Top 13 Mountain Passes in Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Χανίων

The road is beautifully laid out, has wonderful views, and is not very busy, but with gradients of up to 19%, it's not for everyone ;-)

Quäldich Pass Description: Southern Ascent from Kapsodasos 6.7 km | 643 m elevation gain | 9.6% (~10.4%) The southern ascent begins in the village of Kapsodasos at an altitude of approximately 100 m. The turnoff to Kallikratis is signposted (as of 2018 on a very weathered sign). The route initially heads north for a little over half a kilometer before a veritable hairpin bend festival unfolds over the next five kilometers. The road winds its way up a barren rocky slope via a total of 27 hairpin bends. There is virtually no vegetation along the route, which has its own charm and offers consistently wonderful views, especially of the hairpin bends already conquered and the Libyan Sea shimmering in the distance. The gradient is inconsistent over these first 5.5 kilometers, averaging just over 10%, but quite steep. In addition to battling the steep incline, the author also encountered a rather strong headwind on the ascent, which swept down the slope and added to the effort. After completing the switchbacks, the worst is over, and the route continues relatively flat for half a kilometer northwards before the remaining 700 meters to the highest point of the route, where the final meters of elevation gain must be conquered at a manageable gradient. Once at the top, the route descends for about a kilometer, followed by a gentle climb of almost three kilometers towards Kallikrátis. From there, however, more elevation gain awaits, as one must either tackle the easy western ascent to the Bourolos Pass or the 560-meter climb of the eastern ascent to the Asfendos Pass. Northern Ascent 1 km | 64 m elevation gain | 6.4% (~8.8%)

Quäldich Pass Description: The Kallikratis-Kapsodasos Pass lies not far from the south coast of Crete, between Kapsodasos and Kallikratis. As is often the case in Crete, there is unfortunately no pass sign and therefore no official name for the crossing. It is also not marked on local maps. The owner of Olympic Bike in Rethymnon informed the author that the crossing is known locally as the Kapsodasos Pass, or simply Kapsodasos Pass, based on the starting point of the southern ascent. Elsewhere, it is referred to as the Kallikratis Climb. We cannot and do not wish to commit to a definitive name. This is not a pass in the conventional sense, as the road does not connect two valleys, but rather leads from the south coast parallel to a gorge, climbing a slope into the island's interior. However, like a pass, it does cross a high point. Consequently, the southern ascent can involve a considerable amount of elevation gain, while the northern ascent involves only a slight difference in altitude. As of 2018, the entire route is in excellent condition and has a much better road surface than the surrounding roads. Only in the lower section of the southern approach were there occasionally some stones on the road, which only required extra caution on the descent. Furthermore, the road is mostly single-lane, hardly used, and therefore a real pleasure to drive.

Bourolos Pass 818 m Quäldich Pass Description: Anyone traveling from the Rethymnon area towards the Imbros or Kallikratis-Kapsodasos Passes must first conquer the Bourolos Pass, unless they choose a longer detour via Sellia along the south coast of Crete. The pass runs roughly west-east, with two ascents from the east. The southern ascent offers several options at the beginning. The eastern ascents are quite scenic, while the pass summit itself is barren and unspectacular.

With a maximum gradient of 10% and good asphalt, the road is also very pleasant to ride with racing bikes.

Very beautiful area in Crete

Great view of the mountains

1h for the whole round is very tight :-) & short steep passages