Fournés at the foot of the White Mountains

At the foot of the White Mountains, Fournés combines a striking landscape setting with church architecture, village traditions and Cretan cuisine. Among its distinctive natural features is Crete’s only evergreen plane tree. The celebrations also differ: a major excursion and festival takes place at Koutsoulos every year, while a large folk festival accompanies a church feast day. This combination gives you several ways to get to know the village. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider which of these features you would most like to shape your stay.

Mountain setting and a distinctive plane tree

Fournés lies at the foot of the White Mountains. Tall plane trees stand along the route near Fournés, including Crete’s only evergreen plane tree. The mountains frame the landscape, while the plane tree adds an unusual detail. If you choose destinations for their natural features, you will find two different points of interest here: the location at the foot of the mountains and the distinctive tree along the route. The word “evergreen” draws attention to the tree’s unusual quality and adds to the impression made by the tall plane trees. If you are considering a holiday apartment as a base for a stay in Fournés, you can ask yourself whether this landscape fits the kind of trip you have in mind.

Churches and Koutsoulos

The village is home to the double-aisled Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour and Saint Panteleimon. Its feast is celebrated with a large folk festival on 26 July. The church is also said to be the only one with three domes. “Double-aisled” and “three-domed” describe different architectural features: the nave divides the interior, while the domes shape the roof. The Chapel of Saint Constantine stands on the summit of Koutsoulos, which is known for its views. The church and chapel offer different points of interest for culture and landscape: here, distinctive architecture and a festival; there, a chapel on a summit known for its views.

Festivals and Cretan cuisine

Every year on 21 May, the young people of the village organise an excursion and a large festival at Koutsoulos. The date differs from the church feast on 26 July: the first centres on Koutsoulos and the excursion organised by the young people, while the second is a celebration at the church. If you would like to attend one of the festivals, it is worth checking the event dates before your trip. Visitors can also buy products made by members of the cultural association. Taverns and cafés in Fournés serve Cretan dishes prepared with local produce.

Fournés as a holiday destination

Fournés is 2 km from Alikianos and 15 km from Chania. Alikianos is therefore the closer point of reference, while Chania is farther away. Together with its location at the foot of the White Mountains, these distances provide a brief guide when choosing a destination. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Fournés, you can weigh up this information against your own interests: would you like your stay to focus mainly on nature, churches and traditions, or Cretan dishes? This lets you choose a holiday destination based on specific features rather than a general impression.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Vafes, Kavallos, Kathiana, Kares, Voulgaro, Spilia, Marediana, Alikampos.

Return to the main travel overview: Chania.