The port of Souda is one of the most important natural harbours of the Mediterranean.
According to mythology, there had been a musical contest over the bay of Souda between the Muses and the Sirens, in which the Muses prevailed. The Sirens then lost their wings, which fell on the bay and formed the Lefkes Isles while the nearby ancient town was named Aptera (without wings). During the Venetian domination (1210-1645) the Islet of Souda played a fundamental role in the protection of the Bay of Souda, which was of strategic importance. The Castle on the island was constructed according to the plans of the famous Italian architects Morette Calabrese and Sforza Pallavicini and was completed during the second half of the 16th century. The Islet was fortified with a wall and ramparts while internally all the necessary renovations were made for protection. During the Turkish domination over Crete, from 1645 to 1669, the island remains in the hands of the Venetians and the people of Crete until 1715, when it was submitted under a treaty. Later on, it was used as a fortress and a military fortification while today it is practically useless from the view of the army. The island is surrounded by strikingly built walls and bastions at every point where an attack is possible by sea or by land. We enter through an impressive entrance on the northern side.

The town of Souda was built 130 years ago. Today, one can visit the Turkish settlements that still exist, the fish harbour of Kato Souda on which you can find fresh fish and seafood in picturesque restaurants but most of all you can visit the Allen’s Cemetery of Vlites Souda.

Souda is the largest natural harbour of the Mediterranean Sea. Here you can find a National Bank, a library, exhibition rooms in the Town Hall, bookshop, two sports grounds (tennis and basket) - Kato Souda - football ground, spacious parking and a police station. You can also find various shops selling traditional Cretan objects. (all sorts of woven crafts, jewellery, ceramics), food shops, tourist offices, car rental, fish taverns (K. Soudas - Vlites) traditional restaurants (Ano Souda), taverns with traditional Cretan cuisine (Platanos, Megala Horafia), coffee shops, pastry shops and rooms for rent (A. Souda - Vlites - Megala Horafia - Kalami). There is also a regular bus service to Hania, and to Rethymnon, Heraklion, Kalives, Vrises, Sfakia, Fragokastello. The airport is 17 km away from Souda (in Akrotiri peninsula).

Vlites Souda is a very beautiful bright green area with picturesque fish taverns whose tables are washed by waves from the sea and with a panoramic view of the impressive Gulf of Souda. Very close to Souda, lies the picturesque village of Tsikalaria, which is amphitheatrically situated on the foot of Mount Malaxa. Its name probably comes from the word "tsikalia" because of the large number of furnaces that still exist today and were used to manufacture ceramic objects - tsikalia. In the centre of the village there is a Turkish temple (mosque), that was a Christian church in the past (St. Nicolas). The central spring of the village is Turkish and there is also the Byzantine Church of the "Panagia" - Church of the Sleeping Virgin which was destroyed by the Turks and renovated by the Christians. On the south side of Souda and at an altitude of 800 m. there is the village of Malaxa with a panoramic view of the bay of Souda and Hania. From there, the main road leads to a series of small, wonderful villages (Keramia, St. Nicolas, Drakona) with traditional neighbourhoods in a green landscape. 8 km east of Souda you reach Kalami, a small village with a only a few houses and a unique atmosphere. A stop here is essential so that you can enjoy the gorgeous sunset drinking Greek coffee and eating "ipovrihio" (you will find out what it is there...) and so that you may also visit the Turkish castle Idjedin built by Raouf Pasha, in 1872.





​Aptera
The old town Aptera used to be one of the most important city-states of Western Crete. Its name was derived either from the royal founder of Aptera or Ptera or because of a contest that took place between the Muses and the Sirens during which the Sirens were defeated and threw their wings away so they became wingless and white and fell into the sea and thus the island Lefkae came about in the Gulf of Souda. In the ancient town that was founded in the 7th century B.C. and was inhabited right through to Byzantine times, we can see important ruins, like the enclosure of the walls with large multi-angled stones, a small theatre (the cavity, the orchestra pit and remains of seats can be seen ) large, impressive domed reservoirs, one of which is very well-preserved and divided into three sections. There is also a small temple dating back to the beginning of the 1st century B.C. probably of the Goddess Dimitra.
It used to be a naval and commercial town. It had been autonomous during the entire Hellenic period (6th-4th century B.C.) and cut many coins. It sent assistance to the Spartans during the Second Messinian war  (668 B.C.) and during the civil war of the Cretan towns (220 B.C.) it was an ally to Knossos. After which and together with another thirty Cretan towns it formed an alliance with the King of Pergamos - Eumenis  (197-159 B.C.). Aptera also existed during the first Christian centuries. In the same area, there is the Monastery of St John Theologos of Patmos. South of the monastery, a floor has been found from a Christian temple of the 7th or 8th century A.D. with Christian graves underneath. On the western tip, there is a Turkish fortress that has been renovated with a panoramic view of the Gulf of Souda. On the southern part of ancient Aptera there is another Turkish fortress, built in 1872 by Reouf Pasha who called it Itjedin.





​Malaxa - Keramia 
Malaxa's historical findings are few and mostly dated to pre-historic times, during which it is likely there were gold mines in its mountain range. Her ancient name was Verekinthos (Verek=White & Kinthos=mountain). According to mythology the ancient technicians Idei Daktili, sons of Zeus and protectors of the Arts, who greatly contributed to their creation and evolution, managed the mines. It is believed that there were five of them, as many as the five fingers on a hand, they mined and worked the metal on Mount Verekinthos. They taught people ancient arts: glass making, silver and goldsmithery, ceramics and weaving. They were the first inhabitants of Crete and lived on Mount Verekinthos. They were the first to discover the use of fire, copper and iron and how to work with them. Malaxa is at a 14 km distance from Hania (Chrisopigi intersection), at an altitude of 480 meters and the drive offers a panoramic view of both Hania and Souda Bay, as well as a view of the area of Akrotiri (north) and the area of Keramia (south). It is a small, picturesque village, built on the southern mountain cliff. The mountain ridge of Malaxa is ideal for hiking, especially in the spring as it has many peaks (Poupa, Zourva, Koutsolos etc.).
At the intersection before Malaxa we continue to the right towards Keramia. There are two opinions about the origins of the name of the town. The first - and the most prevalent is that because the soil in the area was suitable for making pottery and it appears as if there were pottery workshops in the area, that the name Keramia stems from them (keramia in Greek means pottery workshops). The second is that the villages were named Keramia because of Mount Keramon. However, the findings here are scarce and mainly clay pots, amphora's and a tripod compass (the largest example that has ever been found!) discovered at an excavation in Plativolas cave. Dated between the Later Neolithic Period (3.400-2.900), to the Transitional Neolithic Period (2.900-2.800), to the Proto-Minoan Period (2.800-2.100) and the Later Minoan Period (1580-1100) and can be seen in the Archeological Museum of Hania.
The area of Keramia is ideal for hiking, climbing as well as cycling during the summer and winter! Six klm after Malaxa, at the Kontopoula intersection (left) – Loulos (right), if we turn right we first come across the picturesque village of Achlades, with amazing food (unfortunately open only in the summer), and then Loulos, a small village built in scattered neighbourhoods (it was named during the Turkish domination after a Turk called Loula), and then Gerolakos. If we turn left, we come across the villages Kontopoula and Katochori (the Diktamon Gorge, named after the herb that grows on the mountainside, starts from here and ends before the village of Stilos, in Apokoronas), Maraveliana and Kambi. In the beautiful central square in Kambi, under the age-old plane tree stands a monument dedicated to the revolutionary chieftains. When leaving the village of Kambi we see on our left the beginning of the path towards Volikas (3 hours away at an altitude of 1.480 meters). Here you will find the first mountain shelter ever built in Crete (1958). After the villages of Gero Prino, Tsakistra and Madaro we come to Psichro Pigadi, an area of amazing natural beauty, green, with 2-3 water wells. On a plateau with tall cypress-trees and plane trees there is a kiosk with wooden benches, a stone fountain and an amazing view of the entire length of the northern coastline as well as a view of the harsh White Mountains. Going back to the intersection we can proceed to Thimia and Plativola, beautiful small villages with cypress and olive trees and from there towards Drakona and then Therisso. The road climbs up and down the northern part of the Cretan Madara through very tall cypress trees, ancient olive trees and plane trees. The view is truly magnificent stretching from Rethymnon all the way to Kissamos! In the beginning you get a glimpse of the imposing rock formations of the Cretan Madares with the lonely brown mountain ridge surrounded by clouds and then you go up and down the same mountain range. Crooked deviations; huge boulders; constant, irregular stone shapes at quite an altitude it is worth walking as far as your feet last!