Chora Sfakíon or simply Sfakia is a town on the south coast of Chania in West Crete. It is the capital of the remote and mountainous region of Sfakia, and is a small town of almost 300 inhabitants. It lies on the south coast near the exit of the imposing Imbros Gorge, 74 km south of Chania. It has two small harbours, where the ferry boats from Agia Roumeli dock, which in the summer serve the hikers from the Samaria Gorge to take buses back to the northern coast. From Chora Sfakion ferries also run to the nearby coastal town of Loutro and the island of Gavdos. Chora Sfakion is a small village with several taverns, minimarkets, butchery, bakery, etc. There is also gas station, phone services, ATM, post office, police station and pharmacy. There are also bus services to Chania and taxis.
There is a quiet local beach, called Vrissi, just west of the village, and several pebbly beaches nearby. The town offers a variety of tourist accommodation: rooms, studios and apartments. The local economy is based on tourism, fishing, olive oil production and sheep and goat herdering. Chora Sfakíon prospered during the Venetian and Turkish occupations and up to the 18th century carried on a flourishing trade with its own small fleet. It was said to have had a hundred churches but the town suffered badly from wartime bombardment during and after the Allied evacuation at the end of the Battle of Crete.
Chora Sfakíon is famous as one of the centers of resistance against the occupying forces of both the Venetians and the Turks. The impenetrable White Mountains to the north combined with the rocky beaches on the south helped the locals fight off all invaders. Anopolis, a village near Hóra Sfakíon, is the birthplace of one of the most celebrated Cretan revolutionaries, Daskalogiannis.
Glyka Nera (meaning "sweet water") is one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete, with deep blue water color and nice pebbles. In 2003, the beach was ranked among the best 20 in Europe by London Times. This is located 4 km west of Chora Sfakion and 75km south of Chania. This is called like this because of the fresh water that gushes from the pebbles!
The Samaria Gorge is the longest trekking gorge in Europe and also the most famous of all. Thousands of tourists flock here daily in the summer season to walk from the top to the bottom. For many visitors, it is the sole purpose of their visit to Crete. The length of the gorge reaches 18km and takes almost 4-7 hours to hike from Omalos to Agia Roumeli, depending on trekking speed.
Loutro is a small seaside village situated approximately 71 km south of Chania, at the end of Cape Mouri. It is believed that this was the site of the ancient city of Phoenix and was the ancient port of Anopolis. Later, it became a winter port for Chora Sfakion, due to the fact that the enclosed bay and the small island at its entrance create a natural harbor where ships can be safe even in very bad weather.
Imbros Gorge is located in the province of Sfakia and is the third most visited gorge in Crete, following Samaria Gorge and Agia Irini by Sougia. The scenery is beautiful and the low difficulty makes the descent of Imbros ideal for families with children. The length of the gorge is 11 km and the course lasts 2-3 hours.
The deepest gorge in Chania is the gorge of Aradena. The 138-meter-deep gorge is ideal not only for sightseeing or hiking but for bungee jumping as well. Trekking inside the canyon till the exit on the majestic Marmara beach is an unforgettable experience for those who attempt the descent of the canyon.
Fragokastelo (ie the castle of the Franks) is one of the most famous beaches of Crete, famous for the local Venetian castle on the beautiful beach and the legendary ghosts of Drosoulites. It is located 13km east of Hora Sfakion, 80km southeast of Chania, in a small valley south of the White Mountains.
Beach Filaki (meaning "Prison") is located 3km east of Chora Sfakia and 75km south of Chania. Located close to the only hotel exclusively for nudists in Crete, called "Vritomartis, Filaki and the adjacent beaches of Ammoudi are mainly occupied by nudists.
Chora Sfakíon or Sfakia is a small town on the south coast of Chania. It is the capital of the remote and mountainous region of Sfakia, and is a small town of just 278 inhabitants (2001 census). It lies on the south coast near the end of the Imbros Gorge, 74km south of Chania.