Chania Kournas

General information

The traditional village of Kournas is built at an altitude of 250 meters and is located 4 km from Lake Kournas, the only natural freshwater lake in Crete. The northern side of the village offers magnificent views of the sea, while its southern part overlooks a valley at the foothills of the White Mountains.

DISCOVER CHANIA WITH OUR TOURS!
Book an unforgettable Tour in Chania or get there with your own rental car.

In this small village, time seems to have stood still: the men of the village discuss the news of the day at the coffee house, the women chat about what they are going to cook for the day and the carefree children play in the street.

One of the first things you will notice is the central square, with a ceramics workshop standing opposite the coffee house and a nice tavern serving delicious salads and meat dishes. Strolling through the village, visitors will see many renovated traditional houses. The narrow streets are wide enough for a donkey to pass by, while cars can be driven on the new, wider roads.

More about Kournas

While in Kournas, you can visit a number of medieval churches, the oldest of which, that of Saint George, was built around the end of the 12th century. The other ones are the chapel of Agia Eirini (1362 AD), which is adorned with old frescoes, that of Agia Varvara, and that of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, which boasts an ornately carved wooden altarpiece.

One kilometer away from the village, there is a cave adorned with spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations, but, unfortunately, access to the cave is restricted.

In the valley south of the village, you can stroll along the so-called Azilakas path, a circular trail passing through dense vegetation in an area brimming with evergreen oaks and running streams.