Theriso Gorge south of Chania in Crete

The gorge of Theriso, south of Chania city, is a very nice destination for a day trip if you stay in Chania, or the tourist resorts west of Chania. The gorge is located about 16 kilometres from Chania and about 20 kilometres from Agia Marina and Platanias.

The entrance, or the exit, of the gorge lies in Theriso, depending on what direction you come from. You can go by the road train The Little Fun Train to Theriso from Chania, and from other resorts along the coast. Then you will ride in the gorge in both directions.

We usually drive the road that leads to the Omalos Plateau and then we arrive in Theriso by the backway so to speak. If you drive that way and come to Fournes, turn right towards Meskla, Zourva and Theriso up in the mountains. The distance from Meskla to the exit of the Theriso Gorge is one of the most beautiful, and wildest, in the whole of Crete. The Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete lies in Fournes, so you can stop there and enjoy all the splendour if you drive that way.

The church in the village of Theriso has a very different architecture.

There is not much to see in the village of Theriso, but there is plenty to eat. The village is small, yet there are a large number of tavernas, and the reason is the many day trippers visiting the village. Personally, I think the gorge is much more interesting than the village itself.

There is not much to see in the village of Theriso, but this bust of a warrior is quite fun.

Tavernas in the village of Theriso.

It was in Theriso that the politician Eleftherios Venizelos started an armed uprising in 1905 with the aim of uniting Crete with the rest of Greece. The village has been known throughout Crete ever since. Many Cretans go here to see the village where the uprising started.

Memorial statue of politician Eleftherios Venizelos from the 1905 uprising.

WHAT YOU MUST NOT MISS IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA

Don't miss the tomb of Eleftherios Venizelos, which you can read about here »

READ MORE ABOUT CRETE HERE »