Beaches

The seaside village of Agia Marina is located just 9km west of Chania. It is one of the most popular resorts in Chania, with thousands of hotels and all types of touristic infrastructure. The village is named after the local church of Agia Marina.

Kato Stalos, which is the coastal part of Stalos, has a fantastic sandy beach. The beach is very well organized and is providing all the possible touristic services. For this reason, the beach is awarded every year with blue flag.

The seaside resort of Kalamaki is located 6km west of Chania and is the seaside part of Galatas village. Galatas is located in a fertile plain with citrus and olive groves.

The two beaches of the Holy Apostles (greek: Agii Apostoli) are located just 3km west of Chania and is a beautiful resort. The first cove at west is located just besides the east edge of Glaros beach. It is a beautiful sandy beach with all amenities and a large parking place nearby and easily accessed.

The Golden Beach (greek: Hrissi Akti) is located 2.5km west of Chania and a few meters east of Agii Apostoli. It actually consists of two sandy beaches separated by a small hill. The west cove is the main Golden Beach and the east one is called Aptera Beach.

The main beach of Nea Chora is very well organized, with several amenities nearby. It is a nice sandy beach, with rocks in some places. Nea Chora is ideal for those that do not want to leave the city centre.

Kum Kapi is located east of the picturesque port of Chania, in front of the historic district of Bedouins, who used to live here in huts made of rushes. They were African economic immigrants, who firstly arrived on the island as slaves during the Turkish occupation.

Agios Onoufrios is a small seaside village of Akrotiri, which is located 8km north of Chania and close to Kounoupidiana. The village is actually a suburb of Chania, since it is very close to the city. It is named after the small chapel next to the beach that is dedicated to St. Onoufrios and celebrated on June 12.

The beach in front of the village is beautiful, with fine sand and shallow crystal clear water. Opposite Kalathas, there is a small island which you can easily reach by swimming. Next to the beach there are several palm trees that give an exotic tone to the landscape.

The beach of Tersanas is shaped inside a natural harbor, which faces south. It is a sandy beach with white fine sand and shallow crystal clear water. It is quite small and looks usually crowded, especially on weekends.

The tiny beach of Macherida is located 14km northeast of Chania and 1km west of the village Chorafakia, hidden in a rocky bay. The beach is named after the rocky cape in its north end that reminds of a knife (“machairi” means “knife” in Greek). According to another version, it is named after the flower Gladiolis italicus that is called “machairida” in Greek.

Marathi hosts two beautiful beaches with fine sand and shallow calm waters, ideal for children. They are very well protected from the winds, as they look to the south and have a nice view of Drapanos Cape and the White Mountains. The beaches are separated by a small pier, which serves as a harbor. It is well organized with all the necessary amenities nearby.

The seaside resort of Loutraki is located 16km east of Chania, near the military base of Souda. Loutraki and Marathi are the two main touristic destinations in the region.

Kalami village is located 15km east of Chania, on the southern coast of Souda Bay and near the village Megala Chorafia. It has a spectacular view over the Bay and the fort of Souda. It is also close to the ancient city of Aptera and the Turkish forts of Intzedin and Palekastro.

Kalives is a seaside resort located 19km west of Chania, on the southern coast of Souda Bay. This small village is built on a fertile green valley, where three rivers flow. The village's name (i.e. “Huts” in Greece) seems to come from the huts that were built by farmers in their fields, to spend the summer nights.

Almyrida is located 23km east of Chania, on the south shores of Souda Bay, and 1km west of Plaka village. It is a quiet resort with good facilities and a superb sea. The unspoiled countryside and the lush oil groves around Almyrida are ideal for walking.

The beach Koutalis is located 25km east of Chania, very close to the edge of Cape Drepano and 1km north of Kokkino Chorio. The area has several fantastic caves, e.g. the Elephants' Cave or Petsis Spilios.

It is a rocky beach with deep-blue deep waters. There is a small harbor with a dock, from which swimmers usually dive in the crystal waters. Next to the harbor there is only one tavern, very famous for its fish dishes. The coast is not organized and is too far from accommodation choices. The sea around Omprosgialos is ideal for snorkelers.

Georgioupolis is a seaside resort located 38km east of Chania and 21km west of Rethymnon. It is a small coastal town, situated in a lush valley filled with rivers and springs. The town lies on the western edge of a vast long beach with 10km length. Georgioupolis Beach stretches 2km to the east, starting from the river Almiros and ending in Kavros Beach, which is a natural extension of the first beach.

Lake Kournas and its surroundings constitute a very important ecosystem for Greece. Kournas is one of the very few areas of Crete where plenty of fresh water is stored throughout the year. For this reason, it is protected under the Natura 2000 program.