Where we are.
At the foothill of the White Mountains, Apokoronas is a region in the prefecture of Chania, blessed with calming beauty and Cretan grandeur. the village of Vafes is found in the midst of cypress and olive trees.  It is a  traditional and preserved settlement with a great history built with carved stone by the named “pelican" Apokoronas' clan many centuries ago, on mountainsides of the Municipality of Krionerida, where the source of the rivers of the nearby villages Vrises and Georgioupoli come from.
The approximately 170 inhabitants of Vafes, involved mostly with agriculture, have also beeen very active concerning environmental matters and preservation of the cultural heritage. The people of Vafes engage in Agro-Tourism activities. This attracts many visitors to the village. 

Pioneers in Agro-Tourism.
In the past few years the locals have created a company named “Vafes Co.” thus forming the foundation for the development of the area, and a good reason to keep the younger population from leaving the place they were brought up in. Cultivation of organic olive oil, restoration of traditional buildings for visitors and even  setting up a business such as a carpenter’s workshop, a grocery with local products and a newspaper promoting the areas development, are a few of Vafes Co. activities.

The Hotel "Kalamato"
Kalamato is the first hotel created within Vafes. The two renovated stone built houses offer six double rooms and one triple. From their balconies the surrounding forests, the snowcapped White Mountains and the Gorge of Krionerida can be viewed. The rooms have their own kitchen, bath with hot water, individual heating plus air-conditioning, satellite TV and internet access. Kalamato Hotel is ideal for all seasons.

Life with the locals of Vafes.
The locals of Vafes lead a peacefull life, and offer a warm welcome to the vistor. 
The taverna “Kourtsa”, situated in the biggest mansion of the village, is the two floored house of  the“Skordilis” family, and was built in 1616. There you can enjoy the internationally renowned, healthiest in the world, Cretan cuisine. The succulent dishes served are made with meat from local producers, wine, organic olive oil, snails and wild greens from the surrounding countryside. Often in the taverna, musicians gather to celebrate and sing rhyming couplets passed on from generation to generation accompanied by the traditional instruments of laouto (lute) and lira.
In the village grocery shop you can find regional products. Organic olive oil, cured olives, local wine, raki, honey, home made fruit in syrup sweets, pastries made with top quality ingredients, bread and biscuits baked in a brick oven, local cheeses and more.
The locals have restored the village olive-press and turned into a museum where you can relive the olive making experience the way it was done for centuries using the enormous millstones and heavy wooden presses.

The people and their history.
Kalamato Hotel has taken its name from the main cave of Vafes, one of the many in the area. The well known cave of Krionerida went down in history when in 1821 during the Greek revolution, the Turks asphyxiated 130 women and children of the village that sought refuge in the cave. The people of Vafes are proud of their history which begins during Venetian occupation. The villagers have taken part in all of the Cretan uprisings, some of them became great revolutionary leaders. Their children excelled around Greece as well as in Greek communities around the world. 

Nature.
Geographically Vafes is ideally situated for someone who wishes to explore the real Crete, away from the mass tourism industry. You can hike trails that lead all the way up into the White Mountains or just go out for a drive through all the villages of Apokoronas.
You can visit one of the many caves, or take a relaxing walk through the Gorge of Krionerida.
Visit the two Venetian bridges, the watermills of the river Boutaka, the many chapels and the 1000! year old monastery of the Asomaton(without bodies) Saints. Worth noting is that the monastery was privately restored.
All of the above are within a three kilometer radius.
If you choose to wander off further, you will then find the villages of Nippos, Fre, Tzitzife, Alikambo and Embrosnero. Versatile landscapes, Byzantine and Venetian monuments and a plethora of activities offered by Apokoronas await the visitor all year round. Even the beach of Georgiupolis is but a few kilometers away from Vafes (10 min by car).

Necessities.

The capital of the Municipality of Krionerida is the little town of Vrises, just three kilometers from Vafes, and on the riverbank of Boutaka. There you can find banks, medics, pharmacies, post office and anything else you might need during your stay.

How to get to Vafes.
Vafes is south side of the Chania Rethimnon highway as you approach Vrises (Municipality of Krionerida). When coming from Chania turn right to Vrises. Near the town center a right turn takes you to Vafes (3 km.)

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