Greece's Hidden Paradise Is A Gorge In Crete Full Of Waterfalls, Secret Caves And Pools, And Ethereal Beauty

Tucked away on Greece's largest island, a picturesque gorge of waterfalls, caves, and pools is hidden among the cliffs. Crete is the destination for an idyllic, quintessential getaway of sun, food, and beach, and this spot offers something unique among the island's sand beaches. Kourtaliotiko Gorge is a small oasis on the island, loved for its hiking trails and stunning waterfalls. Five in total, the falls are located just below the church of Agios Nikolaos Kourtaliotis, where local stories say the saint created them by pressing five fingers into the cliff.

Located between the towns of Rethymno and Agia Galini — excellent areas to stay the night nearby for easy access to the gorge — this spot is easy to get to, but you'll have to hike to your destination. Still, the ethereal beauty of the area is well worth the trek. Lined with natural beauty, this hike through the gorge is a great way to take in the natural beauty of Crete. Kourtaliotiko Gorge is most easily accessible by car. The scenic drive from Rethymno will only take you 30 minutes, and the gorge is about an hour and a half from two larger cities in Crete, Chania and Heraklion.

Regardless of how you get to the starting point, you will have to park or be dropped off and walk to your final destination, but there are shorter and longer hikes available with varying difficulties. A public bus from Rethymno to Plakias stops at this location and will drop you off in Koxare Village, the starting point for the gorge's hikes. Guided tours can also be arranged if you're looking for someone with more experience and knowledge of the area to guide your excursion.

After paying a five-euro entrance fee, you'll be off to hike down to the falls and pools inside the gorge. This is fairly normal in Crete, which also has hike-in beaches where you can swim and snorkel. At a certain point in the path, the trail will veer off to the left and the right, with hikers self-selecting which way they'd prefer to go. To go to the top of the waterfalls, you'll want to follow the left path. It is about a two-minute walk up to the scenic viewpoint looking down, and the church of St. Nicholas. If you prefer a short walk and a scenic view, without the risk of getting wet, this is an easy place to stop for a few minutes and grab some photos.

If you turn right where the trail splits, you'll head down to the river, where you can enjoy pools full of the water flowing down from the falls. You can swim here, or just take in the ethereal beauty of the space. Down at the bottom of the gorge, which is about a 20-minute hike, you can swim or wade into the river at several points. It is down here that you'll find the caves, where water falls majestically down between the rocks at several points in the river. You'll find other travelers throughout the warm months swimming, enjoying the spray from the falls, climbing, and lounging on the rocks in the sun.

To fully experience the majesty of Kourtaliotiko Gorge, getting into the river and exploring the caves is a must. Down in the gorge, between the cliff faces that jut out of the river, streams of water rain down against the rocks on either side of you, creating a picture-perfect image of a Greek isle. You can wade in parts of the river, but to truly explore, you'll have to swim to the inner caves.

If you plan to explore the caves and swim in Kourtaliotiko Gorge, it's important to pick the right time of year to visit. The water in this part of the island, coming from the waterfalls, is notoriously cold. Swimming on a hot summer day will feel best, anytime from May to August, but it is still doable to take the plunge in the early fall. In September in October, it won't be quite as hot, but the area will be a lot less crowded than it is during the summer. If the gorge gets you hooked and you're off to the other Greek islands, one of the world's best lakes is in a mystical Greek cave on Kefalonia, with plenty more to explore throughout the Mediterranean.