The village of Topolia is 47 km from Chania and 16 km from Kasteli. It is a traditional settlement amidst a lush landscape. Near the village is the Topolia Gorge.
The small, traditional houses, the narrow streets and the lush greenery of the place fascinate every visitor. The village has all the necessary infrastructure to provide a comfortable daily life for both residents and visitors. It features traditional taverns, shops, and tourist accommodation. Residents are mainly involved in livestock farming and agriculture. During your visit, you can see the village’s mill and flour mill.
The word “topolia” comes from the Slavic dialect and means poplar (tree species). According to some linguists, the word comes from the combination of the words “Elia” (olive) and “topos” (place).
Inside the village, there was a small traditional cafe since 1902, where various trades were conducted. Eleftherios Venizelos was a frequent visitor of the café. In place of the traditional cafe, there are four traditional houses today.
According to geologists’ surveys and reports, there are sedimentary rocks around the village, which are considered to be the oldest in Crete.
The Topolia Gorge starts near the village of Katsomatados, at an altitude of about 250 meters, and stops at the stone-built Marathokamara below the village of Topolia, at an altitude of 150 meters. This point is the narrowest point of the canyon and the most impressive. The rocks are vertical and tall. The gorge crosses the Tiflos River, which flows from Mount Dikaios to the village of Elos and ends at the gulf of Kissamos. A short distance from the beginning of the gorge is the cave of Saint Sophia, where the narrow endemic spider Pholcus creticus is housed.
According to legend, fairies and the goddess Vritomartis lived in the canyon during the Minoan Era. Many times the mythical Talos stopped in the canyon to rest and listen to the fairy song. He then crossed the canyon and went to the cave to drink water and sleep. The fairies and the elves danced and sang in the mythical Talos and lulled him.