Dourakis Winery - Argiroupolis - Lake Kournas

Dourakis Winery: Enjoy a wonderful drive on Chania- Rethymno highway that runs along the north coast of Crete. Leaving Chania behind you will turn right towards Vrisses which is located 32 km’s before Rethymno. Being surrounded by the fascinating natural habitat that the island of Crete has to offer you will be lead to a stone building that has made the Dourakis family very proud of their own identity on the island. In the last 28 years the winery has created a trusted reputation for developing quality wines and is proud to have a solid, increasingly growing, distribution network across Crete. The concentration on quality and care during the vinification process and the love of traditional Cretan grape varieties, as well as international grape varieties, in wine production has resulted in popularity and sales both at home and abroad. You will have a tour in the courtyard of the winery, the botanical garden and then to the production and storage area of wines, to learn all the secrets of production and bottling. Then you will have a tasting of 5 different wines accompanied by delicious Cretan nuts and olives.

Argiroupoli is a picturesque village with some 400 permanent residents. One of the most characteristic architectural features of the village is that several architectural parts of ancient constructions have been reused in recent buildings and are well visible. Argiroupoli is a historic village, as it is here that in 1878 it has been declared the Unification of Crete with Greece. At an almost exotic location called “Piges” which means sources, there are many perennial plane trees, small waterfalls, ponds, many streams with crystal clear flowing waters that move several watermills. You will have lunch in a local taverna, tasting delicious food in an environment that truly opens the appetite.

Lake Kournas is the only lake with fresh water in Crete. It is situated in a magnificent location, surrounded by high mountains and olive groves. It is a rather small lake, known from antiquity with the name Korisia The relaxing and beautiful landscape is ideal for nature lovers. In Lake Kournas, there are two fountains with only one of them being visible, especially during the end of the summer: the Eye, as the locals call the fountain. This natural lake was created by the holdback of the underwater that comes from the White Mountains, the resistant rocks and the lie of the natural cavity. Basically the lake is a huge hollow which is fed from the southeast side with water due to its soil. On the way back to Chania, you will have free time at the lake to take photos, enjoy the landscape and have some coffee or ice cream if you wish.