Samaria Gorge Opens

Samaria Gorge opened on Wednesday 22nd April 2009, earlier than the official opening date of May 1st, due to warm weather and little rainfall throughout April. Local weather conditions are the deciding factor for the opening date each year. During the winter months, rains and melting snow water running through the gorge make it impassible.


The Chania Forestry Department has warned guides and tourist agencies organising tours of the Gorge to alert visitors about the precautions necessary in order to make the journey through the Gorge as safe as possible.

"Visitors must comply with the notices placed along the length of the path, be in good health and physical condition for this kind of activity, wear appropriate clothing and shoes, carry a mountaineering stick and know the spots along the path where there is a higher risk of falling rocks," forest department officials stressed, warning that the climb down required strong knees and a good level of fitness.

In 2006 a Frenchman was killed after being hit by a falling rock in the gorge, and two months later a 14 year old Austrian boy suffered head injuries after being struck by a falling rock in the same spot. In 1993 flash floods led to the deaths of a number of gorge hikers.

At 16km in length Samaria Gorge is one of the longest gorges in Europe. The spectacular gorge is a National Park and boasts magnificent flaura and fauna, particularly at this time of year, in spring.

Kali Anastasi

Kalo Paska



Watch out for the flying firecrackers coming your way

Χανιά - Chania

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Out and About

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Bleak predictions for Greece bankruptcy and tourism woes

More bleak predictions for Greece today.
The Greek government is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and the National Health service, for example, could all come crashing down at any minute. The Greek government owes billions to medical suppliers, pharmacists and doctors and these bills are going unpaid. Doctors and pharmacists have threatened to cut off services and supplies to patients under the National Health scheme until their bills are paid, and their actions in recent months have included strikes and the withdrawal of some services. Medical suppliers remain unpaid from state hospitals and some of these businesses may be forced into bankruptcy as banks have started cutting off loans, refusing to lend on the back of Greek government debts to companies, seeing the government as uncreditworthy.

It's not just the health sector that is affected of course, recent strikers include many unpaid teachers, lawyers and tourism workers. While on the one hand Greeks are worrying about the coming tourism season and drop in tourist arrivals, on the other staff at the Acropolis in Athens have closed the site with a series of strikes demonstating against pay delays and job cuts, ensuring even fewer visitors and a decline in tourist confidence in the country.

Holiday bookings -- mainly from Britain, Germany and, lately, also eastern Europe - are already down about 15 to 20 percent from 2008, according to the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (POET).

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