Coasting Down a Mountain -- Everyone with time and an interest in experiencing the different facets of Crete, should spend at least a day in the mountainous interior. For arranging day trips from Chania, customized or in groups, I recommend contacting Maria Mylonaki of Diktynna Travel (6 Archontaki; tel. 28210/43-930; www.diktynna-travel.gr) She'll come to your hotel the night before to map out plans and costs; her English is excellent. One possibility is a bike trip for which you don't have to be in especially great shape. The bikes will accompany you in a van on a narrow, winding, 45-minute uphill drive to the mountain village of Zourva for a delicious, traditional Greek lunch (lamb chops and Greek salad) at a taverna called Emilia's. From here you can bike some 15 spectacular kilometers (10 miles) downhill, virtually without peddling once. Note, however, that this doesn't mean you don't have to exert extreme caution and control on winding roads that lack shoulders and can have potholes!
Samaria Gorge -- Everyone with an extra day on Crete -- and steady legs and solid walking shoes -- should consider hiking through Samaria Gorge. The endeavor involves first getting to the top of the gorge, a trip of about 42km (26 miles) from Chania. Second comes the actual descent and hike through the gorge itself, some 18km (11 miles). Third, a boat takes you from the village of Ayia Roumeli, at the end of the gorge, to Khora Sfakion; from there, it's a bus ride of about 75km (46 miles) back to Chania. (Some boats go westward to Paleochora, approximately the same distance by road from Chania.)
Most visitors do it all in a long day, but you can put up for the night at one of the modest hotels and rooms at Ayia Roumeli, Paleochora (to its west), Souya (to its east), Khora Sfakion (main port to meet buses), and elsewhere along the south coast. But for most people I strongly advise signing up with one of the many travel agencies in Chania that get people to and from the gorge. This way, you are guaranteed seats on the bus and on the boat. One agency I recommend is Diktynna Travel (6 Archontaki St.; tel. 28210/43-930; www.diktynna-travel.gr); it offers group transportation to and from Samaria George for 42€ ($59) per person or private transportation at 300€ ($390) per tour (not per person).
In recent years, Samaria Gorge has been so successfully promoted as one of the great natural splendors of Europe that on certain days, it seems that half of the Continent is trekking through it. On the most crowded days, you can find yourself walking single file with several thousand other people. The gorge is open from about mid-April through mid-October (depending on weather conditions); the best chance for a bit of solitude means hiking near the beginning or end of the season. The hike is relatively taxing; and here and there, you will scramble over boulders. Bring water and snacks, and wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. Admission is 6€ ($7.80).
The gorge offers enough opportunities to break away from the crowds. You'll be treated to the fun of crisscrossing the water, not to mention the sights of wildflowers and dramatic geological formations, the sheer height of the gorge's sides, and several unexpected chapels -- it will all add up to a worthwhile experience, one that many regard as the highlight of their visit to Crete.
