Marmara Beach – Aradena Gorge loop from Loutro

Hiking trails & Routes

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Marmara Beach – Aradena Gorge loop from Loutro

Hard

4.9

(122)

652

hikers

Marmara Beach – Aradena Gorge loop from Loutro

05:35

12.1km

790m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Last updated: October 15, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Εθνικός Δρυμός Σαμαριάς

Waypoints

Start point

Restaurant

Get Directions

75 m

Marmara Beach

Highlight • Beach

Marmara Beach can only be reached on foot or by boat-taxi, for example from Loutro. One of the special features of the bathing area are the small caves into which you can swim. Due to the marble rocks, the water has an incredibly great, turquoise color.

In the tavern above the beach you can relax and unwind. Many reserve a table there.

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175 m

Aradena Gorge

Highlight (Segment) • Gorge

The car can be conveniently parked at the upper entrance to the gorge by the bridge. From there, paths lead down on both sides of the gorge. Follow the main path through the gorge to Marmara Beach. Another path leads from the beach in the direction of Livaniana over the plateau back into the gorge. So you can make a circular route out of the hike.

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4.01 km

Aradena Gorge

Highlight • Gorge

Hike over Livaniana, the ancient ruins in the gorge. Highly recommended

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4.59 km

View of the Aradena Bridge from the gorge

Highlight • Gorge

The view of the bridge from below is fascinating. When you're in the gorge and a car crosses the bridge, that sounds scary. Great building 🇬🇷👌🌞😎👍

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5.31 km

Ruins of the Abandoned Village of Aradena

Highlight • Historical Site

Aradena was nearly wiped out in the 1950s by a vendetta (blood revenge). At the beginning of the conflict there was said to have been a goat bell that two boys fought over.
Family and family honor are precious in Crete. Even supposedly minor offenses such as land disputes or the theft of animals can hurt this honor and, in the worst case, lead to murder.
In any case, only those who fled and never returned could save themselves.
Today many ruins and a cemetery bear witness to the history of the village.

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5.69 km

Vardinogiannis Bridge (Aradena Bridge)

Highlight • Bridge

Impressive bridge as a steel structure and covered with wooden planks. The wooden planks make it quite noisy when a vehicle drives over them. The planks then rattle a bit.

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6.50 km

Aradena Gorge Entrance

Highlight • Gorge

On both sides of the gorge, the serpentine paths lead downwards.

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11.5 km

Aradena Gorge

Highlight • Gorge

Aradena Gorge in bloom at the end of April…wonderful!!!

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12.1 km

End point

Restaurant

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

9.79 km

1.38 km

734 m

119 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

9.79 km

757 m

723 m

576 m

150 m

119 m

Elevation

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Weather

Friday 23 October

24°C

16°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

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Comments

May 27, 2024,Aradena -> Marmara Strand

We drove to Aradena by car and then walked to the coast and then back again.
At the start, you go through the abandoned village and down a staircase into the gorge. Before there was a bridge, you had to go down a staircase on the other side of the gorge.

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June 6, 2022,Spektakuläre Aradena-Schlucht bis zum Marmara Beach

First of all: The tour is only suitable for hikers with a head for heights and alpine experience. In many places you have to climb using your hands, the pictures partly give an impression of it.
The tour is not 10 km but about 5.5 km long. The GPS just has a hard time in the narrow gorge. But actually …

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May 8, 2022,Aradenaschlucht

By car to the village of Aradena, which is practically deserted. Behind the kiosk we go down between the ruins via a well-made staircase to the dry riverbed. After a short time you can see the iron bridge again, over which we came to the village. If a car drives over it, you have the feeling that the whole gorge …

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June 6, 2022,Aradena - Marmara Beach

Taxi from Sfakia to Aradena Bridge costs 35 euros. Hiking distance is only 6.5 km. Komoot has a problem with the GPS position because of the narrow canyon. A head for heights and surefootedness are a must. There are always small climbs over larger rocks and descents over scree. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes. Swimming trunks and towel for …

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May 12, 2025,Aradena kloof (Kreta)

We took a taxi from Chora Sfakia to Aradena bridge to start the walk from there. After the walk we walked a bit further to Loutro (via E4). There we took the boat back to Chora Sfakia.

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May 10, 2025,Aradena Schlucht 2025

Last year, the sections weren't secured with safety chains.
We had 1 liter of water per person with us: that was clearly not enough to walk down and back up the canyon.

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April 15, 2022,Escursione da Aradena a Loutro passando per le gole di Aradena

Beautiful excursion from the abandoned village of Aradena, where there is a small bar, down the Aradena gorges to Marmara beach (another bar present) and then up to Loutro where there is ample availability to stay overnight. The excursion is simple, with some parts slightly exposed and to be approached with a little attention. The path is well marked.

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October 24, 2023,Aradena – Marmara Beach Runde von Ανώπολη

The Aradena Gorge was one of the most beautiful hikes in Crete.
A few years ago the path was well maintained thanks to EU funding, unfortunately this is no longer the case.
There is a lack of maintenance in several places.

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