{"id":3508,"date":"2021-12-07T11:13:31","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T11:13:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/?p=3508"},"modified":"2021-12-08T14:10:17","modified_gmt":"2021-12-08T14:10:17","slug":"most-beautiful-beaches-in-crete-our-top-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/most-beautiful-beaches-in-crete-our-top-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Beautiful Beaches in Crete (Our Top 10)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Greek island of Crete is home to some of the country\u2019s most spectacular beaches. With over 100km of coastline, there\u2019s a beach here for everyone \u2013 from dramatic cliff beaches to vast sands and striking coves.<\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re lucky enough to be planning a trip to Crete, here are the 10 of the best beaches to put on your shortlist.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget \u2013 take only pictures, leave only footprints, kill only time! Take a bag for trash with you in case there is no bin.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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1. Balos<\/h3>\n

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Balos is one of the most famous beaches on Crete and if you\u2019re heading there then it\u2019s likely to be somewhere near the top of your day trip shortlist. Balos is located on the tip of the northwest coast and is easily reached from the Chania area. It\u2019s also possible to visit from Rethymnon \u2013 it will just be a longer drive.<\/p>\n

Lots of people visit Balos on a boat trip \u2013 transfers will run you as far as Kissamos, and from there a boat will take you straight to Balos beach. The boat also stops at Gramvousa island. If you choose to drive then beware of the off-road track and steep walk back uphill to the car park (though the view is spectacular).<\/p>\n

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2. Chryssi<\/h3>\n

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Most of Crete\u2019s big-hitter beaches are on the western side of the island, but if you find yourself in the east then it\u2019s definitely worth taking a day trip to the minor island of\u00a0Chryssi which lies off the south coast near Ierapetra. It\u2019s a popular day trip from Agios Nikolaos. There are several boats a day from Ierapetra, or you can take an organized excursion.<\/p>\n

Chryssi is one of the most southerly points in Europe. It\u2019s undeveloped and you\u2019ll find the golden sands and turquoise waters. However it\u2019s worth noting that it\u2019s probably a more enjoyable trip in shoulder season \u2013 it gets very busy (and hot) in high summer, some walking is required, and it\u2019s short on facilities (toilets, bins, shops\/cafes).<\/p>\n

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3. Glyka Nera<\/h3>\n

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The rugged beauty of Glyka Nera could be mistaken for one of the incredible cliff beaches in the Ionian. But this one is the best beach in the Sfakia region in southwest Crete. You can reach it by water taxi or a 1-hr hike from nearby Loutro.<\/p>\n

The name means \u2018sweet water\u2019 and refers to the refreshingly cool water from bubbles up from the springs underneath.<\/p>\n

This part of the island has a natural vibe and attracts the clothing-optional crowd as well as hikers. There is one pontoon cafe for food and a few sunloungers in high season.<\/p>\n

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4. Elafonisi<\/h3>\n

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Elafonisi (sometimes spelled\u00a0Elafonissi<\/em>) is the other blockbuster beach on Crete and you\u2019ll surely have heard of it or seen photos. It\u2019s known for its pink-tinged sands (the result of broken-down seashells) and shallow lagoon-like waters.<\/p>\n

Elafonisi is located on the southwest coast in quite a remote area, but you can find excursions to Elafonisi from most of the resort areas on Crete. It gets incredibly busy in the summer as it\u2019s one of the most popular attractions on the island. There is a car park and small shops but you\u2019re best off bringing your own supplies.<\/p>\n

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5. Frangokastello<\/h3>\n

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What\u2019s better than a beautiful sandy beach? A sandy beach with a ruined Venetian castle on it! Frangokastello\u00a0is on the south coast of the Rethymnon region.<\/p>\n

The castle dates back to the 1300s and makes for a scenic backdrop to a refreshing swim. There\u2019s a small village with tourist amenities here but overall it has a remote and windswept feel. You\u2019re on the edge of Europe here with the Libyan sea lapping your toes and warm Saharan winds in your hair.<\/p>\n

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6. Seitan Limania<\/h3>\n

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The stunning and enigmatic\u00a0Seitan Limania\u00a0beach in the Chania region has swept to fame recently thanks to its social media-friendly looks and vibrant turquoise waters.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s located not far from the Chania International Airport but you\u2019ll need a car and sturdy footwear to reach this narrow and picturesque cove on the Akrotiri peninsula. There\u2019s a short but steep and rocky hike down to the beach. Be warned \u2013 Seitan Limania is also a favorite with the local goats who are by now well-accustomed to the human company!<\/p>\n

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7. Falassarna<\/h3>\n

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Another stunner on the west coast is the big sandy west-facing beach at\u00a0Falassarna. It sits at the beginning of the peninsula that contains Balos and so can be easily combined if you\u2019re driving around.<\/p>\n

Falassarna encompasses several bays of soft sand and impeccably clean waters. Its biggest plus point though is its size. There\u2019s plenty of space for everyone, even in the height of summer when the crowds descend. There are a few cafes and shops, as well as watersports, but it isn\u2019t a resort area \u2013 accommodation is limited and most visitors are daytrippers.<\/p>\n

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8. Vai<\/h3>\n

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Vai beach is on Crete\u2019s east coast and offers something a bit different \u2013 a backdrop of palm forest. Cretan date palms, that is. Many legends surround the forest which was a favorite with the hippie crowd in the 60s and 70s, but these days attract plenty of daytrippers.<\/p>\n

Inside the forest, you\u2019ll find a small lake and islet. It\u2019s a protected area and there are some facilities in the summer, including sun loungers.<\/p>\n

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9. Preveli<\/h3>\n

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Vai isn\u2019t the only palm forest in Crete, you can find a smaller version at the beach of\u00a0Preveli. The surrounding landscape here is lush breathtaking, a real surprise on an island as dry as Crete.<\/p>\n

Preveli is on the south coast of the Rethymnon region and is one of many jaw-dropping beaches at the end of gorges that start in the White Mountains. It\u2019s an unorganized beach in a protected natural area with fantastic hiking around.<\/p>\n

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10. Matala<\/h3>\n

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Matala is another well-known beach on Crete thanks to its association with Joni Mitchell. The songwriter famously resided in the beach caves here in the 60s, as immortalized in the song Carey.<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t find hippies in the caves these days \u2013 the caves are protected and you can\u2019t enter them. These days Matala is a family-friendly beach resort with sheltered waters, excellent snorkeling, tamarisk trees, and a coarse golden beach. The setting is idyllic, especially as the sun goes down.<\/p>\n

Matala is in the middle of the south coast and is easily reached from Rethymnon and Heraklion.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Greek island of Crete is home to some of the country\u2019s most spectacular beaches. With over 100km of coastline, there\u2019s a beach here for everyone \u2013 from dramatic cliff beaches to vast sands and striking coves. So if you\u2019re lucky enough to be planning a trip to Crete, here are the 10 of the […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3512,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3508"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3532,"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3508\/revisions\/3532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sergiani.gr\/el\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}