Γρηγοριανά

The village of Polyrinia is built on the foot of the hill that ancient Polyrinia used to be. It is a small village located 6.5km away from Kastelli Kissamou, built at an altitude of 300 m. and has approximately 100 permanent residents. Its old name was Apano Paleokastro and was renamed to Polyrinia due to its proximity to the archaeological site. Important sights are: the aqueduct of Andrianos, the temple of the Assumption of the Holly-Mother and an old olive mill.

From the National Road head for the town of Kastelli or Kissamos (it is one town but it has two names. Go figure!) located about 40 km to the West of Hania city, Chania Prefecture, West Crete.In the centre of the town along the main road you will see an EKO petrol station to your right. About 20 metres beyond the petrol station but on your left there is sign to Polirinia 7km.

This is where you turn and head up the hill past the town police station. About 50 m beyond the police station the road branches and there is no sign but bear to your left (the right branch takes you to a newly built residential area) and carry on for 7 km past the villages of Kato Paleokastro, Karfiana and Grigoriana until you reach Polirinia village.On your way you can already see the steep hill with the acropolis of Polirinia and some remains of fortification walls on its northern slope (but watch the road if you are driving, it’s a narrow road). To the left (East) of the hill there is another hill with interesting “horns” reminiscent of the Minoan horns symbol. Coincidence?Shortly after passing a yellow sign for “Ancient Polyrinia Acropolis” (pointing you towards a small road turning sharply to the left) the main road ends and this is where you can park your car and can then walk into the village.

Polyrrinia lies up on the hill and has wonderful views over the land, the hills and the sea. It is a quiet and old village, with many houses in a bad state, old houses with stone arches from Venetian and Turkish times and pussycats walking around. In between the old stone houses are the houses that people actually live in. They are painted white or stone built and they are surrounded by gardens full of flowers and vegetables, fruit trees and pots with flowers.

You could be walking over the cobbled streets of most of this picturesque village without bumping into anybody, maybe just the occasional tourist that has come to look at the ancient site that lies inside and next to the village. It gives you the feeling that the village has been deserted. Polyrrinia remains completely unspoilt and spared of mass tourism: there are none. The narrow streets lead along old stone houses that are built on terraces and the hills that suround Polyrrinia are also terraced and have olive groves on them. Return to Kissamos is by the same route.There are several yellow signs in the village that will point you to places of interest. In the lower part of the village you can see some remains of a Roman aqueduct.Rock chapel of PolyriniaFurther up there is a building with huge Venetian arches as well as a really pretty rock chapel (with a lovely shaded yard outside the church) which is well worth a visit.Carrying on further up you will eventually leave the village and after another 5 minutes you get up to the crest near the church of the 99 Holy Fathers (closed) and the village cemetery.