?
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Skines. The village lies south-west of Chania city, inland from the north coast.
Where Skines is
Best things to do in Skines in 2024 is located at Skinés. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
