Route 11: Palekastro-Petsofas-Skinias Gorge .Hiking and nature in east Crete.

Taking as a starting point Palekastro square, you walk east, through Agathias settlement and going further in a dust road among the olive trees. Avoiding to get lost on your way, it's better to pay great attention on the map we provide you.

At the bottom of Petsofas hill, you take the distinctive path, which leads on the top of Petsofas peak at 215m.
From the top we go on to south-southeast, without a path or any sign, through the wilderness. After a few minutes you can see a small river bed in front of you, which comes to a gorge. Following the river bed, you arrive to the first and northern beach of Skinias.

We can return the same route back or we can move on south, arriving after 300m to the second beach of Skinias. There you can find a bad dust road to the west. If you follow that road, after 2.5 kms you meet the chapel of St. Spyridon on a small but beautifull plateau and then you walk down (northern) the hill to Agathias. From Agathias you follow the same route back to Palekastro.

View Palekastro - Petsofas - Skinias in a larger map

Skinias Gorge:

Distances:

Palekastro - Agathias 1,3 km

Agathias - Petsofas Peak 1,9 km

Petsofas Peak - Skinias Beach 2,6 km

Skinias Beach - Chapel of St. Spyridon 2,7 km

Chapel of St. Spyridon - Agathias - Palekastro 3,6 km

More about Skinias area:

Skinias Beaches

Palekastro - Skinias - Karoumes beach