Katholiko Monastery
Katholiko Monastery
4.5
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4.5
156 reviews
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Very good
34
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9
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1
Benjamin C
47 contributions
June 2023
this was really amazing. When we got to the start of the hike, the monastery there was actually closed so we proceeded with the hike. They told us that the descent takes half an hour. We went slowly stopping frequently for pictures and a few times to make sure we were going the right way which sometimes we were not. Luckily, there were other people on the trail to get us back on track. The views all around were fantastic. Eventually, we made it to the remains of Katholiko monastery, which is every bit as cool as I had hoped. From there, we were really not sure where to go, but saw some blazes, scampered down one steep stretch, and then were on the right track and it was another 10 or 15 minutes to the water. The water area definitely exceeded my expectations. I was not sure if in fact anybody would want to swim at all, but we all had brought bathing suits, were hot from the hike, and the swimming was spectacular! The water was absolutely crystal clear and swimming with the mountains around us was amazing. Everybody really loved it. I was a bit anxious about getting back before dark. Since it took us about an hour and a half to descends, I was estimating it might take two or 2 1/2 hours to get back up. Luckily, it was one of the longest days of the year. As it turns out, we went up much faster than we went down! We got back to the starting points in about 50 minutes. Our kids ages 9, 12, 14 and 17 has no trouble with the hike and really loved the experience.
Written 30 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lina
Slap ob Idrijci, Slovenia16 contributions
Sept 2021 • Family
One of the best experiences of our holidays on Crete!
You have to go to Gouverneto monastery and then through it- to Katholika. The path is very nice and tidy, with view all the way down. The katholika monastery is great, beautiful, has the "spirit". I recommend you to hike on the other/opposite hill where you will get a nice view of whole monastery.
I also recommend to get water and a snack and good shoes or at least sandals (no flip flops). Anyway, definitely recommend !
You have to go to Gouverneto monastery and then through it- to Katholika. The path is very nice and tidy, with view all the way down. The katholika monastery is great, beautiful, has the "spirit". I recommend you to hike on the other/opposite hill where you will get a nice view of whole monastery.
I also recommend to get water and a snack and good shoes or at least sandals (no flip flops). Anyway, definitely recommend !
Written 16 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danielle M
23 contributions
Sept 2022 • Family
A lovely spot where you can visit a monastery and then wonder down a track past caves and old ruins. Beautiful and interesting. We would have loved to have continued on to the bay but ran out of time. I would suggest 4 hours for a leisurely stroll, trip to the monastery, trip to the bay and stops for snacks. The monastery can be reached with a hire car however we got a maxi cab from Chania and it cost €50 each way. Some people walked in flip flops but I would recommend trainers and plenty of water.
Written 12 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Conram
Giv'atayim, Israel413 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
This is how I got to the Katholiko monastery. We started at the Gouvernetou Monastery (presently being renovated). We parked the car at the entrance and walked through the monastery without visiting it. If it is closed go around along the north wall. When you get to the other end you will see a gate existing the monastery walls, there's a small clearing with a memorial and beyond that there is a marked clear path.
A thoroughly enjoyable walk with lots of stairs. You first reach the Αrkoudospilios cave (Bear Cave) you will need a flashlight. After the cave we returned to the path and continued downwards, many more stairs. We eventually reach a complex that begins with the cave of St. John the Hermit (here you will need lights strapped to the forehead to visit inside, you will need both hands free one to hold the lead string and the other to help crawl through small openings), then a small church, followed by the remains of the Katholiko Monastery on a bridge across the Avlaki gorge.
At this point you can choose to return to the parked car or try to find the path descending to the Avlaki gorge and continue along the gorge down to a fjord. I didn't find it and anyway had started a bit late so we decided to return before it was hot. I recommend starting very early, since the path provides a view to the east try and get to Gouvernetou around sunrise and see it from the pathway, that way you are sure to return before it is hot even if you go down to the fjord. In summer it would probably be better to do it in the afternoon depending on the weather and the time the sun sets.
To find the Gouvernetou monastery on Google maps you will have to search for the full name "Moni Kirias ton Aggelon Agiou Ioannou Erimitou Gouvernetou, Chania, Hellas" cahanging to satellite view will allow you to see the pathway almost all the way to the Katholico complex but that's when it vanishes into the shade of the gorge.
The walk from Gouvernatou to Katholiko monasteries and back is about three hours easy walking, The distance is 1.5 km, 3 for there and back but some sections are very steep with many stairs you descend 200 meters along the 1.5 km there and ascend all that on the way back. If you continue to the fjord there's another 100 more meters to descend and climb back.
The path was beautiful with wonderful scenery and since it was still spring full of flowering plants and the smells of Cretan herbs, I thoroughly recommend it.
There is no good link to this hike that I could find. Here are some of the links
Arkoudospilios Cave:
http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-west/EN-Gouverneto-Monastery-Arkoudospilios.html
The Cave of St. John the Hermit:
http://www.cretanbeaches.com/Caves/Chania-Caves/cave-of-agios-ioannis-the-hermit/
Katholiko Monastery:
http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-west/EN-Katholiko-Monastery.html
Avlaki Gorge
http://www.cretanbeaches.com/Gorges/Chania-Gorges/avlaki-or-katholiko-gorge/
A thoroughly enjoyable walk with lots of stairs. You first reach the Αrkoudospilios cave (Bear Cave) you will need a flashlight. After the cave we returned to the path and continued downwards, many more stairs. We eventually reach a complex that begins with the cave of St. John the Hermit (here you will need lights strapped to the forehead to visit inside, you will need both hands free one to hold the lead string and the other to help crawl through small openings), then a small church, followed by the remains of the Katholiko Monastery on a bridge across the Avlaki gorge.
At this point you can choose to return to the parked car or try to find the path descending to the Avlaki gorge and continue along the gorge down to a fjord. I didn't find it and anyway had started a bit late so we decided to return before it was hot. I recommend starting very early, since the path provides a view to the east try and get to Gouvernetou around sunrise and see it from the pathway, that way you are sure to return before it is hot even if you go down to the fjord. In summer it would probably be better to do it in the afternoon depending on the weather and the time the sun sets.
To find the Gouvernetou monastery on Google maps you will have to search for the full name "Moni Kirias ton Aggelon Agiou Ioannou Erimitou Gouvernetou, Chania, Hellas" cahanging to satellite view will allow you to see the pathway almost all the way to the Katholico complex but that's when it vanishes into the shade of the gorge.
The walk from Gouvernatou to Katholiko monasteries and back is about three hours easy walking, The distance is 1.5 km, 3 for there and back but some sections are very steep with many stairs you descend 200 meters along the 1.5 km there and ascend all that on the way back. If you continue to the fjord there's another 100 more meters to descend and climb back.
The path was beautiful with wonderful scenery and since it was still spring full of flowering plants and the smells of Cretan herbs, I thoroughly recommend it.
There is no good link to this hike that I could find. Here are some of the links
Arkoudospilios Cave:
http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-west/EN-Gouverneto-Monastery-Arkoudospilios.html
The Cave of St. John the Hermit:
http://www.cretanbeaches.com/Caves/Chania-Caves/cave-of-agios-ioannis-the-hermit/
Katholiko Monastery:
http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-west/EN-Katholiko-Monastery.html
Avlaki Gorge
http://www.cretanbeaches.com/Gorges/Chania-Gorges/avlaki-or-katholiko-gorge/
Written 11 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gianluca P
Caerano di San Marco, Italy22 contributions
July 2017 • Solo
You can only reach this monastery walking through a simple and ruined path through rocks and beautiful views over the sea. It will take some time (about half an hour) to go down there but it is definitely worth it: at the end of the journey, you will find a still and quiet place in the middle of nowhere.
Throughout the walk, just let your mind go slowly and admire the beautiful scenery around you: wilderness, nature, the sea.
It's all so good.
Go there!
Throughout the walk, just let your mind go slowly and admire the beautiful scenery around you: wilderness, nature, the sea.
It's all so good.
Go there!
Written 29 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Giulia P
75 contributions
June 2018 • Couples
This Monastery is the oldest on the Akrotiri peninsula and the hardest to reach.
It was built in the 11th century and its ruins are beautiful and impressive.
The hike is not easy, but the view of the mountains and the sea on the way down is stunning. We definitely recommend to wear trainers and bring lots of water.
The hike starts just a few meters from the Monastery of Gouvernetou (you need to open the door to the fenced area). First you will see a WW2 memorial and then the path descends. After 10/15 minutes you will arrive to the cave of St John the Hermit where you can rest and admire the huge bathing tank.
Hiking down another 10/15 minutes you will reach the ruins of Katholiko. They truly are magnificent and we felt at peace surrounded by nature and silence.
From there you can continue to the gorge and the sea.
The hike back up is extremely tiring, but we think it is definitely worth the effort.
It was built in the 11th century and its ruins are beautiful and impressive.
The hike is not easy, but the view of the mountains and the sea on the way down is stunning. We definitely recommend to wear trainers and bring lots of water.
The hike starts just a few meters from the Monastery of Gouvernetou (you need to open the door to the fenced area). First you will see a WW2 memorial and then the path descends. After 10/15 minutes you will arrive to the cave of St John the Hermit where you can rest and admire the huge bathing tank.
Hiking down another 10/15 minutes you will reach the ruins of Katholiko. They truly are magnificent and we felt at peace surrounded by nature and silence.
From there you can continue to the gorge and the sea.
The hike back up is extremely tiring, but we think it is definitely worth the effort.
Written 19 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bruzhania
Vilnius, Lithuania112 contributions
July 2014 • Family
Visited the site in July 2014 - this is an amazing place combining natural beauty, architectural monuments and Christian history. The path goes from Gouverneto Monastery (which is under reconstruction at the moment, but you can see its yard when the monastery is open) and down the hill. Halfway you see the White Bear Cave (a small ruined chapel built next to a cave). You can ring the bell there. Continue down and you will finally reach the Katholiko Monastery - there is an ancient bridge, a chapel built in the hill, remains of some buildings and a path leading to the sea or to remains of some buildings on the other side of the gorge. You can also see some caves on the side of the mountain, which most probably were used by monks earlier, but they are really very hard to reach (unless you are a professional hiker or you have very good shoes :)) The atmosphere there is really fantastic. We did not take the path down to the lagoon, but went the opposite way, in an attempt (a failed attempt I must say) to reach some other buildings on the side of the hill, which you can see from the Gouverneto hill. Unfortunately, we started out pretty late and had some kids with us, so we only went halfway. The nature in the gorge is fantastic, goats walking along, cicadas singing. Take plenty of water with you.
Written 19 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
familyof6plusadog
Washington DC, DC459 contributions
Aug 2019
There is the "new" monastery close to the carpark. It is only open sometimes: closed Wednesday and Friday and only open 9-12 and after 5 (I think) on the other days. There is also the old monastery which is a 30 minute hike downhill (about 1 hour hike back uphill - so bring water). It's worth it, if you're into old churches, and the view of the water is beautiful.
Written 11 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Livelife88
Perth, Australia565 contributions
June 2018 • Couples
Nice, relatively easy hike. Really cool to see the monastery at the end. Recommend to step into the cave on the way down, has a really eerie feeling and is completely silent inside.
Written 25 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Charles K
Haarlem, The Netherlands321 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
If at the monastery you need to pay 2.50 pp for entering but also for just hiking into the gorge.
Its steep going down, passing a cave and a well and until the ruins of Katholiko (monastery) its a 30 m downhill but an exhausting and steep 1 hour uphill. Not for the weak, elderly or the ones who dont bring water.
The monastery is not that interesting. Better visit the one 5 miles away
Its steep going down, passing a cave and a well and until the ruins of Katholiko (monastery) its a 30 m downhill but an exhausting and steep 1 hour uphill. Not for the weak, elderly or the ones who dont bring water.
The monastery is not that interesting. Better visit the one 5 miles away
Written 19 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are there certain hours or days that the monastery is open?
Written 23 August 2018
Yes, the hours are 9-12 and 4-6 pm, it’s closed Wednesday and Friday.
Written 29 October 2019
To do this walk do you need to wear trousers or will knee length shorts be ok? The sign suggests shorts are not appropriate.
Written 11 August 2018
Do you have to keep walking past the cave of the bear? Or do you walk back up the stairs and go in the opposite direction? Because I've been to the cave of the bear and to try and continue on looks like you are walking off of a clif?
Written 17 February 2017
follow the steps down to the left when you reach what seems to be just a cliff edge, then past the cave entrance down some more steps to the monastery ruin itself and the bridge, which you can see from the cave and is only 50m at most i think. From here there is a rough path down into the bottom of the valley itself, but the monks ask people not to go down there and it doesn't look easy, so take a look around and go back up the steps the way you came down.
Written 18 February 2017
Do you have to keep walking past the cave of the bear? Or do you walk back up the stairs and go in the opposite direction? Because I've been to the cave of the bear and to try and continue on looks like you are walking off of a clif?
Written 17 February 2017
Hi, yes you continue walking past the bear cave, down the steps, they are quite steep but you don't go over the cliff! When you get to the bottom you will see the ruined monastery which spans the gorge, there is also a small chapel . If you wish to go to the sea the way down from the monastery is very vertiginous and slippery (not a proper path) but then you walk over stones etc to the water.
Written 21 February 2017
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