Kotsifou Gorge
The Kotsifou Gorge ( Greek Φαράγγι κοτσιφού , "Blackbird Gorge") is located in the regional district of Rethymno on the Greek island of Crete . It is a little west of the Kourtaliotiko gorge, the second major breakthrough of a mountain stream through the Kouronaos massif to the south coast of the island in the area of the municipality of Finikas . Both gorges are passable on roads.
The country road that leads through the gorge from the north was not paved until the 1960s. It connects the district capital Rethymno with both the port city of Chora Sfakion and the tourist town of Plakias . The stream through the gorge usually has no water in the warm season.
The gorge forms a local weather divide with north winds. South to the sea, the wind is intensified by downdrafts and the jet effect, north of the gorge, at the same time, there is often almost no wind in the mountains. The amount and frequency of rain is also very different.
The northern entrance to the gorge is at the village of Kanevos at an altitude of around 450 meters. After a few switchbacks you come to a narrow point where the overhanging rock faces almost seem to touch. Further down the gorge widens and offers a view of the bay of Plakias. Left and right, the barren walls of the gorge, over 200 meters high, form an attractive contrast to the green landscape in the north.
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Coordinates: 35 ° 13 ′ 15 ″ N , 24 ° 24 ′ 3 ″ E