Kritsa Gorge
Kritsa Gorge starts near the picturesque village of Kritsa, 9.5km southwest of Agios Nikolaos, and ends at the village Tapes. It’s 4km long, reaching a width of only 1.5m in some places. It is easily accessible with a few points that need attention, where you have to climb over some big rocks (not too hard). The only time you should not visit the gorge is when it has rained previously and there are ponds in the gorge, which block the passages.
The entrance of the canyon near Kritsa is impressive, as the mountain is torn in two, shaping the narrow passage of Havgas (havgas is a common name for gorges in East Crete). Apart from the main path starting next to the stone bridge of Kritsa, there's a second trail starting in the village.Near the starting point, there is a large rock, which you can climb quite easily. From there, the canyon becomes more impressive, with very narrow passages and tall walls surrounding you and blocking sun rays. It is a masterpiece of nature, which is worth a visit, especially in spring, when flowers bloom and there is a little water.
After a while, the canyon widens and rocks begin to lower, until a beautiful valley is formed, full of olive groves. From there, if you keep along the riverbed for about 1.5 hours, you’ll reach the beautiful village of Tapes, where you can rest in the coffee shop of the village.
