Crete, island of a thousand flavours: from Chania to the Libyan Sea

Your plane lands in Crete. A transfer takes you to your hotel in the heart of the old town of Chania. The Venetian harbour is yours for a first stroll: cobbled lanes, ochre and pink facades, Ottoman minarets and fountains. Settle on a cafe terrace facing the lighthouse and let the Cretan rhythm gently envelop you.

You head to Paleochora, a seaside village set between two beaches. The afternoon is free: a swim in crystal waters, a stroll up to the ruins of Castello Selino (13th century), or simply a siesta lulled by the murmur of the waves. In the evening, the seafront tavernas serve generous mezze and fresh fish.

The coastal path leaves from Krio beach and skirts wild coves all the way to the extraordinary lagoon of Elafonissi. Along the way, the white chapel of Agios Ioannis watches over the sea from its cliff. Then the spectacle: a lagoon of turquoise waters, sand tinted pink by crushed shells. A place of almost unreal beauty, perfect for a long, contemplative swim.

Perhaps the finest coastal path in Crete. You leave the shore to gain a sun-drenched plateau, then descend to the ancient site of Lyssos: Greek and Roman remains nestled in a green valley, facing an emerald cove. A magical spot, accessible only on foot. The shaded gorges of Selinou then lead you to the village of Sougia, peaceful and authentic, its beach and its unpretentious tavernas.

Sougia is a village where you take your time. You can give yourself over to the beach, plunge into clear waters, read in the shade of a tamarisk. Or, if curiosity calls, a coastal path leads to the tiny fishing village of Pikilassos: a heavenly cove, an unforgettable swim, and the return by boat on the calm waters of the Libyan Sea.

A gorge more intimate and secretive than Samaria. The path ascends a lush riverbed, among centuries-old plane trees and oleanders. Water murmurs over the rocks, light plays in the canopy. At the top, the Omalos plateau: a world of shepherds, flocks and silence. Dinner at the hotel, prepared with local produce, is a moment of mountain conviviality.

From the Omalos plateau, a walk takes you towards the heights of the White Mountains. The panorama is striking: on one side the Aegean Sea, on the other the Libyan Sea, and between the two, the limestone summits gleaming white. The Kallergi refuge offers a spectacular vantage point over Samaria Gorge below. Return to the plateau for a final evening at altitude.

The signature day of the trip. From Xyloskalo, you descend gradually into Europe's longest gorge: sixteen kilometres between soaring walls, millennial cypress forests, and exceptional biodiversity. The narrowest passages, the famous Iron Gates, are breathtakingly beautiful. At the bottom, Agia Roumeli and the Libyan Sea await for a well-earned swim.

The coastal trail hugs the Libyan Sea, passing the 12th-century chapel of Agios Pavlos and its legends. You discover the marble beach of Likos: great white slabs bathed in water of extraordinary clarity. Then Loutro appears, a hamlet of white houses tucked into a turquoise cove, reached only by sea or on foot. The tavernas serve the morning's fish. Time stands still.

From Loutro, a walk takes you to the hilltop village of Livaniana, with plunging views over the sea. Then you descend into the Aradena Gorge: narrow, fringed with oleanders, magnificent. The return via the marble beach offers a final swim in waters of rare purity. In the evening, dinner with your feet in the sand in Loutro.

Boat from Loutro to Chora Sfakion, then back to Chania. The afternoon is free to revisit your favourite spots, make your last purchases at the covered market (olive oil, thyme honey, aromatic herbs), or simply savour a final glass facing the Venetian harbour.