Νομός: Ρεθύμνου
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Άγιος Γεώργιος
The valley of St. George or Agios Georgios is located 3km west of Agia Galini, 69km southeast of Heraklion and 60km south of Rethymno. There are two small bays with wonderful pebbly beaches, which are separated by a rocky shore. The weather here is always mild, making the beaches ideal for swimming all year round.
One day Agios Giorgios will grow up and become a recognized village, but for the meantime it is a beach with a rent rooms establishment and 3 tavernas and a cluster of private homes. It can be reached by road, or by pleasure boats which leave from Agia Galini harbour and of course it is also popular as a walk from Agia Galini.
The beach is small pebbles, and the water is crystal clear and ideal for snorkelling and swimming. There is a rustic taverna situated right down on the beach which is very popular and while the fare is simple it is absolutely fresh and the owner, a true Cretan, is very entertaining and welcoming. At the furthest end there is a taverna which provides organic food and herbs where the owner and his charming wife, take a great interest in nature and the provision of the food on offer reflects this.
There are coves where one can hide away and where the naturalists can soak up the sun. This area is in a protected valley and enjoys particularly mild weather during the winter months. As it is only 6kms from Agia Galini and the road is clearly demarcated, it is about the same distance to Melambes further up the hill. If you visit Agios Georgios, you can stroll in the wild Cretan countryside and walk to the Monastery of St. George (500m northern). Note the slope of the church walls, which has been damaged due to ageing and soil sedimentation (don’t worry, it is safe). The Church is known for its old wall paintings.
Μέρη κοντινά με Άγιος Γεώργιος
Ο ποταμός Πλατύς βρίσκεται στο νότιο Ρέθυμνο, πηγάζει από τους χείμαρρους του βουνού Κέδρος και την Κοιλάδα Αμαρίου, και εκβάλει στην παραλία του χωριού Αγία Γαλήνη. Πρόκειται για ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα ποτάμια της Κρήτης που έχει νερό όλο το χρόνο.
Το ποτάμι σε όλο το μήκος του παρουσιάζει διαφορετικές μορφολογίες, με στενά και απροσπέλαστα σημεία, καταρράκτες και αλλού πλατιά σημεία ροής, ενώ είναι καλυμμένο σχεδόν ολόκληρο από πυκνή βλάστηση. Σε διάφορα σημεία του υπάρχουν γέφυρες με εντυπωσιακότερες τις δύο παλιές πέτρινες καμαρωτές γέφυρες που υπάρχουν στις αρχές του ποταμού.
Το θέρετρο της Αγίας Γαλήνης βρίσκεται σε απόσταση 58 χιλ. νότια του Ρεθύμνου. Εκτός από την πληθώρα των τουριστικών υποδομών διαθέτει και δύο θαυμάσιες, πεντακάθαρες παραλίες που σχηματίζονται μέσα στα επιμέρους γραφικά λιμανάκια της περιοχής. Η παραλία της Αγίας Γαλήνης είναι πλήρως οργανωμένη και οι επισκέπτες έχουν τη δυνατότητα να την απολαύσουν μέσα από κάποιες δραστηριότητες όπως θαλάσσια σπορ και κατάδυση. Η παραλία δεν συνιστάται σε όσους επιθυμούν ησυχία αφού το καλοκαίρι η παραλία είναι συνεχώς κατακλυσμένη από κόσμο. Η Αγία Γαλήνη, είναι ένας προορισμός που ενδείκνυται για όσους θέλουν να περάσουν ένα διήμερο κοντά στη θάλασσα, απολαμβάνοντας ταυτοχρόνως την νυχτερινή ζωή και το καλό φαγητό στα εστιατόρια του χωριού.
Το πάρκο του Δαίδαλου και Ίκαρου βρίσκεται στην Αγία Γαλήνη στα νότια του νομού Ρεθύμνου. Είναι αφιερωμένο στον μύθο που θέλει τον Δαίδαλο και τον Ίκαρο να απογειώθηκαν με τα κέρινα φτερά τους από τον λόφο στον οποίο βρίσκεται το πάρκο.
Ο αρχαίος μύθος αναφέρει ότι ο Δαίδαλος τιμωρήθηκε από τον Άρειο Πάγο για τον φόνο του τεχνίτη Τάλω, και βρήκε καταφύγιο από τον βασιλιά Μίνωα στην Κρήτη όπου κατασκεύασε τον περίφημο Λαβύρινθο μέσα στον οποίο ζούσε ο Μινώταυρος. Αργότερα ο Μίνωας καταδίκασε τον Δαίδαλο να ζήσει μέσα στον λαβύρινθο επειδή βοήθησε τον την γυναίκα του Πασιφάη να συλλάβει τον Μινώταυρο με τον Ταύρο που του είχε χαρίσει ο Θεός Ποσειδώνας. Ο Δαίδαλος με τον γιο του τον Ίκαρο έφτιαξε φτερά από πούπουλα και κερί και δραπέτευσαν από το νησί.
Το πάρκο αποτελεί δημιούργημα του Εξωραϊστικού Σύλλογου Δαίδαλος - Ίκαρος της Αγίας Γαλήνης. Βρίσκεται στον λόφο δεξιά του χωριού πάνω από τον χώρο στάθμευσης του λιμανιού. Για να φτάσετε στο πάρκο ακολουθείτε το ανηφορικό δρομάκι που οδηγεί πίσω από το κτίριο του λιμενικού σώματος λίγο πριν την είσοδο του λιμανιού.
Μεσα στο θαλαμο, υπαρχει μια "μπαλα" με κανες διαφορων διαμετρηματων. Αυτο το κανονι, υποστηριζε αμυντικα απεναντι το αεροδρομιο του Κοκινου Πυργου, που ηταν τοτε γερμανικο και σήμερα ελληνικο στρατιωτικο αεροδρομιο. Η συραγγα με τις δυο εισοδους--εξοδους ειναι φτιαγμενη για λογους διαφυγης σε κατασταση αναγκης.
Υπάρχουν έξι πουγκες στην Αγια Γαληνη που ειναι ομως αναξιοποιητες και κλειστες. Μια απο αυτες που ειναι πανω σε λοφο, υποστηριζε αμυντικα το απεναντι ακρωτηριο (Λυθινον) με πολυ μεγαλο κανονι πανω σε ραγες, που εμπαινε στην εν λογω πουγκα και κλεινοταν εκει για να μην καταστραφει σε περιπτωση επιθεσης απο τους συμμαχους. Η Αγια Γαληνη ειχε Γερμανικο διοικητηριο, λογω της γεωστρατηγικης θεσης της.
This dreamy traditional Cretan village rests on a hill side at 600metres above sea level. Saktouria is divided into an upper and lower village.
The population in total being about 350 which increases in summer as all the families who live away in Athens and other places come home for holidays in August. It is 49 km away from Rethymnon city. It is recorded as Sacturia in all the Venetian censi of the 16th and 17th centuries. Chourmoutzis Vizantios calls it Sachtouri. In 1881 it is recorded as forming part of the municipality of Melambes with 360 inhabitants and in 1900, still in the same municipality until 1940 when it becomes the seat of a commune with the same name.
The first thing that is sticking about this village is the wonderful view down to the sea, the beach of Triopetra and the coast line as far as Xora Skafia. It hosts traditional white washed houses a church and two cafenions. It is a country village and most of the inhabitants have land that they farm, so during at the break of day in the summer months the villagers are up and about going to work their land, tend there amimals or doing chores around the house while it is still cool. In the afternoon it is quiet and then in the evenings most of the villagers emerge to gather for a chat .
There are also a few stills and it is renowned for its excellent raki. Every year when the grapes have been collected and the stills are bubbling away it is customary for all passers bye to stop and partake in a glass or two. Needless to say this is a very jolly time. Not so long ago this was an area for the production of silk and there are many mulberry trees at the back end of the village. Sadly this trade came to an end as the silk from Thailand and other areas could be produced at a much lower cost.
The land around Saktouria is also famous for its wild mushrooms which are very sought after and during November there is a scramble to collect them. Daily you can see the local women walking the land early in the morning collection their wild Horta which is like wild spinach to cook with their daily meal. The villagers are friendly and accommodating and there are a small handful of foreign community now in permeant residence.
This village is within a short drive from some of the most beautiful beaches on the south coast. It is only 10 minutes drive to the nearest beach of Agios Pavlos, 15 minutes drive to the beautiful beaches at Triopetra and Akoumia and 15 minutes drive to the resort of Agia Galini.
As this village is quite high up it enjoys cooler temperatures during the summer months sometimes as much as 5 degrees less than those villages along the coast and at sea level, this makes it very pleasant. The sunsets are quite spectacular and in the winter one can see the snow capped White Mountains in the distance. It is approximately one and a half hours to the airport in Heraklion and one hour to the city of Rethymnon on the north coast. There is also a regular bus which goes to Agia Galini and Rethymnon.
The river-gorge described has a length of 4 km and starts from the village of Agios Ioannis, which is located 2 km east of Nithavris, at the west slopes of Psiloritis mountain. It goes through the east side of the Kedros mount, towards Agia Gallini, south coast, where flows 1 km east of the tourist town. The most impressive part to hike lies between Agios Ioannis village and Agia Paraskevi. The gorge is easy to pass and is marked with red signs. 4 km far from the start of the gorge (Agios Ioannis), 1800m east from the village Orne, there is stone, traditional bridge of impressive construction. A bit later the river turns to a deep narrow gorge and becomes inaccessible and dangerous.There are small ponds with water all year round that make walking pleasant.
In the middle of the gorge there are only two difficult points that require little experience. At those parts it is better to go up the slope bypassing the difficult points and meet the riverbed again further down. The river continues its course to the beach of Agia Galini.
It lies in the valley between Mount Kedros (1777 m) and Mount Vouvala (947 m), at the 51st km on the road Rethymnon city-Spili-Melambes-Timbaki. According to the teacher of Rethymnon, Emmanouil Lambrinakis, Melambes was built after Lambi was destroyed and the name Melambes means "Me, Lambi". Panos Koronaios had his rebel camp in 1866, with Michail Korakas and another thousand men. Below Melambes, at a place called Kouroi, there was a temple dedicated to Elektra, hence the name of the river Elektras.
The village belongs to the municipality of Lambi and has 790 inhabitants. It lies at an altitude of 570 m above sea-level. The village is mentioned by name in the Venetian censi.In 1881; it is the seat of the municipality of Melambes and has several hundred inhabitants. Below Melambes, at a place called Kouroi, there was a temple dedicated to Elektra, hence the name of the river Elektras.
The village boasts a wonderful village square with Venetian lion head fountain. Where one can sit of an evening in the local cafe-neo under the cool shade of a plane tree. It has a community of both Cretans and foreigners as it give all the joys of village life as well as being only 15 minutes drive from a the beautiful resort of Agia Galini and 6kms to the nearest beach at Agios Giorgos. It is a large village as Cretan villages go and tt has all the necessities of everyday life available. Bakers, Mini-markets, cafenions.
The village also hosts a football playing field and a school so is ideal for families. The streets are narrow and windy and are a maze of whitewashed village houses. Many of the young children from the families in Agia Galini are sent here to their grandparents during the summer months as their parents work in their various businesses in the resort. . This is getting to be a popular village for those who want to buy property at reasonable prices for renovation. It has a wonderful country feel and looks out to the Psiloritis and Kendros mountains.
The apartments Stochos in Agia Galini by Rethimno Prefecture, South Crete, is known for its family environoment as well as the uniqueness of the area, an attribute you will embrace upon arriving.
Agia Galini coastal village is known for its enchanting design as a village, since it is built on the slope of a hill, among the calmness and peace that the area has, next to the crystal clear sea and beautiful beach.