Katholiko Bay, Crete | 3/25/26
- Izzy Risitano
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
After college graduation, there comes a time when friends no longer gather at the local bar. Rather, reunions are thousands of miles from home, at places we'd never heard of before.
Morgan, Paisleigh, and I chose Crete of all the islands in Greece because it would allow for hiking just as easily as exciting restaurants, old city streets, and nightlife. Unfortunately, it rained for much of the trip, and we hiked less than anticipated. Yet, I feel 100% confident we chose the right hike for our trip.
From downtown Chania, the start of the Katholiko Bay hike was about 40 minutes away— just north of the airport on the Chania peninsula. There was plenty of parking at the start, just before Gouverneto Monastery.
While it seemed admittance was allowed to the public at the first monastery, we were not dressed appropriately to enter and politely walked our exposed knees by. Immediately on passing the monastery, the hillside opened up to unbelievable views of the Sea of Crete. To the immediate left, we also spotted St. Anthony’s Monastery in the distance, which appeared to be standing sturdily.
Though I had researched the hike, I had no idea how many ancient sites we would pass on our journey from summit to sea. As we meandered down the beautifully kept trail, we came up to the Arkoudospilios Cave, where I repeatedly explained “oh my gosh,” until Morgan and Paisleigh joined me under the dripping cave ceiling.
Arkoudospilios, translating to “bear” in English, has a commanding bear-shaped stalagmite. The shape, however, is hard to notice amongst the overall wonder in the cave. Immediately to the left of the entrance of the cave is a small chapel. The chapel is dedicated to partisans lost during World War 2 at the Battle of Crete, and was previously a meeting place for the cults of Artemis and Apollo, for which there are inscriptions along the cave walls. Today, though, the cave is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
As we left the cave, adorned with ruins on the outside, I was sure this hike would not get any cooler. Yet, to my surprise, we soon began to switchback towards the gorge that homes an ancient monastery and famed hermit cave.
Both the Monastery and the cave were last active during the Byzantine Empire. If it has been a while since you took a history class, that was in the first couple of centuries! Many monks lived in the surrounding caves, seeking refuge from the world as it was. Saint John is believed to have lived there between the 5th and 6th centuries, where he became so fragile and malnourished from eating herbs and figs that he was weakened to the point where he could only walk on all fours. In his inhuman figure, he was accidentally killed by a hunter’s arrow. The hunter had mistook the Hermit for a goat.
Past the cave, we were all in disbelief at how many pieces of the Katholiko Monastery, particularly the bridge, still stand strong. The Monastery has several massive windows and underground chambers where you can’t help but wonder how many people once occupied the gorge. Moreover, the pirate takeover that led to the monastary's fall incited even more curiosity.
While easy to miss amongst the grandeur of the Monastery, there is one scramble section blazed with a white/red mark on the rocky path down Avlaki Gorge. We wiggled our way down the short, steep part, then had a quick but very sun-exposed route to the sea. When we arrived at the site of the old harbor, there was little remnant of the dock that had stood, but enough to imagine what it may have looked like. The water in itself was so captivatingly clear that it was hard to grapple with its inaccessibility and forbidden swimming rule. Still, the view was unlike any hike I had ever done!
As we turned around, we slowed enough to gaze at some of the sheep and goats in the area, but otherwise enjoyed the heart-pumping effort back up to the height of land we had descended from.
Though just 3.34 miles in totality, this hike earns a place amongst my favorite hikes, and was undoubtedly the trip’s highlight. History and hiking pair quite well together!
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