Kourtaliotiko Gorge

The Kourtaliotiko gorge cuts south through the mountains behind Rethymno and comes out at Preveli, where a palm-lined river meets the sea. Sheer rock on both sides, waterfalls at the bottom of a long stair, and a chapel cut into the cliff at the top.

It is a day trip rather than a walk: the drive in, the descent, the water, and the beach at the end of it. We arrange it with Routes — the family's own excursions company — so the guide is somebody the desk knows by name rather than a booking on a platform.