The gorge of Samaria is the longest in Europe of a total length of 18 kilometres. It is in the western part of the Island of Crete. The journey through the gorge starts at Xyloskalo, which means “wooden staircase”. The wooden path leads down the slope and proceeds along the riverbed passing through beautiful forests. Further on you will see and abandoned settlement, called Samaria with a Byzantine church dedicated to Holy Mary of Egypt. One of the most beautiful parts of the journey through the gorge are the "Sideroportes" (iron gates), where the two sides of the gorge rise only 3 meters apart to a towering height of 600 m.