Location
Mili Gorge
Mili, Rethymno
Mili Gorge – Mili, Rethymno
Mili Gorge is a green oasis just a few minutes from Rethymno — a world running across the grain of everyday Cretan life. Instead of a sun-scorched landscape, there is cool air, shade, and the sound of flowing water, while abandoned stone mills and houses of the former village create a setting like a story left unfinished. This is a place where plane tree leaves filter the light and the path leads through a silence that has nothing to do with tourist bustle. Ideal for a walk, an escape from the heat, and a small journey back in time.
Description
Mili Gorge (Φαράγγι Μύλοι) lies about 5 kilometers southeast of Rethymno, in a small valley leading toward Mount Vrysinas. Access is straightforward: an asphalt road leads to Neo Mili, where you can park and enter the marked trail. The terrain is easy and accessible for most visitors — a walk there and back takes about 1.5–2 hours, depending on pace.
The gorge is remarkably green for Crete. Plane trees, oleanders, wild grapevines, and fig trees grow here, and water seeps from the rocks even in the middle of summer. The main attraction is the ruins of two former villages: Pano Mili and Kato Mili. For centuries, numerous water mills operated here — once more than a hundred — supplying Rethymno with flour and olive oil. Today, their stone structures stand abandoned, often entwined with vegetation, some partially collapsed, which lends the place a distinctly melancholic atmosphere.
The route follows a comfortable path, crossing small bridges and passing springs and the remains of agricultural buildings. In high summer, the gorge offers natural coolness, making it one of the most pleasant walking routes near Rethymno. There are no difficult ascents or sheer drops, though the path can be slippery after rain. It is suitable for adults, families with children, and anyone who wants to see a different side of the island — greener, quieter, and rooted in the history of everyday life.
A small taverna operates nearby, and the walk can be extended as far as the old aqueduct and higher viewpoints. Mili Gorge is not a dramatic mountain trail, but rather a calm path through Cretan past — ideal for a morning or late afternoon, when the sun begins to soften.
Location
Mili, Rethymno
Coordinates: 35.33751, 24.50371