The spectacular south-west coast encapsulates the best of Crete – dizzy mountain scenery (all peaks and gorges – Samaria is at its heart), a sparkling sea and some fine beaches. Paleochora is the only settlement of any size here. With a crumbling Venetian fortress above and a Blue Flag beach to each side (one pebble, one sand), a winding drive through the mountains is the only way in other than by sea.
There are plenty of restaurants and cafés above the sea or in the main street. In the summer evenings there is a positively cosmopolitan atmosphere, as both roads are sealed to traffic. The main beach is of fine golden sand and stretches for nearly a kilometre – it affords superb swimming. Inland, the mountains conceal many small villages and offer wonderful walking, perhaps through Agia Irini gorge as an alternative to popular Samaria.

Boats run to the foot of Samaria (and on to Loutro), to ancient Lissos, remote Elafonissi island, or simply for spotting dolphins. During high summer Paleochora can be hot and windy. In the early season, there is the bonus of countless wild flowers up in the hills.
Loutro is the stuff of Greek holiday fantasy. Unrealistically pretty and quite tiny (pop. 100!), you can only reach the village on foot or by boat – there are no roads and no cars! Guarded by steep mountains all around, Loutro is set around a sheltered bay, the whitewashed blue-shuttered buildings reflecting into a sea of aquamarine clarity. Half-a-dozen waterfront restaurants serve an amazing variety of dishes for such a tiny place, and there are a couple of café-bars and small shops for essentials. Canoes can be rented from the white-pebble beach to explore nearby sea caves and beaches, and a small boat runs to others. Of course this is superb walking country (try Imbros Gorge) and the hotel is happy to give further information. Much of the time Loutro is peaceful, but it does get busy with Greeks at weekends and in the high season. For a complete break in an idyllic setting, you could do no better than Loutro.