3. Elafonisi - Palaiochora

3. Elafonisi - Palaiochora

The third route of the E4 European long distance path is about 22 kilometers and lasts 5 hours. Its best visiting time of the year is spring, summer and autumn. It is not a difficult route and there are red signs in some of its parts. The route starts from the central dirt road near Chrisoskalitissa, where the road sign to Elafonisi is. You turn right to the intersection after 2 kilometers where a small church is in the left and a building site in the right. After 2 kilometers, you reach Elafonisi, follow the beach to the east and arrive at the dock where the boat from Palaiochora anchors. After 1,2 kilometers, you arrive and pass through the cedarwood of the area. Having passed by the well in the wood, you follow the upward path, pass the Vitsilocharakas hill, go down and, again, up seeing the small Ai Giannis church on the opposite hillock as a road sign. After 4 kilometers, you pass the Agios Ioannis village and head to the southern hillside, turn to south-east and go down to the bay. After the sparse marble columns, you take the path opposite the col and arrive at a beach where a small gorge ends. You follow the beach and, after a while, the dirt road that ends to an asphalted road after 500 meters. In a turn of the road after 6 kilometers, you see the Koundouras bay opposite and Palaiochora is about 4 kilometers after that turn.