Samaria Gorge

The Samaria Gorge is in southwest Crete in the regional unit of Chania at White Mountains. The gorge is 18 klm. longand it is the longest gorge in Europe.

It's name is taken from Samaria village, which owes its name to the Byzantine church Osia Maria. During Turkish domination, Samaria village was used as hideout.

The path to the gorge begins from Omalos, from Xyloskalo with altitude 1227 m.  and ends in Agia Roumeli, a seaside village in southern
Crete.

Samaria Gorge is a National Park of Greece since 1962. It houses many endemic species of birds and animals and the most famous is the Cretan goat, known as kri - kri. Also, in the gorge grow rare herbs and plants such as wild dictamo and wild flowers.

Source: www.yallou.com