Avlaki Gorge at Katholiko

Avlaki gorge is located at the area Arkoudovounia in Melecha Cape, near the monastery Gouverneto , 16km east of Chania city . It is one of the most important gorges in Crete with a particular religious value, as many monks and hermits found shelter in its caves.

Inside the small canyon there is the deserted Katholiko monastery , one of the oldest monasteries in Crete; therefore, the gorge is also called Katholiko Gorge . The gorge is not accessible in all its length, but there is a paved path that starts from the Monastery of Our Lady of Angels Gouverneto and heads to Katholiko monastery .

Walking in the path is easy, but quite downhill, so the return is a bit tiring. After 10' of walking, you will meet the Cave Arkoudiotissa with the ancient temple of Artemis .

From there the trail becomes steeper and the scenery rougher. After 10 more minutes, you arrive at the abandoned monastery of Katholiko and the cave of Saint John the Hermit , who lived here.

The cave is very deep (151m) and whoever wants to walk inside it must have a torch.. From the monastery, one can walk along the riverbed for more 15-25 and reach the exit of the gorge to the sea, after meeting the caves where the hermits lived in the past.

At the exit of the gorge, a narrow and rocky fjord is shaped with deep blue water. There is a small Venetian well, a small harbor where the monks parked and repaired their boats and the quarry for the building materials of the monastery.

Also, here is a boat-shaped rock, which is said to be a pirate ship that was petrified by the curses of the abbot of the monastery.