Crete Island Attraction| Loutro: A Secluded and Picturesque Coastal Village with Whitewashed Houses
Nestled in a secluded bay on the southern coast of Crete, Loutro is a picturesque and peaceful village known for its crystal-clear waters, stunning scenery, and serene atmosphere. Explore the traditional Greek-style whitewashed houses, and an off the beaten hiking path with this detailed travel guide.
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Loutro is small but doesn’t disappoint. Even though I travelled all the way from Chania to get here, I felt it was all worth it when I saw the view. It immediately captured my heart with its paradisiacal view, simplicity, brightness, and positive energy that I felt upon arriving in Loutro. Below, the information is all from my personal experiences, and I hope it can help you plan your trip to Loutro smoothly!
Despite its small size, Loutro offers a variety of activities to enjoy. You can take a scenic hike to Sweet Water Beach, or simply relax, swim or snorkelling in the mesmerising blue waters. Even daydreaming in Loutro feels like heaven. Plus, there are some seaside hotels and restaurants that offer breathtaking ocean views, making dining and sleeping an unforgettable experience.
Is the beach in Loutro a sand beach or a pebble beach?
Is a sand and pebble mixed beach. You might need comfortable sandals to walk on it if you don’t like the feeling of walking on pebbles with bare feet.
How to get to Loutro from Chania Crete?
To reach Loutro from Chania, you’ll need to first travel to Hora Sfakion (also known as Sfakia/Chora Sfakion) as there’s no direct road to Loutro. You can get there by car or by bus.
If you choose the latter, be sure to check the bus schedule (choose “Chora Sfakion” as the destination) as the service may not operate daily.
Once in Sfakion, you can either take the ferry or hike to Loutro.
Ferry from Sfakia to Loutro and from Loutro to Sfakia
There are several operators that offer daily ferry rides from Sfakia to Loutro and vice versa, with a travel time of about 20 minutes and a one-way trip cost of approximately 7-10 Euros. The ferry schedule varies from day to day, so it’s advisable to check the timetable at the port upon your arrival in Sfakia.
Hiking path between Sfakia and Loutro (E4)
Both Sfakia and Loutro can also be reached by hiking, which takes about 1.5 to 3 hours depending on your pace and the number of photo stops you make. Personally it took me 3 hours (because I was lost).
My recommendation is to do both the hike and ferry each way to enjoy the stunning views along the hiking path. I suggest starting your hike to Loutro in the morning and stopping at Sweet Water Beach for a swim before spending the day in Loutro. You can then take the ferry back to Sfakia in the evening or consider spending a night in Loutro. Most accommodations are located by the beach, allowing you to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
If you prefer not to hike the whole way, you can also take a ferry to Sweet Water Beach, a beautiful natural spot situated midway between the two destinations, and start a short hike from there.
Important tips for hiking on the path between Sfakia and Loutro: wear comfortable trainers (sneakers) and do it in the morning, when more people are on the path. The most important thing is to make sure you FOLLOW the BLACK and YELLOW signs on the path.
These are tips from my scary personal experience: I got lost walking by myself in the evening, and there was no one walking on the same path as me the whole way. It was kind of scary. Thank god someone showed up and saved me. If you are wondering what happened, the story is here.
Hotels in Loutro, Crete Island
When visiting Loutro, you can stay a night in beautiful Loutro. Hotels in Loutro are mainly with ocean views, but there are not many options, so you might want to book it in advance.
Alternatively, you can also find hotels in Sfakia/Chora Sfakion, which is convenient for transportation to Chania, as well as doing some more hikes and enjoy your walk to Sweet Water Beach and Loutro and take the ferry back to Sfakion.
How to get to Crete Island internationally?
Crete Island has two international airports – Chania International Airport and Heraklion International Airport. You can easily find cheap flights to both cities from Skyscanner.
Alternatively, you can fly to Athens first and spend a few days exploring the city (ideally 2-3 days) before taking a flight or ferry to Crete from Athens.
How to get to Crete Island from Athens?
Athens is an excellent starting point for your Greek Island hopping trips, as there are many ferries and flights operating daily to take you to various Greek Islands. Surprisingly, Athens has many interesting things to see, including some aesthetic and artistic places that will make you fall in love with the city. I would recommend spending 2-3 days in Athens while exploring the Greek Islands.
If you’re going to Crete Island from Athens, here are two ways:
1.Athens to Crete Island by ferry
The popular option to travel to island Crete is by ferry (boat).
There are ferries that operate daily from the port of Athens (Piraeus) to two ports in Crete – Chania and Heraklion. Some days, routes to Sitia and Kissamos are also available.
The travel time by ferry varies from 7.5 to 11 hours depending on the port of arrival.
One advantage of taking the ferry to Crete from Athens is that some ferry companies offer night ferries, allowing you to board at around 10 pm and arrive around 6 am. This means you can sleep on the ferry and arrive in Crete without losing a day to transportation. Most ferries have cabins and more comfortable seating options that you can book, such as the air VIP seats on Minoan Lines.
You can check the rates and availability of ferry tickets to Crete and other islands here.
2.Athens to Crete Island by flight
There are three airports in Crete Island that you can fly to domestically from Athens International Airport: Crete Chania Airport, Crete Heraklion Airport, and Crete Sitia Airport.
The flight time is approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour, and flights operate regularly. To find affordable flights to Crete, you can check Skyscanner.
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