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Sougia, a village on the south-west coast of Crete

where the gorge meets the sea

At the southern edge of western Crete, where the Agia Irini gorge meets the Libyan Sea. One mountain road from the north, or the coastal ferry.

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A village at the end of the valley.

A small village where mountain gorges spill into the Libyan Sea, wild trails go on for hours and the pace of life slows down. AVYSSOS sits at its edge.

~2 h
Drive from Chania, over the White Mountains
7.5 km
Agia Irini gorge, ending at Sougia
4
Villages by ferry: Paleochora, Agia Roumeli, Loutro, Hora Sfakion
~1.5 km
Pebble beach, east of the harbour

The four elementsI – IV

We did not invent experiences. We paid attention to what was already there.

Four elements shape life on the southern coast of Crete. Each one is different from the last, and each one is worth being here for.

Waves breaking on the pebble beach of SougiaIsea & boatswaterWater runs from the mountains to the sea.Sunny pebble beach under tamarisk branchesIIlight & slow dayssunThe sun stays for around 2,800 hours a year.Tamarisk trees bent by the wind on the Sougia seafrontIIIwalks & gorgeswindThrough the gorges and off the open Libyan Sea.A rainbow over the green valley above Sougia after the rainIVthe year in SougiaseasonsSeven months of season and five of silence.

moments of Sougia

Open the gallery
From the pebbles up to the sea
A young lamb nosing through the grass
Oleander above the boats in Sougia harbour
The village and the long beach seen from the hill
An olive tree on a stone terrace above the sea
Wild purple flowers on the hillside

when the beach empties

At the end of the day the whole village comes down to the sea. The sky over the bay turns orange and pink, the tavernas light their lamps and people walk the promenade before dinner. In September and October it all happens a little earlier, and a little more quietly.

People strolling along the seafront promenade past the tavernas at duskThe promenade at dusk
The lifeguard tower and the beach in golden evening lightGolden hour on the beach
Straw umbrellas and the wooden walkway on the beach at sunsetThe last sunbeds
A lone figure on the long empty beach of Sougia under silver cloudsThe beach to yourself

A game across SougiaElyros

The hunt for Elyros

Follow a lost seal through the village to five fragments of a forgotten city, and see what they draw in the night sky. On your phone, on foot, for guests of AVYSSOS.

Launching with the opening

Opening planned for 2027Sougia

Come and stay in the village.

AVYSSOS plans to open in 2027 at the edge of Sougia, on the quiet road down to the harbour. Leave your email and we will write to you first when reservations open.

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