Dates


Travel to Loutro 2020 

'There is a deep connection among human beings, 
all we have to do is open our minds to it' (Yanni)


Situated in a small bay, accessible only by sea, and surrounded by the rugged mountains of southwest Crete, Loutro is a destination of outstanding natural beauty. It is well worth the extra effort in getting there. Getting to Loutro is a three stage affair. Scheduled flights from various cities in the UK, fly direct to Chania, the nearest airport, or Iraklion. Depending on the time of arrival, an overnight pension in Chania or Hora Sfakion may be required, after which you may take the next morning's 10:30 ferry from Sfakia into Loutro.


Flights to Chania - 2020

Our course arrangements:

- The orientation dinners are on the Sunday evenings at 20.00.
- The Courses & Retreats run over five days from Monday morning to Friday lunchtime
- With the readings dinner on the Friday evenings
- The accommodation week runs Saturday/Sunday to the following Saturday/Sunday 

Flight Options Summary - Research your flight options to Chania on these websites :

- easyjet flights at : www.easyjet.com 
- ryanair fliights at : www.ryanair.com 
- british airways at : www.ba.com                                                                                         

Almost all flights to Crete involve either an early morning flight or an overnight stay on arrival on Crete, and/or late evening return times :
                                                       

London Heathrow - Chania - BA - Saturdays & Sundays :
DEP: 07:25-13:25  RET : 14:20-16:30
Taxi share to Sfakia. Into Loutro 17.00-19.00
More expensive but more convenient for W London

London Gatwick - Chania - easyjet - Saturdays :
DEP   DEP 13.15-19.10 - Overnight Chania or Sfakia - Taxi share to Sfakia – Taxi boat to Loutro ?
DEP 15:45-21:40 - Overnight Chania or Sfakia - Taxi share to Sfakia
RET following Saturday 19.50-21.50 / 22:20-00:25, or Sunday 22:55-01:05,
Or Monday 14:35-16:40 - overnight Chania/Sfakia on Sunday night

London Gatwick - Chania - easyjet - Fridays : 
DEP 08:00-13:55  RET - as for Saturday departures 
Overnight Chania Friday night or 16.00 bus to Sfakia / ferry to Loutro Saturday or Sunday
Or take the 16.00 bus from Chania to Paleohora and stay Friday & Saturday nights 
taking the Sunday morning coastal ferry into Loutro 

London Stansted - Chania - Ryanair - Fridays (10 nts stay)
DEP Friday 07.15-13.15  ( Sunday pm flight arrives too late to join the programme )
Overnight Chania Friday night.  Bus to Sfakia / Ferry to Loutro Saturday or Sunday
Or take the 16.00 bus from Chania to Paleohora, stay Friday & Saturday nights 
Sunday morning coastal ferry into Loutro
RET Sunday 19.35-21.45 - Monday 13:00-15:10 - overnight Chania/Sfakia on the Sunday night

Manchester - Chania - Ryanair - Saturdays : 
DEP: 07.10-13:15 RET: 14.05-16:30
Taxi share to Sfakia.  Into Loutro 17.00-19.00

Bristol - Chania - Ryanair - Sundays : 
DEP : 09.15-15.15  RET : 15.40-18.00 
Rush by bus or taxi to Chania bus station for 16.00 bus to Sfakia 
Or taxi share direct to Sfakia . Into Loutro 17.00 - 19.00                                                            

East Midlands - Chania - Ryanair - Saturdays :
DEP : 12.50-18.50   RET : 19.15-21.25 
Overnight in Chania/Sfakia  ---  08:00 bus from Chania --- 10:30 Ferry to Loutro

Dublin - Chania - Ryanair - Sundays :  
DEP : 06.40-13.10  RET : 13.40-16.15 . 
Rush by bus or taxi to Chania bus station for 14.00 bus to Sfakia
Or taxi share direct to Sfakia . Into Loutro 17.00 - 19.00

Leeds / Bradford - Chania - Ryanair - Saturdays :
service withdrawn or not yet published
DEP : 07.00 / 13:00  RET : 13:25 / 15:40 
Taxi share to Sfakia. Into Loutro 17.00 - 19.00

Birmingham - Chania - Ryanair - Saturdays : 
service withdrawn or not yet published                                                                                     DEP : 14.55 / 20:50 RET : 21:15 / 23.25                                                                            Overnight in Chania. 08:00 bus from Chania 10:30 Ferry to Loutro
Taxi share to Sfakia.  Into Loutro 17.00 - 19.00

Flights to Heraklion - despite the E55 extra taxi transfer to Sfakia fare each way, cheaper more frequent easyjet flights to Heraklion from Gatwick and Manchester may now come into play.  Two or three clients booking together could make Heraklion attractive. 



Transfers On Crete

 
Bus - KTEL – the transfer by bus from Chania Airport to Sfakia is first by bus to Chania Bus Station and then from the bus station to Sfakia. The bus schedules to Chora Sfakion (‘Sfakia’) work with the large ferry times. The timetables vary and all clients should check the latest schedules online 1-2 days before flying :  Bus Timetables : https://www.e-ktel.com/en/services/dromologia

CHANIA-CHANIA AIRPORT-CHANIA – 25 MINS : 25-30 buses per day each way
CHANIA-CHORA SFAKION – 90 mins : 08:15  11:00  14:00   (confirm online)
CHORA SFAKION-CHANIA – 90 mins : 07:00  11:00  13:30  18:30   (confirm online)

Taxi – direct from Chania Airport to Chora Sfakion (‘Sfakia’) - 75 mins - E85
Book with Sfakia Taxi : info@taxisfakia.com  

Boats – times vary from month to month, but 6-8 boats per day between these times:
Sfakia to Loutro – 25 mins : 10.30 - 18.30 Loutro to Sfakia – 25 mins : 08.50 - 18.00  

Taxi Shares – with new flight schedules in 2020, taxi sharing to Sfakia may be less feasible than previously, and may mean waiting for an hour or so at Chania Airport for someone off another flight.   Otherwise for Saturday flights, it's an overnight in Chania, to take the bus the next day. This will cost about the same as a taxi share from Chania Airport to Sfakia, but E40-50 less than taking a taxi on your own from Chania Airport to Sfakia. Sunday flights that arrive early enough might make the last bus to Sfakia, otherwise it’s a taxi direct to Sfakia

Hotels in Chania : Flights arriving into Chania on Fridays or Saturdays offer the opportunity for a day or a half day in Chania, well worthwhile for first time visitors. Buses leave every hour from Chania airport into the town of Chania until 23.44. Otherwise take a taxi approx. E20-E22 

Go to www.booking.com , search Chania with your date, select E0-E50, go to maximum zoom on the town map, locate the Omalos and Samaria hotels more or less next to the bus station on Kydonias, and book one of the hotels in that vicinity.  Or by the harbour in the Old Town if you don't mind the walk to the bus station - it's not that far.

Wooden ceilings – do not be tempted by the old houses in the old town with rooms with wooden ceilings. Those ceilings are the floorboards of the room above. 

 
For a small fee, £15.00 Espirita can research flight options
and arrange your taxi transfers in Crete.

www.espirita.org.uk
espiritaorguk@aol.com