This was once a booming factory.

One of many old factories we find along the river in the gorge of Samaria. We now think a place like this is the closest we can get to nature, but in the old days it was actually a buisy place to be! For example, the gorge was considered a “highway” to get to Chania. There were many small factories that used the strong current of the river. Flour and olive oil for the whole region were produced this way. People would come with loads of wood all the way from south Heraklion to use the saw mills.

Με τα χρόνια, ο ποταμός άλλαξε πορεία. Η γέφυρα αυτή είναι πολύ πολύ παλιά. In time, the river has changed it’s course.This bridge is very very old. “ποταμοῖσι τοῖσιν αὐτοῖσιν ἐμϐαίνουσιν, ἕτερα καὶ ἕτερα ὕδατα ἐπιρρεῖ” Αυτοί που μπαίνουν στα ίδια ποτάμια δέχονται συνέχεια άλλα κι άλλα νερά Ever-newer waters flow on those who step […]

Samaria Experience: The Programme

The Samaria Experience – back to the roots of Cretan traditions

The “Samaria Experience” is a unique programme of activities created and run by a prominent family from the villages of Samaria and Agia Roumeli.

For many years Roussos Viglis has been dreaming of conveying his intimate knowledge and deep love of one of the most remote and wildest places in Europe. Finally the time is ripe and the “Samaria Experience” started running from spring 2014.

In 4 days of activities centered around the village of Agia Roumeli and the gorge of Samaria you will get an understanding of what it was like to live in this beautiful but harsh place: how people lived and how they survived in almost complete isolation, what they ate, how they cooked.

You will also discover the gorge of Samaria as very few see it: away from crowds and through the eyes of people who were born and grew up there.

Γλυκό από την βερυκοκκιά μας!

Desert from our appricot tree!

Έλα να δεις εκκλησάκι!
A little church up on the mountain.

Contrasts on the mountains.

Καλημέρα! Πάμε νότια!
Goodmorning! Let’s go south!

This is the south coast of Crete