The small village of Sougia in the south-west of Crete has managed to remain a small and quiet village. It’s situated 75 km from Chania on a scenic winding road.
Sougia provides a lovely beach with crystal clear sea and cool and refreshing waters due to the sweet water springing from the bottom of the sea. Also impressive mountains, trails for good walks and interesting remains of an ancient city and old Byzantine churches. It offers some basic tourist services, such as rooms to rent and a few taverns and cafes and minimal shopping. About one third of the beach is clothing optional.
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HISTORY
Sougia was the ancient city of Syia, and along with Lissos, a harbour of Elyros, the most important ancient city of the area, located near the village Rodovani.
Syia flourished in the Roman and the 1st Byzantine period. There are Roman ruins and three Palaiochristian Basilicas. In Syia, there are also relics of ancient buildings, walls, hollowed tombs and foundations of Roman houses. It seems that the Saracens destroyed the city.
Lissos was established in the Classical period and flourished until the Late Antiquity. Its name was made certain by inscriptions. Based on inscriptions and coins of the 3rd century BC, we know the city allied with King of Carthage Maga, and joined the Republic of Oreians. The Republic of the Oreians was consisted of the cities Lissos, Syia, Poikilassos, Tarra, Yrtakina and Elyros. Lissos had powerful trading and fishing navy.
In 1957-58 the city was excavated by N. Platon. Ruins of theatre, aqueduct, cemetery, and baths of the ancient times, and Palaiochristian basilicas were discovered. In the area, there were also found many votive objects, which are now exhibited at the Archaeological Museums of Heraklion and Chania. In no other city of Crete, apart from Gortys, so many pieces of sculpture were found. This fact testifies the prosperity and the power of the Asclepieion of Lissos. Lissos had its own coins with the images of Artemis and dolphin and the word LISION.
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THE CACHE
You can park your car by the small harbour of Sougia, at the west end of the bay.
The cache is in the gorge that leads to Lissos, not far from the entrance in Sougia. Good shoes are recommended. The GPS reception may not be the best in the gorge but we tried to place the cache in a wider part of it. Take care of muggles hiking along the path.
The cache is a plastic container that contains a logbook, a pen, the Geocaching note in English and Greek and some goodies to trade.
