Patsos Escape — Restaurant in Municipality of Amari

If you want a taste of authentic Cretan village life, with a side of WW2 history Patsos and Patsos Escape is a must stop. I first learned about Patsos and Crete in the book "Natural Born Heroes" by Christopher McDougall, which describes a wild and successful plot by a couple British spies and a network of Cretan rebels to kidnap one of the commanding generals on the island General Kriepe. The book mentions a cave near Patsos where the general and his captors hid out while tens of thousands of German's searched the island for them. As a bit of a side project my wife and I decided to head to Patsos and see if we could find any trace of the cave where they hid. We found the village and sat down in Mama Maria's cafe to have a cup of coffee and try to get our bearings. I had found the directions to Harakas cave on the Patsos escape website and we were trying to make sense of them. As we sat there looking confused a big barrel chested man walked in saying "Welcome to my village-I am at your service". As soon as I mentioned the book and what we were looking for he said - "That's me, page 307!". Vassilis gave us detailed directions to the cave, helped us get started, and showed us where to fill up our water bottles. After we hiked up through the countryside to the cave we had the pleasure of eating some roasted goat that Maria had prepared while giving a class on traditional Cretan cooking to a group from Poland. The whole experience ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. It was great to see such an interesting bit of history, meet someone I had read about, and experience true Cretan hospitality and...

This September, we had the pleasure of hiking the Patsos gorge with Vassillis, a knowledgeable and charming local guide. Our group consisted of several families with children and adolescents, and Vassillis made sure that everyone had a safe and enjoyable experience.

We started our day in the picturesque village of Patsos, where Vassillis welcomed us with a brief overview of the local culture and history. Then, we set off on our hike through the stunning Patsos gorge.

Along the way, Vassillis shared his knowledge of the local flora and fauna, pointing out interesting plants and animals. He also told us stories about the history of the gorge and the people who have lived there over the centuries.

The hike itself is of medium difficulty, but it is absolutely worth the effort. The scenery is breathtaking, with towering cliffs, lush vegetation, and sparkling waterfalls. We took our time, stopping to enjoy the views and take photos.

After the hike, Vassillis and his mother, Maria, invited us to their home for a delicious lunch of traditional Cretan food. It was a feast for the senses, and we felt so grateful for their hospitality.

Vassillis is a knowledgeable and passionate guide who clearly loves his village and the gorge. He made sure that everyone in our group had a safe and enjoyable experience.

We highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Crete. It is a great way to explore the island's natural beauty and learn about its...

One of the BEST and most authentic experiences we’ve ever had. The tavern is run by Vassilis, who takes Cretan hospitality to an entirely new level. He is so generous with his time, expertise, and knowledge - his passion for Patsos and the Cretan people is contagious. His mother does all the cooking, so you will not only experience authentic local culture but you’ll enjoy home cooked traditional Cretan meals...these were by far the best meals we had in Crete (after five weeks in Crete). You will leave feeling like you are family. Patsos is a gem of a place, with nature right at your doorstep so you can feel fully immersed in the Cretan mountains. It is also centrally located and relatively close to Rethymno, allowing for easy access and day trips to many other parts of the island. Also, if you’re a history buff, this was one of the stops of the captors of German General Kriepe during WWII as they made their escape route through Crete (see Christopher McDougall’s book Natural Born Heroes). You will not regret getting off the beaten path to come here - it will be hard to say goodbye when your...