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Vritomartis Hotel is situated on
the South coast of Crete, one km before arriving at the village
of Hora Sfakion (also known as Sfakia).
Hora Sfakion is situated by the Libyan sea, 75 km from Hania,
155 km from Heraklion and 80 km from Rethimnon.
For more detailed
information about the region, how to get to it and get around,
go to
Sfakia-Crete.com.
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Map of West Crete (200 Kb)
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Getting
there by car
To reach Vritomartis
Hotel you drive on the National Road along the North coast
and turn off at the village of Vrisses. From there on it is
a 40 km drive towrds the South on a good but very curvy road
to Sfakia.
Once you finish driving the spectacular road leading down
from the mountain to the coast and the road becomes straighter,
drive another km and you will see Vritomartis Hotel on your
left (there is a sign). If you miss the entrance (easy to
do because the hotel itself is set quite far back from the
road) you will come to a BP petrol station. This means that
you have gone too far and need to turn back a few hundred
meters.
Alternatively
, if you come from the South-East you can drive along a coastal
road, past the villages of Frangokastello, Agios Nektarios
and Komitades. When you reach the road coming down from the
North, follow the same instructions as above.
If you want
to rent a car locally (airport delivery available) please
check Sfakia
Tours
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Getting
there by bus
There is a
direct bus from Hania which leaves at 8.15am, 11.00am and
14.00pm. It returns from Hora Sfakion at 7.00am, 11.00am,
17.30pm and 19.00pm.
If you are coming) from Rethimnon or Heraklion you will
need to get off at Vrisses and catch the bus coming from
Hania. The trip from Hania to Sfakia takes about 1 hour
45 minutes. The bus will let you off at the turn to the
hotel (ask the bus conductor)
Please note that this timetable is subject to changes. You
can call the KTEL bus station in Hania on (0821)
93306
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Getting
there by taxi
A
taxi from Hania
airport to Hora Sfakion costs Euro 60. From Heraklion
airport it costs Euro 90. Taxis from the hotel can be ordered
through reception.
The hotel can organize transfers to and from the airports.
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Boats
on the South coast
There is a boat
once a day from Paleohora (9.30am) and Sougia (10.00am) to
Hora Sfakion
There are numerous boats from Hora Sfakion to Loutro and Agia
Roumeli (and vice-versa )in the summer (10.30am, 12.30pm,
14.30pm, 16.45pm and 19.00pm), less often in spring and autumn.
The trip to Loutro takes about 20 minutes, the trip to Agia
Roumeli (via Loutro) takes about an hour.
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Airports
in Crete
There
are two airports in Crete at Hania and Heraklion. Both airports
are situated a short taxi ride away from the cities (14
km from Hania and 4 km from Heraklion) Heraklion has more
arrivals than Hania (charters as well as domestic flights
from Athens) but is situated further away from Sfakia (155
km as opposed to 75 km for Hania). If you want to come specifically
to Vritomartis you are better off flying to Hania.
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Getting
around in the region
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As mentioned
elsewhere, the region of Sfakia is wild and mountainous
and the road network is not very developed. There is one
main road linking Sfakia to the North coast. It is a very
scenic route, passing through the mountains. The road is
in excellent condition but has a lot of curves.
Another road follows the coast towards the East, eventually
getting to Plakias on the coast or linking with the road
to Rethimnon. This is a pretty narrow road and not recommended
if you wantto get from A to B quickly.
The only
other road leads up to the plateau of Anopolis (12 km) and
the traditional heart of the Sfakia region. It is a good
road rising in hairpins above the sea. From the village
of Anopolis, you can carry on to Aradena and Agios Ioannis,
which is where the road ends. There are also a number of
dirt tracks (used by shepherds) leading into the mountains.
If you want
to move along the West coast you need to use the boat connections
(several times a day from April to October) or walk on the
many ancient paths.
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Local
buses
There
are a few local buses, to Anopolis and Rodakino
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Taxis
There
are only a few taxis in Hora Sfakion so if you are planning
to use one (whether for a local trip or to the North coast)
it is advisable to book it in advance (through the reception).
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On
foot
The
region is a walker's paradise, especially in the spring
and autumn (July and August is generally too hot unless
you go high up into the mountains). More information about
walking in our activities page.
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By
boat
The
regular boats to Loutro and Agia Roumeli provide an easy
way to visit other areas of the South coast. The trip is
short (20 minutes to Loutro, an hour to Agia Roumeli) and
the views of the coast and the high mountains are superb.
You can also go all the way to Sougia and Paleohora but
the boat runs only once a day (in the afternoon) so that
you would not be able to return on the same day.
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