Asterousia

The area of Kouneni is located in the vicinity of the village of Pigaidakia, near Cape Lithino, in the “corner” of Messara, and is the southernmost territory of Crete. The highest point of the Cape is the windswept Mount Kefali, from which start vertical cliffs of 391m that enter the sea and continue their course for many meters deep in the sea. The view from Kefali is dizzying and awe-inspiring to anyone who visits it. On Kefali there are the ruins of the machine gun positions that the Germans had built during the German Occupation of Crete in WW2, to control all the southern coast and the small stone chapel of the Holy Cross.

In Kouneni there are three unknown and very difficult to access beaches. Just below Kefali, there is a smaller cape, Platys Poros or Trachili, on the western side of which, two small bays with deep blue waters and pebbles are formed. These bays are accessible only by boat from the nearest ports and are the southernmost beaches of Crete.

The sea in the area is quite rough and the westerly winds often cause storms. So, it would be a good idea to make sure that mild winds prevail in the area before attempting to visit it by boat. The coasts of the surrounding area are full of caves, with beautiful geological formations.

Just a few meters west of the beach of Marsalo and 600m east of Platys Poros is the small beach of Kouneni, which is accessible by land. More specifically, a ravine ends near the beach, which we can follow, at the point where the uphill road to Kefali begins and there is a sheepfold. It is good to know that along this stream there are many stinging nettles, especially in spring, so make sure you wear long pants. The beach has pebbles and deep waters, while the fossilized shells on the nearby rocks are impressive. Traces of an ancient settlement have also been identified in the area.