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Local Beaches

 

There are so many beaches on Crete it is impossible to list them all. We have included photos on our gallery section but here are details of a few of our favourites:

Kyani AktiBetween Kalyves and Souda, about 20 minutes drive.

 

This sandy beach is only popular with Greeks (and therefore quiet every day except Sunday). There is good surf here for bodyboarding, but it can be cold near the pretty river outlet. There is a lifeguard post, two snack cafes and toilets and changing rooms

Almyrida. Only 7 minutes drive from the villa.

 

This is the perfect family beach - Blue Flag rated, shallow, calm, with showers and changing cubicles and with a toilets and a beach bar. Behind the beach is a ribbon of tamarisk trees and then a pretty resort with quiet bars, shops and restaurants, and a pretty harbour too

Georgioupolis. A pretty 20 minute drive towards Rethymnon.

 

This friendly resort has a quiet beach to the western side, beyond the river bridge, and a long but narrow stretch of sand with umbrellas and sunbeds by the new promenade. This beach actually stretches for several miles beyond the resort and is worth driving to for the sheer isolation! 

Georgioupolis itself has many tourist shops, bars and tavernas as well as mini-golf and several night clubs. The river is still an active fishing port and at the river mouth is a beautifully photogenic white chapel on the rocks.

Kalyves Town beach. Just 15 minutes drive away.

 

Sandy beach between the town of Kalyves and the photogenic fishing harbour, with ample parking behind the beach and a selection of places to eat and drink. 

Falasarna. This is a good hour and a half's drive away, but worth the effort.

 

Follow the signs from the road after Kissamos then drive down the winding tarmac road as far as you can to the unpaved car park. From there a path and steps lead to the pink (yes) shallow sandy beach and dunes. 

There is also a part buried Minoan harbour at the end of the beach a short drive along a dusty but perfectly passable track. This was a large city until an earthquake in 365AD. Now partly excavated but quiet and atmospheric in its beauty and isolation.

Elafonisi. 

 

This has to be paradise. Almost no habitation, and for the last few hundred yards, no surfaced road. Shallow sandy lagoons full of water so warm it is like a bath. It can get busy and you need to be careful not to get your car bogged down in the sandy car park. There are beach bars, umbrellas and sunbeds but no shortage of room to get away from it all. A good 3 hours from the villa through beautiful scenery - an amazing day trip (make sure you stay after all the coaches have left!).

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