Hiking Katholiko Bay and Monastery, Crete: Akrotiri Peninsula’s Hidden Gem

The best way to reach Katholika Bay is by car. In Crete, I used DiscoverCars for my car rental and I was happy with the service and options I had for cars.

While you can get as far as Agia Triada using buses, the walk from there to the start of the hike adds 4.1 km of walking each way.

The hike to Katholiko Bay starts at Gouverneto Monastery not far from the Chania Airport and the beach of Seitan Limani. When you are searching for directions, make sure you put in Gouverneto Monastery as your destination and not Katholiko Bay. From Chania, it is approximately a 35-minute drive so it is a perfect day trip destination. To reach Gouverneto Monastery you drive past Agia Triada, which is the last place you can purchase water or use the bathroom. Past Agia Triada, the road turns into a dirt road with some switchbacks. You do have to drive carefully so you do not damage the underside of the car.

Parking at Gouverneto Monastery is free but there is a small cash only entry fee for the path.

At the entrance to the hike, you do have to pay a cash-only fee, 2.50 euros when I visited. You also need to make sure to have your shoulders and knees covered as you will be denied entry if you are not wearing appropriate clothing. They are a bit more lenient with men if their shorts are above the knee.

To start with you hike through the gardens of the Gouverneto Monastery. It’s just a small area but it is well-kept. After a short flat section, the path starts to get rocky and goes down into the gorge. At the start of your walk, you can look across to the mountain and see the abandoned Monastery of St. Anthony on the hillside.

Before descending into the gorge and seeing the ancient Monastery Katholiko, there are some interesting sites at the top. One must see on the hike is the Arkoudospilios Cave. Arkoudospilios Cave means Bear Cave and when enter you will see why. Arkoudospilios Cave contains a stalagmite that when viewed from the side, looks like a bear. It’s in front of a pool that has been built up to store water.

The cave is a welcome reprieve from the blazing sun outside but do not be tempted by this water. The cave is also a reprieve to goats that drink from the water collected here. I did see people washing their faces with this water and I would avoid it because there were goat droppings in the pool.

This cave has quite a history. There are inscriptions on the cave that indicate that it was used for the cults of Artemis and Apollo before being dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Of course, there is lore about the bear stalagmite with one legend saying that the bear is the figure of Artemis and another saying that ascetics that lived in the cave prayed to the Virgin Mary because the bear was drinking their water and she petrified it.

This cave has been an important religious site for ages. Now, you will find a small chapel inside and a dedication to the residents of the Akrotiri executed by Nazis. Arkoudospilios Cave and others in the area were used as a refuge in World War Two by partisans during the Battle of Crete.

Hiking Down to Monastery Katholiko

If you keep an eye out, this the perfect spot to see lizards. Nice and sunny, plenty of rocks. It’s home to the endangered Cretan Wall Lizard which can only be found in Crete. Katholiko Bay is also home to some beautiful wildflowers including multiple orchids and the dragon arum.

After exploring the cave, you begin your descent towards Monastery Katholiko. There are fantastic views of the Sea of Crete from here. Serpentine trails will take you gently down to Avlaki Gorge. The walk down is not overly difficult as it is cobblestone and has stairs but it is completely exposed to the sun.

At the bottom is the Monastery Katholiko. This is the only truly technical part of the hike as there is a small section near the bottom that does not have a proper staircase and you will need to climb up a rocky section. In the photo below you can see this technical section that leads from the left side and curves down a rocky section. As a shorter-statured person, I did find it a bit difficult to do the large step up here that is required and it turned into more of a small climb.

Monastery Katholiko and the Monastery of Saint John the Hermit (Ioannis the Hermit) flourished in the Byzantine Empire. Monks lived in the caves of the area, including the caves you can see high in the cliffs here. Founded in the 5th or 6th century, this is the oldest monastery in Crete. When St. John the Hermit died, this area became a huge monastic village. Because of this, this is an important pilgrimage site every year on October 7th for St. John the Hermit’s Day.

Around the monastery there is also a small cave here where you can explore some more stalagmites and get a break from the heat of the sun.

Around Katholiko Bay there are broad views of the mountains and Avlaki Gorge. There is a small cape made of red sandstone here that offers views of the clear teal water. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a sea turtle feeding at the inlet. I spent a lot of time here watching the sea turtle I saw. Crete is home to three species of sea turtle (Loggerheads, Green, and Leatherbacks) so you may get lucky.

The big reason people do this hike is to see Katholiko Bay and Fjord. This small fjord is stunning. The shades of aquamarine to teal to dark blue that it forms are beautiful. It is a highlight of the Katholiko Bay hike. While you are asked not to swim here as it is a religious site, people still do. There are stairs down to the water but it is quite slippery.