Editing Sfakia (section)

==Description==

The road from [[Chania]] to Sfakiá crosses the island from north to south, through the village of [[Vryses]]. From this village the route crosses the White Mountains ([[Lefka Ori|Lefká Óri]]) to [[Hora Sfakion|Hóra Sfakíon]] ({{coord|35|12|N|24|08|E|}}) by the [[Libyan Sea]]. Halfway from Vrisses to Hóra Sfakíon is the fertile plateau of [[Askifou]], surrounded by high mountain peaks. From here to Hóra Sfakíon the road is particularly spectacular. The road hugs the western slope of the [[Imbros Gorge]] offering scenic views. Another scenic route is that leading from [[Kapsodasos]] to the plateau of [[Kallikratis]], northeast of Hóra Sfakíon. 

There are many beaches in Sfakiá which do not see the numbers of tourists of the northern coast. More adventurous visitors can follow the European hiking footpath [[European walking route E4|E4]] which crosses Crete through Sfakiá's mountains. The coastal villages are not connected by a coastal road, but can be reached by ferry boats.

Not far east from Hóra Sfakíon is [[Frangokastello]], literally "[[Franks|Frankish]] castle". The [[Republic of Venice|Venetian]] fortress here was built in 1371 to deter pirates and unsuccessfully, to control Sfakiá. It is largely ruined but is picturesquely set on a wide sandy beach with the towering White Mountains behind. [[Daskalogiannis]] was captured here in 1771.

Accessible only by boat from Sfakiá is [[Loutro (Chania), Greece|Loutro]], a small seaside village with some archaeological ruins, a few houses, small hotels and tavernas. Loutro is car-free; cars must be parked in Hóra Sfakíon or Paleohóra. In the north of Sfakiá is the fertile plain of Askyfou. The Sfakía region is crossed by many gorges, among which is the famous [[Samaria Gorge]].  All these gorges run from north to south and all end in the sea. Many of them can be walked, several even by inexperienced walkers. The region is inhabited by rare animals, like vultures and eagles, and the ''[[kri-kri]]'' (or ''agrimi''), the wild Cretan goat. The coast of Sfakiá is on the Libyan Sea, which is inhabited by a diminishing fish population, but occasionally dolphins, and even whales may be seen. The idea of inaccessibility and ruggedness has played a key role in how Sfakia has been represented since at least the 18th century and it is reiterated in various ways today by tourists and locals.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kalantzis |first1=Konstantinos |title=Tradition in the Frame: Photography, Power and Imagination in Sfakia, Crete |date=2019 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=978-0-253-03712-1 |url=http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=809238}}</ref>

The local speciality, "Sfakian Pies", are thin pancakes filled with [[mizithra]] cheese and served drizzled with honey.