Kourtaliotiko Gorge

Name: Rethymno Tours
Address: Eratous 6, Rethymno, Crete, 74100, GR
Telephone: +306972531808
Price range: €€

Kourtaliotiko Gorge is a short, steep-sided limestone canyon about 35 minutes south of Rethymno, on the road that runs down to Preveli and the Libyan Sea. Unlike Imbros or Samaria it is not a through-hike: the visit is a stepped descent of roughly ten minutes from the roadside car park to the point where springs burst straight out of the cliff face and feed waterfalls and cold pools deep enough to swim in. Admission is 5 EUR per person. The Megalopotamos river that runs through it emerges further south at the Preveli palm forest, which is why the two are almost always visited on the same day.

In sintesi

Entrance fee: 5 EUR per person
Drive from Rethymno: About 35 minutes
Length: About 3 km of gorge; the visitor route is a short stepped descent to the springs
Walk to the waterfalls: Roughly 10 minutes down, and the same back up
Open season: Year-round; the pools stay cold in every month
River: The Megalopotamos, which reaches the sea at Preveli

What is actually there

The gorge is about three kilometres long and the road crosses its upper end, so the first view is from a bridge with vertical walls dropping away on both sides. From the car park a stone staircase descends to the riverbed. The temperature drops as you go, the noise of wind and water takes over, and at the bottom the springs come out of the rock face itself rather than from upstream, feeding a set of waterfalls and pools.

The water is very cold all year, which is the point in August and the reason most people only manage a few minutes in it. The walk down and back is easy but the steps are uneven, and it is the descent rather than the distance that decides whether it suits you.

The chapel and the name

Agios Nikolaos chapel stands at the head of the gorge, built into the rock. The name Kourtaliotiko is usually explained by the sound the wind makes as it funnels through the gorge: kourtala, a clapping or slamming noise.

Combining it with Preveli

The Megalopotamos river runs the length of the gorge and reaches the sea at Preveli, where it forms the lagoon behind the palm forest. Kourtaliotiko is roughly fifteen minutes further north on the same road, so the standard south-coast day takes in the gorge, Preveli Monastery on the cliff above, and the palm forest and beach below.

Practicalities

Admission is 5 EUR per person, collected on entry. There is roadside parking at the top. Bring shoes with grip: the steps are worn stone and the lower section stays wet. Griffon vultures nest on the cliffs and are frequently overhead.

Buono a sapersi

How much does Kourtaliotiko Gorge cost to enter?+

5 EUR per person, paid on arrival. Tour prices from Rethymno do not include it; it is collected separately at the gorge.

Can you swim in Kourtaliotiko Gorge?+

Yes, in the pools below the waterfalls. The water comes straight out of the rock and stays extremely cold even in August, so most people last a short time rather than a long swim.

How long does a visit take?+

Around an hour is enough for the descent to the springs, some time at the water and the climb back. It is normally combined with Preveli rather than visited on its own.

How hard is the walk?+

Easy in distance, but the route is a staircase of worn, uneven stone steps and the lower part is wet. Anyone uncomfortable with steps should stop at the viewpoint from the bridge, which is free and still impressive.

How far is it from Preveli?+

About fifteen minutes by road. The same river runs through both, so the gorge and the palm forest are the two ends of one landscape.