Agia Fotini beach
The village Kerames is located 49km south of Rethymno, close to the village Agalianos. The shore south of the village hosts many beautiful beaches, with the most famous being the beaches of Akoumiani Gialia (Ligres, Triopetra and Agios Pavlos sandhills). The beachfront north of Akoumiani Gialia is called Keramiani Gialia, meaning Kerames Beach, named after the nearby village.
The poor asphalt road that leads to Keramiani Gialia stops near the local harbor of Agia Fotini, also known as Agia Fotia. Agia Fotia has some stunning tiny pebble beaches, ideal for snorkeling and swimming. These are surrounded by towering boulders. The traditional tavern of Stavros, built on an old carob storehouse, serves fresh fish on the beach and you can find some rooms to stay there. It's an amazing place, reminding of Greek islands of the old '60s. The tavern offers some umbrellas and showers for free. There is a small river near Agia Fotia, that forms a small green wood. If you follow the path that heads north, along the river, you will meet an incredibly high palm tree and after 50m you will find the old church of Agia Fotini, near a small house with a nice garden. If you walk 5' west of the tavern, along the rocky shore, you will meet another small pebbly beach.
On the hill near the tavern of Agia Fotini you can still see the ruins of the ancient town Kionia, which flourished in the prominoan years. Today, the ruins of the town cover an area of more than 150 meters (from east to west) and 100 meters (from north to south), while the other half town is situated below the sea surface, in front of the tavern. If you do start observing the surrounding area, you will notice traces of buildings and terraces that indicate the existence of Kionia. It is believed that when the town began to sink in water, inhabitants were forced to abandon it and move on higher areas, where the villages Kerames and Agallianos are now located.
