Karavostasi beach is the westernmost of the beaches of the village Kalo Chorio at province Mirabelo, approximately 12 kilometers southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 22 kilometers north of Ierapetra.

Documenting lifestyle changes, residing for a long time in foreign countries, and developing new routines related to residence planning are all supported by the common practice of sharing

The beach Amoudi is located about 1.5km east of Chora Sfakion and 75km south of Chania, in an area with several adjacent pebbly beaches and very close to the nudists' hotel Vritomartis. It is one of the many unknown beaches around Chora Sfakion, and one of the nicest.The area, due to conglomerate rocks, is full of small pebbly beaches, such as Agios Charalambos, Filaki and Plakakia.

At the point where the prefecture of Rethymno meets Chania, east of Georgioupolis beaches, we find the beaches of Kavros and Kournas. The place at its greatest part is developed and only a very small part of it has been left untouched. Between this remaining virgin parts of the beach there is an extensive and very important ecosystem of dunes.

Misiria get their name from the Arabic word Misr, which is a suburb of Cairo with very fertile soil. Similarly, the region is named Misiria because of the fertile land, which still produces many vegetables.

Pighianos Kampos (or Kambos) is located 8km east of Rethymno, in the middle of the vast beach of Rethymno Gulf. The name means “Plain of Pigi” in Greek, taken after the fields of the residents of Pigi village, which is located in close proximity.

The first beaches of Elounda that you meet after Lenika, as you come from Agios Nikolaos, are the beaches in front of the famous hotels of Elounda at position Pigaidakia. Every hotel that respects itself here has its own harbor, where yachts can stop. Next to the piers there are small sandy beaches which offer all kinds of opulence and luxury services.

2km north of Agios Nikolaos you will meet the historic Hotel Mirabello. In front of the hotel there are the two bays of Mirabello with two beautiful sandy beaches. The first beach is protected by docks and a small marina. Both of them are very well-organized, with umbrellas, sunbeds, showers and bar. They are separated by a short artificial peninsula with tamarisk trees.

Stavrolimni beach, also known as Stravolimni, is located at the northernmost tip of Gavdos. More specifically, it lies on the footpath that connects the beaches of Lavrakas and Pyrgos.

Japan transforms into a breathtaking canvas of soft pink and white hues every spring. The cherry blossom season pulls those eager to witness nature’s brief but beautiful spectacle. Blossoms appear across parks, temples, and riversides, creating a magical atmosphere that blends culture with calm.

Did you know that there are several palm groves in Crete? Indeed, apart from the famous palm groves of Vai and Preveli, there are more small paradises to discover around the island. Here we present you a selection of 10 of them.

Thousands of kilometers of coasts carved by salt, the sun and the wind. Crystal waters exhausting the color palette of blue and green. Steep mountains which abruptly raise above the sea... this scenery is met in all areas of Crete. The coastline of Crete is 1046 km long, with very well organized, and popular beaches, but also isolated, scenic and pristine.

North or South?

In Crete, visitors can escape to one of the numerous hospitable, organized beaches located mainly in the northern coast that hosts the major tourist resorts. All those beaches offer visitors a wide range of services, amenities, security, cafes, bars, restaurants, water sports, lifeguards, etc. Most of them have been awarded with the Blue Flag for their safety, cleanness and immaculate amenities.

For romantics and adventure lovers, there are pristine beaches of incomparable beauty, especially in the southern coast. Small emerald heavens are reached after driving in serpentine dirt roads on the edge of steep slopes with breathtaking sea views, or after walking on ancient paths and crossing wild gorges.

Summer all year round

The winter in Crete is mild, while the spring and the autumn are soft and pleasant; the summer is warm and bright with cool breaks due to the northern winds (meltemi) of August. Crete falls into two climatic zones, the Mediterranean and the North African zone, mainly falling into the former. Learn about Crete climate.

Sea temperature rarely falls below 15 degrees Celsius in winter, especially to the south. Winter swimming with the whitewashed peaks of the Cretan mounts in the background is a unique experience and attracts an increasing number of fans.

The climate of Crete is considered as one of the finest, healthiest and mildest climates in Europe. One factor that plays a key role in the formation of the climate is the sea surrounding the island and alleviating the heat intensity of the summer sun. Ierapetrais considered the warmest Greek city and the coastline of the South Cretan Sea and Gavdosare the warmest in Greece. The southern coast, including the plain of Messara and the Asterousia Range, falls into the North African climatic zone and thus has many sunny, warm days all year round.

The wintertime is so mild that many swallows winter in southern Crete and Gavdos Island.

Facilities

Lovers of crowded places, water sports, cocktails and parties on the beach have unlimited options due to the wide array of well-organized beaches in Crete. All beaches located near the major cities of the island generally offer all kinds of amenities such as sun beds, beach bars, showers, toilets, changing rooms, water sports and lifeguards. Most of them have been awarded the Blue Flag by the homonymous program that certifies beach cleanness, safety, accessibility for disabled people and infrastructure.

Chania

The beaches of Agia Marina, Stalosand Platanias are the most organized and popular ones and they are located near the city of Chania. Locals prefer the quieter, yet but equally organized beaches of at Kalathas, Marathi, Loutrakiand Agii Apostoli. Quiet beaches offering all basic amenities are also met in other towns, villages and tourist resorts of Chania, such as Paleohora, Sougia, Kolymbari, Kissamos, Georgioupolis, Sfakiaand Fragokastelo. 

Rethymnon

Other organized beaches of Rethymnon are located along the 8km long coast starting from the port of Rethymnonand end at Skaleta. Similarly, small towns such as Panormoand Bali, offer excellent services and facilities. To the south, the cosmopolitan beaches of Agia Galini, Plakiasand Rodakinoare fairly organized.

Heraklion

Heraklion in central Crete is the most developed tourist area, with Hersonissosand Malia, hosting the largest numbers of tourists. Indeed, all coasts from Heraklion to Maliaare fully organized and big resorts are built on the beach. Gyms, massage services, extreme water sports are just some of the services offered on the beach.

Lassithi

Lassithi (East Crete) beaches are quiet, but still organized. Apart from the beaches of the popular lagoon of Elounda that host prominent personalities from the fields of politics, media, sports and arts, all the beaches of the towns of Agios Nikolaos, Sitia, Makrigialosand Ierapetraare very well organized. Other options for relaxation offering basic amenities are the picturesque villages Mochlosand Myrtos, and the beaches of Kouremenos, Chionaand Kato Zakros.

Coastal Nature

Travelers to Crete should explore the very important coastal nature. Development of tourism while respecting natural environment is a challenge for the authorities of the island.

The protected palm grove of Vai, the largest native palm forest in Europe, is an attraction of utmost ecological value. Beaches with Cretan date palm are met in more places of the island, such as Preveliand Plakias.

Moreover, the protection of junipersis of outstanding ecological value. Those trees grow very slowly and breaking a small branch actually means the destruction of some centuries of development. Reserves of junipers are primarily found in Elafonissi, Gavdos, Chrissiand Falassarna.

In the fall, sand dunes are smothered with white lilies (sea daffodils). Lilies were a favorite pattern in the Minoan frescoes.

Тысячи километров побережья, изрезанного ветром, солнцем и солью. Кристально чистое море всех оттенков синего и зеленого. Отвесные горы, возвышающиеся над морским простором... всю эту красоту можно встретить в любой части Крита. Длина береговой линии острова составляет 1046 км. Здесь есть и хорошо благоустроенные пляжи, и живописные укромные бухты.

Север или юг?

Крит предлагает гостям множество гостеприимных, ухоженных пляжей. Они расположены в основном вдоль северного побережья острова — именно здесь и находятся крупнейшие гостиничные комплексы. Здесь есть всё, что потребуется для комфортного отдыха: все удобства, охрана, кафе, бары, рестораны, прокат спортивного инвентаря, служба спасения. Большинству пляжей присвоен синий флаг — знак высокой безопасности, чистоты и удобства.

А для истинных романтиков и любителей приключений найдутся нетронутые побережья, потрясающие своей красотой — их следует искать на юге острова. Чтобы добраться до некоторых райских уголков, придется преодолеть серпантин, нарезанный вдоль отвесных склонов, с которых открывается захватывающий вид на море, или пройти по древним тропам через дикие ущелья.

Лето круглый год

Зима на Крите не отличается суровостью, весна и осень — теплые, а лето — жаркое и красочное, но жара перемежается прохладой: в августе здесь дует северный ветер мелтеми. Крит расположен на стыке двух климатических зон: средиземноморской и североафриканской, но в основном попадает в первую зону.

Температура воды в море редко опускается ниже 15 градусов по Цельсию даже зимой. Зимние купания в окружении белоснежных гор Крита — незабываемое приключение, и с каждым годом у него становится всё больше и больше поклонников.

Климат на Крите считается самым здоровым и самым мягким в Европе. Один из факторов, сыгравших ключевую роль в его формировании, — это море, окружающее остров. Оно спасает отдыхающих от палящего летнего солнца. Самым жарким городом Греции считается Иерапетра, самым жарким побережьем — побережье Ливийского моря и Гавдос. Южное побережье, включая равнину Месара и горы Астерусия, попадают в зону североафриканского климата — здесь больше солнечных и жарких дней.

Зима на юге Крита и на острове Гавдос настолько теплая, что многие считают ее вполне подходящим временем для отдыха.

Удобства

Любители многолюдных мест, водных видов спорта, коктейлей и вечеринок непременно оценят благоустроенные пляжи Крита. На пляжах, расположенных вблизи больших городов, есть всё необходимое для комфортного отдыха: шезлонги, бары, души, туалеты, раздевалки, прокат спортивного инвентаря и дежурство спасателей. Многим пляжам присвоен синий флаг — знак сертификации в рамках одноименной программы, который подтверждает требуемый уровень чистоты, безопасности, качества инфраструктуры и доступности для людей с ограниченными возможностями.

Ханья

Пляжи Айя-Марина, Сталос и Платаниас — самые благоустроенные и популярные. Они расположены в районе города Ханья. Местные жители предпочитают более спокойные, но в равной степени комфортные пляжи: Калатас, Марати, Лутраки и Агии-Апостоли. Тихие пляжи со всеми основными удобствами можно найти в городках, деревнях и курортных комплексах неподалеку от Ханьи: это Палеогора, Сугия, Колимбари, Киссамос, Георгиуполис, Сфакия, Фрагокастело. В августе в Фалассарне проходит один из самых известных пляжных фестивалей на Крите.

Ретимно

Благоустроенные пляжи Ретимно расположились вдоль всего 8-километрового побережья, от порта Ретимно до Скалеты. В маленьких городках вроде Панормо и Бали вам также предложат превосходное обслуживание. На южном побережье в числе хорошо оборудованных пляжей можно назвать Айя-Галини, Плакиас и Родакино.

Ираклион

Район Ираклиона является самым популярным местом для отдыха на Крите: расположенные поблизости Херсонисос и Малия принимают наибольшее число туристов. Ничего удивительного в этом нет: все пляжи от Ираклиона до Малии прекрасно благоустроены, и именно здесь расположены крупные гостиничные комплексы. Тренажерные залы, массаж, экстремальные виды водного спорта — лишь малая часть всех услуг, предлагаемых на побережье.

Ласити

Пляжи Ласити не такие людные, но тоже благоустроенные. Помимо известной лагуны Элунда, где отдыхают первые лица из мира политики, СМИ, спорта и искусства, хорошим набором услуг могут также похвалиться пляжи в городах Агиос- Николаос, Сития, Макригиалос и Иерапетра. Пляжи со всеми основными удобствами можно найти в живописных деревнях Мохлос и Миртос, а также на побережье Куременоса, Хионы и Като-Закрос.

Природа побережья

Туристам, приезжающим на Крит, нужно обязательно познакомиться с природой прибрежный районов. Найти золотую середину между развитием туризма и охраной природы — сложная задача для местных властей.

Пальмовая роща в Ваи — это самый большой пальмовый лес в Европе и одна из главных природных достопримечательностей. Критские финиковые пальмы встречаются практически по всей территории острова. Их можно увидеть на пляже Превели, на Аспри-Лимни (Белом озере) у Лафониси, в Суде рядом с Плакиасом, в Итаносе рядом с Ваи, в Финикидии рядом с Агиос-Павлос.

Большое внимание уделяется защите можжевельников. Они растут очень медленно. Сломав даже маленькую веточку, вы разрушите вековой труд природы. Заповедные можжевеловые леса находятся в Лафониси, на Гавдосе, Хриси и в Фалассарне.

Осенью песчаные дюны покрываются белыми лилиями (морскими нарциссами), изображения которых часто встречаются на минойских фресках.

Crete's maritime legacy is intricately bound up in it's culture and there are many beautiful harbour towns and villages to visit dotted around the coastline. Here are just a few. Visit the Towns and Villages section of our website for a full list of places to visit. Apart from the popular harbours of Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion, find more!

Crete is not in Africa, but has many similarities with it. One of the most typical feature of this similarity is the local flora. In Crete, you can find several places with Phoenix theophrastii, the indigenous species of the Cretan date palm. Along the coastline of Crete, you can find some beaches, where palm trees give the impression of being on an African coast.

Vai and Preveliare the two largest and the most famous palm tree forests in Crete, however there are some palm trees in Itanos, Martsalo, Agios Nikitas, Souda and Aspri Limni.

There is something extremely appealing about sleeping under an open sky next to the sea, and waking up when the first rays of sun appear. The island of Crete presents a wide range of alternatives to people that prefer camping to the more traditional hotel style of tourism.

Camping outdoors is forbidden by Greek laws, but there are camping sites all over the island where you can stay overnight. Apart from the camp sites, there are many beaches where you will see many people camping outdoors, illegally. All secluded beaches in South Crete are popular to those campers. The most popular of them provide natural shade (trees or caves), but some people do not bother about it. Police raids are quite often, especially in natural reserves or inhabited areas, thus staying in tents is your risk. What is not considered illegal is staying overnight on the beach in a sleeping bag, not a tent.

If you decide to camp outdoors, we do not prevent you from doing that, but we demand that you respect the nature. Thus, it is essential to remind you the gold standards that you have to follow when camping. Of course the most important of all is not leaving any garbage behind, even organic food remains. The surrounding area of any place is not a toilet, thus you should collect any waste you produce or bury it deeply. There are several beaches with endogenous trees, especially cedars that are very fragile and are protected. In any case, do not break cedars, not even small branches, because they grow just 1cm per year! Thus, do not use cedars for tying your tents and hanging your stuff. You can enjoy their shade but keep away from touching them. Continuing, setting fire outdoors and camping in Natura areas are strictly prohibited.

Crete is an ideal place to enjoy swimming at any time of the year. All needed, beyond a good mood and leisure time, is a relatively nice day without much wind and extreme cold. You don’t need to go too far away, because the informal meeting points of winter swimmers are located very close to the towns of the island.

In Heraklionthe winter swimmers meet mainly in Amnisos beach, where the beach volley net stands on the beach all year round and there are also some swimmers. In Chania, the fans of winter swimming gather on the beautiful beach of Kalamaki, where they usually cut the New Year cake of their club. Even the smallest towns on the island hare informal meeting places. Thus, in Agios Nikolaos swimmers meeting place is the bay of Ammoudi, while in Rethymnon, Sitiaand Ierapetra they meet on the long beaches next to the city center.

For those who haven’t dared it, winter swimming looks like a craziness, while it has turned to a habit of life for those who swim. Apart from the beneficial properties of bathing, pretty much known to all, swimming in winter improves the function of the immune system. Moreover, the quiet and authentic winter beaches (no umbrellas, bars, etc) give a chance for a nice relaxing break, while the cool water stimulates the body. Finally, the beaches, especially those next to the city centres, are much cleaner than in summer.

Generally, on November the sea temperature is not lower than in June (20°C). The lowest temperatures occur on January, February and March, but never fall below 14°C. Temperature starts decreasing significantly when the first snow melts on the mountains, especially on beaches with rivers and torrents.

If you are a beginner and want to start winter swimming, running on the wet sand is the best warm-up, before entering the cold water. It is best to avoid direct dives, but enter by gradually wetting your body with your hands. Finally, there is an unwritten rule for the ideal time for staying in water. Thus it is proposed to stay in water for as minutes, as the sea temperature is (in Celcius degrees). Thus, if the temperature is 15 ° C, then the proposed swimming time is 15 minutes. Of course this number can vary, according to someone’s physical condition and stamina.

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We found 11 reasons why we prefer Crete more in winter than summer

Crete, with its natural beauty, its shallow sea and sandy coves, its accessible beaches, its theme parks, its culture and history, offers endless possibilities and is a perfect place for an unforgettable family holiday. Modern accommodation facilities guarantee safety and comfort to visitors wishing to spend a carefree family holiday.