Blending ruggedness with serenity, Loutro near Chora Sfakion is a car-free fishing village with Cycladic character, for those who want something different and peaceful on their holidays in Crete.
The Chania regional unit has many village gems that offer travelers unique thrills and experiences. One of them is Loutro, a seaside village in the Sfakia region, on the south side of Crete, 70 km from the city of Chania. This idyllic fishing village has devoted fans, and not without reason.
The main access to Loutro is by sea. From Chora Sfakion you take the boat and after 20 minutes you arrive at this tiny village where the all-white houses embrace the little harbor. However, for those who love hiking there's a trail (part of the European E4 trail) which, if you follow it from Sfakia, gets you to Loutro in two hours while you soak up views of both the mountains and the sea.
You'll choose Loutro to spend your holiday in a beautiful place and swim in marvelous waters under the scorching sun of southern Crete. Here there are no roads, no cars or motorbikes- only small hotels, fish tavernas, and a few cafés.
The village got its name from the baths that have been found in the area and from the water that was directed to nearby Anopoli. Among the buildings you can see here are the Primary School on the beach, which was used by the first government in 1821, and Panagia of Loutro.
Inside the bay there are two beaches, but if you want more options, you can also visit the surrounding beaches, such as Glyka Nera and Marmara. Around the area there are trails that offer the chance to combine hiking with a swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Libyan Sea.
It's worth ascending to the Anopoli, 600 m above the sea, for a raki in the cafés and to continue west to Aradena, a village deserted due to a vendetta. From the iron bridge there, which connects the two sides of the gorge of the same name, bungee jumping lovers plunge into a 138-meter void.
