Loutro

Crete

Accessible only by boat, or an extremely long walk, the village of Loutro is a waterside retreat, perfect for anyone wishing to disappear into a time warp and enjoy a truly carefree seaside holiday. Situated in the wild region of Sfakia, in the south west of the island, the small bay that encloses Loutro borders the Libyan Sea and is sheltered by the peaks of the White Mountains to the north, lending it an altogether magical and enchanted setting.

The jumble of white buildings that make up the village all face towards the sea and make a very appealing sight when glimpsed from the approaching boat for the first, or even the hundredth, time and after stepping down the gangplank Loutro's summer visitors are never disappointed, unless of course they are seeking the tacky trappings of a commercialised resort.

Just a handful of small hotels and apartments, a few tavernas and cafés and a few small shops is the sum total of Loutro's man-made attractions but its natural assets are apparent everywhere. The sea is clear and full of different varieties of fish, whilst the hillsides are covered in pathways shared with the local goats and exposing more stunning views at each turn.

Many guests choose to spend their days in indolent splendour reclining on a sunbed by the pebbly shoreline, where the major entertainment is the arrival and departure of the few daily ferries from Hora Sfakion and Agia Roumeli, at the foot of the famous Samaria Gorge. The more energetic can walk to the neighbouring bays of Sweetwater or Marmara or up to the old village of Aradena. Alternatively, small canoes can be hired to paddle in the bay or a water taxi taken to the neighbouring beaches, to Agia Roumeli or to Hora Sfakia. A longer excursion to the island of Gavdos, the most southerly outpost of Europe, can also be undertaken by the more adventurous.

In the evenings, the tavernas gradually fill and many new friendships are forged over a sociable meal and a jug or two of wine. Laughter and good conversation seem to be the most popular shared pursuits of Loutro's holidaymakers and the waterside setting, not to mention only the shortest of strolls, or staggers, home to bed, certainly enhance these pleasures.

The picture-postcard village of Loutro