Manovas beach (Kouroupitos)
The beach Manovas is located just 500 meters south of the famous Seitan Limania beach at cape Akrotiri or Melecha and has a western orientation. It is formed in a deep ravine at the westernmost end of cape Akrotiri, where the Kouroupitos stream runs. The ravine fades into the sea with imposing cliffs rising high on the sides.
Although it is one of the most beautiful beaches of Chania, Manovas is not a popular attraction due to its bad history. Until the end of the 20th century, the stream of Kouroupitos was used as an illegal dump and was a shame for the prefecture of Chania for many years. The European Union imposed heavy fines on Greece for its operation and the landfill was closed in 1997.
Today, a modern solid waste processing plant operates above the beach. The area of the old landfill has been fully restored and now the beach of Manovas is a safe destination for swimming. Nearby is the Cave of Kouroupitos, which preserves an impressive cave decoration.
