Listen to the tour introductionA short audio preview of this tour
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Crete's Wild West Self-Guided Driving Tour: Kissamos, Falassarna & Elafonisi
Here we go! Our road trip down Crete's rugged west coast begins.
We're starting on the seafront of Kissamos, in the far northwest corner of Greece's largest island. Over the next 40 miles, about 65 kilometers, we'll drive all the way to Elafonisi, a lagoon of pink sand at the island's southwest tip.
Along the way, you'll meet pirates who ruled from an island fortress, and an ancient harbor that an earthquake lifted clean out of the sea. It's stranded in a field today.
You'll hear how sponge divers off these coasts found a 2,000-year-old bronze computer. Keep an eye out for Crete's wild goats on the cliffs. And at the end, we'll visit a monastery with a golden step that, legend says, only the faithful can see.
There's time for a swim, too. Falassarna and Elafonisi are two of the finest beaches in Greece.
The stories play by themselves as you reach each place, and a short direction comes before every turn. The roads are narrow and winding, so take your time and enjoy the views.
Kaló taxídi, which means have a good trip. Let's go!
Top landmarks and attractions included in this English self-guided 1h:54m driving tour in Kissamos
For the best experience, begin at the tour's recommended starting point and follow the stops in order.
Want to start somewhere else? Simply use Start At on the tour screen, before tapping Start Tour, to begin from any stop.
Need to detour or skip a stop along the way? Tap Tour Assistant () to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
Route Preview
Places (POIs) visited during this tour
Place 1
Kastelli, May 20, 1941 Recommended starting point
Distance: 0.00 mi
Ir. Politechniou 116, Kissamos 734 00, Greece
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You're in the heart of Kissamos. Cretans still call it Kastelli, after the Venetian castle whose old walls hide among the streets around you.
Dawn, May 20, 1941. German transport planes came in low over Kissamos Bay, and 72 men under Lieutenant Peter Mürbe dropped into the fields just east of here. This was the start of Hitler's invasion of Crete, the first major invasion in history launched mainly from the air.
Waiting for them was the Greek 1st Regiment: about 1,000 recruits, around 600 old rifles, two weeks of training, and a New Zealand officer, Major Thomas Bedding. Townspeople joined in with whatever weapons they had.
By nightfall Mürbe was dead. Most of his men had fallen. The rest were prisoners in these streets.
On May 24 the dive bombers came, and German mountain troops broke in. The freed prisoners said they had been treated fairly. It didn't matter. About 200 local men were shot anyway.
A morning of courage, then a crime.
Follow this main road straight ahead, west through town.
Place 2
The Pirates of Gramvousa
Distance: 0.80 mi
Ir. Politechniou, Kissamos 734 00, Greece
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The long mountain ridge straight ahead, across the water, is the Gramvousa peninsula. Out of sight beyond its tip, on a rocky islet called Imeri Gramvousa, stands a fortress the Venetians built between 1579 and 1584.
On August 9, 1825, about 300 Cretan rebels walked up to that fortress dressed as Ottoman soldiers. The gates opened. No siege. No battle. Dimitrios Kallergis and Emmanouil Antoniadis had just taken the last great Venetian rock on this coast by pretending they belonged there.
Venice had held the islet until 1692, long after the rest of Crete had fallen. Then the Ottomans sat in it for 133 years, and they had every reason to feel safe.
The rebels didn't. Refugees packed the rock, money ran out, and the islanders turned to piracy, seizing European merchant ships all over the Aegean. They even built a church, which people nicknamed Panagia Kleftrina, Our Lady of the Thieves.
The new Greek state was horrified. In January 1828 its first governor, Ioannis Kapodistrias, sent Alexandros Mavrokordatos with British and French warships to burn the pirate fleet. In the middle of that operation, on January 31, the British frigate HMS Cambrian ran onto the rocks and was lost.
Today, day boats from Kissamos harbor ferry people out to those walls and to the lagoon of Balos. Go, if you can. Just remember what you're looking at: a fortress taken with a costume, and nearly lost to greed.
Tour itinerary stops | Additional places you'll see on this self-guided tour
Place 1 Kastelli, May 20, 1941
Place 2 The Pirates of Gramvousa
Place 3 Olive Oil and the Heart Doctor
Place 4 The Harbor Lifted Out of the Sea
Place 5 Falassarna: Rome's War on a Pirate Harbor
Place 6 Antikythera and the Bronze Computer
Place 7 The Beach Mines of Sfinari
Place 8 The Kri-Kri of the White Mountains
Place 9 Eleftherios Venizelos, the Man from Mournies
Taking a UCPlaces tour is fun and easy.
Download the app (Android or iOS), purchase the tour (either here on the website, or from within the app).
That's it, you're ready to go!
When you want to start the tour, find the tour in the app (via a quick in-app search or by clicking the tour link received in your confirmation email) and click "Start Tour" (headphones recommended for best experience.)
* After purchasing a tour you will receive a purchase confirmation email including the tour link and instructions on how to take the tour, so you don't have to remember anything now.
How does the tour work?
UCPlaces acts as your personal tour guide, providing self-guided audio tours fully navigated within our app using GPS-based navigation. You won't need to switch between external navigation apps.
Whenever you approach a point of interest (POI) on the tour, our app will automatically play the relevant audio story at the right time and place.
If you start the tour before reaching the first POI, the app will navigate you to the starting point and then begin the tour.
How is this more convenient than a traditional tour?
UCPlaces offers an innovative and flexible way to explore exciting destinations on your terms. Here are some key advantages over traditional tours:
No need to commit upfront or purchase in advance; buy a tour only when you're ready to go.
Walk at your own pace.
No waiting for groups; go on your schedule.
Take the tour in your preferred language.
Start, stop and continue the tour whenever you want.
Returning to the same destination? Take the tour again, and again, and again... And bring a friend!
Enjoy preferred prices.
What's included?
A self-guided audio tour taken via the UCPlaces app [iOS (iPhone) / Apple CarPlay / Android / Android Auto].
Tour route map and in-app GPS navigation (via the UCPlaces app).
Audio stories for places visited during the tour.
Apple CarPlay connection (iOS users) and Android Auto connection (Android users); for a seamless driving tour experience.
What's NOT included?
Earphones (highly recommended).
Smartphone.
Any kind of transportation (including tickets and passes).
Tickets to the attractions on your tour.
Food and drinks
Physical tour guide.
Have any questions about this tour? Or a general travel / self-guided tours question? That's completely natural
How long does this tour take?
Most travelers complete this tour in approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on pace, time spent at each stop, and optional detours. Having said that, please remember that self-guided tours are extremly flexible (you can start, pause, continue anytime) and everyone has their own pace.
What does this tour include?
This self-guided driving tour includes 17 stops, covering top attractions such as Kastelli, May 20, 1941, The Pirates of Gramvousa, Olive Oil and the Heart Doctor, The Harbor Lifted Out of the Sea, Falassarna: Rome's War on a Pirate Harbor.
Where does the tour start?
The tour starts at Kastelli, May 20, 1941 (Address: Ir. Politechniou 116, Kissamos 734 00, Greece). You can begin the tour there or join from any stop along the route.
What type of tour is this?
This is a self-guided driving tour designed to be completed by car, covering scenic routes, city highlights and optional key stops.
Can I do this tour at my own pace?
Yes, this is a self-guided driving tour, so you can start anytime and explore at your own pace. You can pause, skip stops, or spend more time at places that interest you. You can even split it into multiple days. Explore however feels right for you. The only vaiables that might affect your pace are speed limits and traffic congestion.
Do I need a car for this tour?
Yes, this is a driving tour, designed to be completed by car, with stops spread across different locations connected by a driving route.
Do I need anything in order to take the tour?
There are two things that you need - 1. A mobile phone (with the UCPlaces app installed and active location services, and a cellular data plan with a decent signal for downloading the tour). 2. A car. Here are some recommendations for a great experience: 1. Make sure your phone is fully charged and bring a charging cable for your car. 2. Connect your phone to the car speaker system via bluetooth or use our CarPlay/Android Auto option for the best experience.
How will I navigate from point to point during the tour?
The tour uses GPS-based navigation through the UCPlaces app, with automatic audio playback and step-by-step directions between stops. This works great either directly from your phone, or while connected to your car's multimedia system and using our CarPlay or Android Auto options. Just follow the route and listen to the audio guide. Use the resume feature to continue from where you recently stopped (or closed the app). Easily skip or go back to stops.
What known landmarks and main sites does this tour have?
The top landmarks and main sites on this tour include Elafonisi, Chrysoskalitissa, the Golden Step, Falassarna, The Pirates of Gramvousa, Antikythera and the Bronze Computer and Kastelli, May 20, 1941. In total, the tour has 17 points of interest along the route.
Is this tour suitable for families or groups?
Yes, self-guided tours are ideal for families and small groups, allowing everyone to explore comfortably without being tied to a fixed schedule.
What makes a self-guided tour better than a guided tour?
Self-guided tours are more flexible, affordable, and personalized. You can avoid crowds, choose your pace, and focus on the stops that interest you most.
I installed the app and it's now asking for GPS and media access permissions, why?
The app is your tour-guide, it needs to know where you are located on the map to be able to trigger the points of interest. It also needs access to audio and media files to provide you with this experience.
What happens if there are unexpected roadblocks or navigation issues?
We have been working hard to deliver a great experience. Though you may run into unexpected obstacles (the world is constantly changing), our app has multiple features and mechanisms in place to help you overcome them, including: AI assistance, force play an audio if you can't reach the stop, skip or return to stops, automatic rerouting and more.
Can I take the tour in my language?
Though all of our tours are primarily in English, many tours are multilingual (including: Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Hebrew, French, Arabic and more...). The tour language options depend on the specific tour - You can easily check which languages are available in the tour screen!
Driving tour
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
