Beaches and geo routes provide concrete points of reference for a stay in Káto Zákros. Two routes begin in the village and head north and south, respectively; a geo route through the Zakros Gorge reaches Káto Zákros from Epano Zakros. If you’re looking for hotels in Kato Zakros, you can compare the trails by starting point, direction, and destination.

Two routes with different beach destinations

Geo Route 12 begins in Káto Zákros and heads north along an old, clearly identifiable trail. Its destination is the secluded beach of Karoumes. This gives you a clear combination to consider when choosing a route: a start in the village, a northerly direction, and a secluded beach as the endpoint. Check local conditions before setting off.

Geo Route 11 also begins in Káto Zákros, but follows the old coastal trail south. It passes through the Fangromouro area and ends at Katsounaki Beach. This makes it possible to distinguish the route from its destination: Fangromouro is along the way, while Katsounaki is the beach at the end. For this route too, it is advisable to check local conditions before setting off.

Both routes start in the same village, but differ in direction and course. If compass direction matters to you, the northern Geo Route 12 is an alternative to the southern Geo Route 11. The endpoints also provide a concrete point of reference: Karoumes is the secluded destination of Route 12, while Route 11 passes through Fangromouro and leads to Katsounaki Beach. This lets you make your choice based on direction and the named beach destination.

The Zakros Gorge as a route reference

Geo Route 10 does not begin in Káto Zákros, but in Epano Zakros. It leads through the Zakros Gorge, also called the Gorge of the Dead, and reaches the village. On this route, Káto Zákros is the destination; Geo Routes 11 and 12, by contrast, start in the village. If you would like to include the gorge in your plans, you can distinguish between a route that ends in Káto Zákros and routes that begin there.

A geo route through the gorge leads from Upper Zakros to Lower Zakros and passes the Minoan cemetery and the archaeological site of the Palace of Káto Zákros. These two sites are along the way; Lower Zakros is the destination of this connection. This offers a different kind of reference point from the beach routes: here, the course through the gorge and the archaeological sites passed along the way provide a basis for choosing.

When looking for hotels in Kato Zakros, the village’s role in the route is a useful planning consideration. Geo Routes 11 and 12 start there, while Geo Route 10 reaches the village from Epano Zakros. So consider whether you want to choose a route that starts in Káto Zákros or whether the village serves as the destination for your gorge route. This lets you connect your choice of place to stay with your planned route, without treating the different starting and ending points as if they were the same.

Consider beaches and trails together

Káto Zákros has beaches. Combined with the named beach destinations along the geo routes, this provides a concrete way to compare the coastal trails: Geo Route 12 heads north to secluded Karoumes, while Geo Route 11 heads south to Katsounaki Beach. The Zakros Gorge offers a different route reference, with Káto Zákros as the destination of Geo Route 10 and archaeological sites along a geo route through the gorge. You can decide which of these points of reference is most relevant to your stay based on the direction, starting point, and destinations mentioned.

Discover more destinations: Vrouchas, Agios Ioannis, Nikithianos, Anatoli, Pacheia Ammos, Koutsounara, Gra Lygia, Kalivos

For the overview of the wider region: Lasithi.