With a symbolic walk along the route Agios Ioannis – Holy Monastery of Koudoumas, the launch of the “Asterousia Trails” The Hiking Trail Network of the Municipality of Gortyna will take place on Sunday, 28 June 2026 , an important project that showcases the unique natural and cultural heritage of Asterousia and enhances the prospects for the region’s sustainable development through rural tourism.
The project comprises an organised network of eleven hiking trails with a total length of 40.6 kilometres, which have been upgraded with modern signage and infrastructure, offering safe, high-quality hiking experiences to residents and visitors. The network showcases unique landscapes, impressive geological formations, cultural heritage sites, traditional settlements and areas of particular environmental value, helping to establish Asterousia as a distinctive destination for hiking and nature tourism.
At the same time, this initiative brings to a close a series of information and awareness-raising events for residents, local authorities, businesses and the general public in the region’s settlements and unique landmarks, which attracted keen interest from the participating speakers and attendees; whilst, to support the project, a wealth of locally inspired promotional material was produced with the aim of further showcasing the region.
The first hike will take place along the route Agios Ioannis – Holy Monastery of Koudoumas, one of the most iconic routes in the network. The route follows the coastline of the Libyan Sea and leads to the famous Holy Monastery of Koudoumas, offering unique views of southern Crete and combining the natural beauty with the history and spiritual tradition of the place. Its moderate level of difficulty makes it suitable for walkers of all abilities.
The schedule for the day is as follows:
- 09:30 – Meeting at Agios Ioannis (outside the “Gialos” café)
- 10:00 – 11:30 – Hike to the Holy Monastery of Koudoumas
- 11:30 – 13:00 – A visit to the monastery, refreshments and free time
- 13:00 – 14:30 – Return walk to Agios Ioannis
- 15:00 – Completion of the action
Health cover for the initiative will be provided by the “Son of Zeus” Volunteer Rescue Team, helping to ensure the hike takes place safely.
Participation is free. For safety reasons, there will be a limit on the number of participants; therefore, anyone interested is invited to register by Friday, 26 June 2026, by email at asterousiatrails@gmail.com .
The Municipality of Gortyna invites residents and visitors to take part in the opening of the new network and to experience one of the most beautiful routes in Asterousia at first hand, as we mark the start of a new era for hiking and rural tourism in the area.
The “Asterousia Trails” The project is being implemented by the Municipality of Gortyna, with funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0”, representing a flagship initiative for the protection, promotion and sustainable development of the Asterousia Natural and Cultural Reserve.
Project contractor: ETAM S.A. – GEORGIOS PETRAKIS
Source: asterousiatrails.com