Kydonia

East of Stavros, at Cape Akrotiri, starts the well marked path that crosses the small gorge of Mavre and was for many centuries the main route passing through the wild and rugged mountains of Akrotiri to link the villages of the fertile planes to the hermitages of the barren rocky mounts. This seemingly barren and inhospitable landscape was a haven for hermits and is full of hidden treasures that are not visible at first glance.

Just a short distance from the the historic Da Molin Tower ruins in Alikianos, we meet the cruciform Byzantine church of St. George. The church dates back to the 14th-15th century and bears frescoes by Pavlos Provatas (1430). This temple was used in the novel of Spiridon Zambelios "Cretan Weddings" for placing the wedding of the heroes.

At Meskla, province Kydonia, we meet two temples dedicated to Virgin Mary, being the patron of the village. The original old church dedicated to the Conception of Mary was built on the ruins of an ancient temple of goddess Demeter. It was the main church of the village until 1972, when the largest church was built a few meters away, also dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Between the villages Aroni and Argoulide at Cape Akrotiri we meet the double-aisled church of Saints Artemios and Paraskevi. This Byzantine church has been built in two phases with the right aisle belonging to Agia Paraskevi probably being the oldest. Between the two doors of the temple there is an old well for the collection of rainwater and there is a carved stone trough in bedrock. The construction of the temple dates back from the 14th century, a few years after the nearby Byzantine church of Saint George (only 25 meters away).

Akrotiri Cape by Chania hosts the largest (in density) number of temples than every other part of Chania. Many of these temples are very well known to visitors due to their history and architecture. There are of course several that are less known or completely unknown, however they might carry a special story sometimes. One of the more obscure temples of Akrotiri is that of Saint Gerasimos at Aroni. Saint Gerasimos is a new church but is built on the site of an older church of St. Gerasimos. 

At Platani near Souda we meet the small and picturesque church of Agia Paraskevi. The temple is located on a dewy location almost on the main axis of North Crete and hosts one of the most popular feasts of Chania.

The current small church of Panagia (Virgin Mary0 at Ayia is built on the side of the great basilica of the 5th century, which was the seat of the Diocese of Cydonia and Vamos. The temple was reconstructed in 10th-11th century, after a disaster probably suffered by the Arabs, and today the roof has collapsed. The aisles are separated by pillars and a semicircular arch was built for the middle aisle end.

On the road that runs from Chania to Keramia, before reaching village Malaxa, we meet the small church of St. Andrew. Saint Andrew has always been a major milestone for the region because of the adjacent spring with water that quenched their thirst hikers from the region on their way to the villages of Keramia. The spring site is seen from afar due to the large plane located there.