Kallikratis is situated off the beaten tourist path, scattered on a small plateau in Lefka Ori (southwest Crete) with an average altitude of 540m. Kallikratis can be reached via Asi Gonia, via Asfendou or via a newly paved winding road north of Kapsodasos that offers stunning views of the Frangokastello plain and the Libyan Sea in the distance.

Kallikrates has become a well known name in Greece, being the name given to the government scheme to overhaul local Municipalities, but in Crete it is also the name of a small Plateau and mountain village in Sfakia (west Lefka Ori mountains) where just three Sfakian families remain (2011).

The village of Kallikratis was the birthplace of the family of Cretan artist Kostas Mountakis.

Located at an altitude of 540 meters, the village and was named by Manoussos Kallikrates, who in 1453, with 1500 men and five ships, led a campaign to defend the area from the Ottomans

Kallikrates is accessible either through the village of Asfendou from the west, Asi Gonia from the east or from the windy road which starts north of the village of "Kapsodasos" and ends in the plateau of Kallikrates. Southwest of the plateau is Kallikratis Gorge, which leads to the village of Patsianos. The gorge is 4 km in length.

Walking the Kallikratis - Argiroupoli E4 path.

Route - Natural environment: The route is the continuation of the E4 northern branch, coming from the administrative region of Chania. After Kallikratis plateau, the path goes down to Asi Gonia, crosses Giparis gorge and ends up at the water springs of Agia Dinami and the village of Argiroupoli.

The prevailing rocks of the region are limestone rocks with firestones, while there are also: A Phyllitic - Quartzose texture (with schist, phyllites, quartzites, meta-basaltic and meta-gabbro rocks) ñ Colluvial deposits containing mainly limestone ñ Breccia and porous dolomites.

Kallikratis is a stockbreeding village with a great amount of water and vegetation surrounding it. The church of Agios Georgios, the patron saint of flocks, is very interesting.

History

Kallikratis has a long tradition of participation in liberation struggles. During the Cretan revolution of 1867, Turkish forces under the command of Omer Pasha tried unsuccessfully to invade Sfakia via Kallikratis.

During the German Occupation, Resistance forces had installed a radio in the Anemospilios cave near Kallikrates. The partisan George Psychoundakis in his book, "Cretan runner" states that he had remained hidden in the cave in the spring of 1942, aided by locals.

In 1943, the paramilitary group of Fritz Schubert (a branch of the German Wehrmacht) looted and burned the village and executed more than 30 people in retaliation for the participation of local people in resistance against the Nazis.

Now that "Kallikratis" is the new benchmark of local government reform, the Sfakian Kallikratis remains a proud corner of Crete.

More west Crete:

• Gorges
• Accommodation
• Beaches
• Plateaus

Patsos gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Topolia Gorge in Kisamos, Kasteli West Crete

Aradena gorge in Sfakia west Crete

The Gorge of Elygia or Eligia, East of Samaria gorge

Galiano gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Deliana Gorge in Chania, West Crete

Tripiti gorge or Trypiti in South Crete Hania

Kandanos Gorge - Spina gorge

Asfendos Gorge in West Crete

Ilinga or Iliga or Kavis gorge in Sfakia, west Crete

Rokka Gorge in Chania, West Crete

Margarites gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Mili or Myli gorge in Rethimno west Crete

Lissos Gorge in West Crete

Sfakiano gorge in Sfakia, west Crete

Ilios apartments in Maleme Chania

Delta studios and apartments in Chania West Crete

Silde apartments in Chania, West Crete

Manolis Rooms in Paleochora, West Crete

Domata Beach by Lefka Ori

Volakas Beach and Paleochora area in Chania, west Crete

Lissos Beach by Sougia

Perivolitsa Beach in Chania, west Crete

Plakaki Beach and Paleochora area in Chania, west Crete

Vatalos Beach in Fragokastelo

Viena Beach, Paleochora

Glaros Beach in Chania, west Crete

Halikia Beach and Paleochora area in Chania, west Crete

Vrisses Beach by Hora Sfakion, west Crete

Xotikospilio Beach and natural beauties in Chania, west Crete

Filaki Beach by Chora Sfakion, west Crete

Marmara Beach by Loutro area in Chania, west Crete

Drapanias Beach by Kisamos area in Chania, west Crete

Gerani Beach in Chania, west Crete

Omalos plateau in the White mountains

Limnakaro Plateau by Lassithi Mountains

Lapathos plateau in the Lassithi mountains

Krapi plateau in the White mountains

Tavri and Niatos plateau in Askifou

Nida plateau in the Idi mountains

Stroumboulas plateau in Heraklion

Anopolis plateau in Sfakia mountains

Erganos plateau in the Lassithi mountains

Ziros - Chandras plateau by Sitia, East Crete

Asfendou plateau in the White mountains

Lasithi Plateau, East Crete

Evdomo plateau in Tilissos

Askifou plateau in the White mountains

Sitanos Plateau by Sitia