14 days sailing Crete: the west coast and the Libyan Sea from Chania

Weather month by month

The route over two weeks

Highlights

Photo: Balos · Birk Enwald / Unsplash

Balos and Gramvousa, the turquoise lagoon and the Venetian fortress on its islet, best seen early in the morning before the tour boats arrive.

Elafonisi, the pink-sand beach, as a daytime anchorage only.

Paleochora and Sougia, south coast villages and gateways to coves reachable only on foot or by sea.

Agia Roumeli, the mouth of the Samaria gorge, one of the longest canyons in Europe: walk up to the Iron Gates.

Loutro, a road-less village at the head of its bay, the signature anchorage of the south coast. Full details in our 7-day itinerary from Chania to Loutro.

Gavdos, Europe's southernmost island, out in the Libyan Sea: juniper dunes, Sarakiniko and Agios Ioannis beaches, exceptional night skies.

Photo: Matala · Tobias Reich / Unsplash

Matala and Agia Galini, the caves carved into the Matala cliff and, ashore, the Minoan palace of Phaistos.

Preveli, the palm grove and the beach at the river mouth, as a daytime anchorage.

Technical points and watch-outs

• Downslope gusts on the south coast: when the Meltemi blows over northern Crete, it pours down the mountains and gorges and hits the south coast in gusts far stronger than the forecast wind, especially between Agia Roumeli, Loutro and Chora Sfakion. Reef before passing a gorge and avoid anchoring at the foot of cliffs when the Meltemi is set in.
• D8, Gavdos to Agia Galini: 32 miles of open sea with no intermediate shelter. A weather window is mandatory; Gavdos can hold a crew an extra day, hence the D7 buffer day.
• D12, Paleochora to Kissamos: rounding the south-west cape, then up the west coast, exposed to swell and often upwind in the north-westerly Meltemi. No safe shelter on the way: leave at dawn, and wait in Paleochora if the wind is set above force 5.
• Harbours: small and often taken by local ferries (Agia Roumeli, Chora Sfakion, Gavdos). Keep clear of the ferry berths and check their timetables.
• Supplies: water and diesel are scarce on the south coast. Fill up in Chania, then in Paleochora or Agia Galini depending on availability.
• Balos and Elafonisi: protected sites, daytime anchoring on sand, away from seagrass beds.

Book and prepare

• Compare the yachts available from Chania.
• Charter insurance recommended, all the more on an exposed route.
• Flights: to Chania (CHQ) in season, or Heraklion (HER) with about 2 hours by road.
• Activities: Samaria gorge, Phaistos palace, Chania's Venetian old town.

See also: the guide Sailing Crete's wild coast, the 7-day eastern Crete itinerary and How much does a sailing week in Greece cost.

Nautical data: distances estimated on direct routes between harbours, local port authorities. Weather: HNMS. South coast harbours and ferry timetables to be checked with the charter base and an up-to-date pilot guide.

Page type: Itinerary (schema.org TouristTrip).

A word from the crew

Logbook. Crete does not fit into a week: the south coast is worth waiting for, and Gavdos worth a night. Two weeks give you that luxury, as long as you accept staying in port when the mountains blow.

The mistake to avoid. Judging the south coast by the forecast. A wind announced as moderate in the north can arrive in much stronger gusts at the foot of the gorges.

Our favourite, and what we skip. Favourite: Loutro, and the night on Gavdos. Skip: Balos in the middle of the day, swamped by excursion boats.

Our verdict. Beauty 5/5. Anchorages 3/5. Ease 2/5. Crowds 4/5. Verdict: the wildest itinerary on the site, for self-reliant crews only.