From Agia Roumeli, where there’s the exit of Samaria Gorge, there’s also the starting (or if you like, the finishing point) of another big and easier seaside part of the European path E4. Following the yellow and black signs, you’ll initially cross the Selouda pine forest. From that point on, there’s not much vegetation, but rather some rocks that require attention. On your way, you’ll meet some very beautiful beaches like Marmara and the picturesque Loutro, which is only accessible by boat or the path you’ve been following! You can stop there to take a dive, of course, or visit the taverns. Advancing further on your path, the next beach is the magical Glika Nera (sweet waters), which is also an ideal stop for a dive. Approaching the end of the path and before you reach Sfakia Chora, you can (and you have to) visit the impressive beach of Tliga, where tall rocks form a cave that provides shade to those who are brave enough to visit it. After you’ve taken some rest, you can finally arrive to Sfakia Chora and complete this long journey.
This part of E4 path is not very difficult, but it’s almost 20 km long (!), so a good idea would be to split the journey into two parts by spending the night in Loutro or Glika Nera, and continue the path the next day.
If the journey still seems long to you, you can reverse the order of the path and, starting from Sfakia Chora, you can visit the Tliga Beach, walk until you find the path, and then pass by the Glika Nera and Loutro beaches. This way, you save time while at the same time you get to try all the beautiful beaches, and return by either taking the same way back to Sfakia Chora or by catching the boat from Loutro Beach.
*If you want to follow one of the above trails it’s very important to have the necessary things with you, like comfortable shoes, sunscreen, hat, small snacks, a bottle of water and of course good mood!
