At the "foot" of the Lefka Ori - White mountains-, an area blessed by its calming beauty and Cretan grandeur, Apokoronas is located in the prefecture of Chania. There, among the cypress and olive trees you will find our village Vafes.

The area

A historical, traditional and preservable settlement, built of stone carved by the named "pelicans" of Apokoronas, centuries ago.
This happened up in the mountainsides of the Municipality of Krionerida, where the rivers of the nearby villages Vrises and Georgioupolis have their springs.

You get to Vafes from Vrisses, when taking the branch towards south into the mountains in the middle of the village at the supermarket “Inka”. Short before the village Vafes is a larger parking area with a good visible sign of the “Greek Ministry of Education and Culture” pointing to the Chapel of Agioi Asomatoi.

A cart road with stairs (picture right) leads down into the Valley to the place of worship. Building remains at the wayside and an old threshing place point to, that this place was a popular place of settlement for centuries and - how active construction completely suggests - is still today.

Compared to other chapels of that time it reveals a special feature. Instead of the usual pictures from the life of Christ and depictions of Saints, the Church walls in the entire interior are painted with geometric patterns in a colour which evokes associations of dried blood.

Excavations revealed that the chapel was build on an older, larger church from the 6 - 7 Century. A nave with narthex (anteroom open to the interior hall of early Christian churches), parts of the walls, the floor and the base of the altar were uncovered (picture left from the report of the Greek Ministry of Education and Culture). North of the building are remains of a second nave in the ground. Tombs were discovered East and West of the Church, some with burial objects from this time. North-East of the Church the remains of a building with three rooms were uncovered which is dated at same time.

An info sheet of the Greek Cultural Ministry names a group of vessels as findings of this excavation (picture below, right), a bronze belt buckle in shape of a cross and a small twin column with inscription that refers to Bishop Epiphaneios.

Cave of Krionerida

Then continue your way to Vafes and turn left at the monument. Downhill, before the entry of the small Gorge is a place with a goat fold yard, where you can comfortably park your car. Here begins the well laid, signposted hiking trail to the Cave of Krionerida. We recommend, as always on Cretan ways, sturdy shoes.

The cave Krioneridas acquired sad famous in 1821 during the revolt against the Turks. Inhabitants of the village had fled to protect in the cavern, but were detected. The Turks kindled a fire and everyone in the crawl space under the Earth choked. The mortal remains of the victims are located in a shrine at the entrance of the cave and a Memorial commemorates the cruel fact (fig. below left).

Exploring the cave is very difficult because it is only crawling "accessible", as shown in the picture below, photographed lying on the back towards exit. The room is a cleft that extends more to the back. The dark smoke traces of fire on the cliffs are still today readily identifiable. An exploration of the cave by NLUK members is planned; this we will be reported with a separate info leaflet (and new images).

Back in the friendly daylight, follow on your way back, just before the climb to the cavern, the sign towards left to the simple but well-kept Cave Chapel of Agios Jannis. It goes over the creek and an impressive, natural portal, which is formed by a huge down fallen rock.

Vafes village

There are about 170 residents in Vafes, involved mostly with agriculture, but also highly motivated in the past few years with matters of the environment and preservation of the cultural heritage. The residents are highly activated in Agro-Tourism.
This attracts the interest of visitors in the settlement.

In the past few years the local residents have created the company named "Vafes SA". So, they laid the foundation for the development of the area, and they kept the younger population from leaving the place where they were brought up.

Cultivation of organic olive oil, restoration of traditional buildings for visitors and even the set-up of business such as a carpenter's workshop, a grocery with local products as well as a newspaper promoting the areas development, are a few of Vafes SA activities.

Krionerida Cave

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Anemos apartments in Rethimno, West Crete

Stochos apartments in Agia Galini, Rethimno

Silde apartments in Chania, West Crete

Manolis Rooms in Paleochora, West Crete

Delta studios and apartments in Chania West Crete

Anopolis Village in Sfakia, Chania-South Crete

Tsivaras village in Apokoronas, Chania, West Crete

Kokkino Chorio village in Apokoronas, Chania, West Crete

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Perivolia in Chania, west Crete traditional villages

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Spina Village, Paleohora, west Crete traditional villages

Xirosterni village in Apokoronas, Chania, West Crete

Tzitzifes, Chania - Apokoronas West Crete Villages

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Margarites Village by Rethimno

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Venetian Period (1204-1669) in Chania

Frangokastelo Fortress. History and tradition

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White mountains in Chania. Lefka Ori West Crete

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Agios Nikitas palm forest

The Traditional routes