Akrotiri Beaches

Akrotiri Beaches, Chania: The characteristic round-shaped peninsula of Crete to the east of Chania city, keeps as a secret some of the best beaches in the area.

Akrotiri beaches are located in this big, round-shaped peninsula to the east of Chania city. These beaches are a pleasant surprise to many visitors in the area.

Although they are not as renowned as the beaches to the west of Chania city, like the beaches in Agia Marina and Platanias, Akrotiri beaches are appropriate for the visitors that want to explore other beaches near Chania city.

Akrotiri Beaches, Chania - Marathi and Loutraki

For many, the most beautiful Akrotiri beaches are located on the east side of the peninsula. From this side we can see the magnificent Souda Bay, which is the best protected from the winds bay in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the most picturesque in Crete.

Marathi, the most known beach in Akrotiri in its east side, is located on the entrance of Souda Bay, with excellent view towards the sea, and also towards a beautiful islet in a distance of about a kilometer from the beach, and, behind them, the north coast of Crete.

Marathi is a sandy beach with crystal clear water, which is very popular with families. Although it does not provide all of the amenities of the beaches west of Chania city, in Marathi you can find sun beds and parasols, as well as very good taverns and cafés.

In a distance of just about one and a half kilometer west of Marathi, there is another excellent beach of Akrotiri, Chania, Loutraki beach. Loutraki has also crystal clear water, and near the small, sandy beach you will find a very good café-bar-restaurant by the sea with sun beds and parasols, where the young people of Chania tend to gather.

Akrotiri Beaches, Chania - Kalathas and Stavros

On the west side of Akrotiri, Chania, possibly the best beach is the beach of Kalathas. It is a beautiful sandy beach, which is very popular to both the locals and the travelers.

Kalathas beach is appropriate for families. Although there are not many amenities, there is a small café on the beach. To get to Kalathas, as you drive out of Chania city heading to Akrotiri, you turn left to Kounoupidiana and you follow the road signs.

Going northern from Kalathas beach, after a relatively small distance by car we find Stavros beach, the northern beach of Akrotiri, Chania. The thing that characterizes the beach is the high, steep hills behind it that are popular with rock climbers.

Due to the bigger distance from Chania city, the visitors that get to Stavros beach are relatively less than Kalathas. However, Stavros has a place in history, as the location where the famous movie “Zorba the Greek” was filmed. The movie was based in a marvelous novel of Nikos Kazantzakis, the best Cretan author of the 20th century.

Akrotiri beaches, Chania, are numerous, and there are certainly more beaches in the peninsula than the ones we introduced in this page, which are the most known. If you like to explore new places during your vacation in Crete, don’t forget to visit the peninsula of Akrotiri, Chania and its distinct beaches.