Crete is destination with the most beautiful beaches in Europe. It is big island and during your holiday in Crete, you will have to choose region to explore, because it is not possible to see all interesting places that Crete can offer. For the best beaches you can choose Chania region on western coast of the island.
If you are not driving, ideal way of visiting the most beautiful beaches and sites of Crete is by organized tours. Tourism agency with the most experience in Chania region is Kyriakakis travel. They are offering numerous excursions and daily trips to tourists visiting Crete. It is very professional tour agency with excellent drivers and welcoming guides who are accompaning the group and telling you the most interesting stories connected to Crete. For more information about Kyriakakis travel you can read on their website how to book the tours and what you can visit in Crete.
Their best selling tours are tours to Falasarna beach and Elafonissi. Elafonissi is located 76km west of Chania in the southwestern most point of Crete. Elafonisi is an oblong, which often “breaks” in two parts by water giving the impression of being a separate island.
Elafonissi is a “Natura 2000” protected area. The island is full of dunes with sand lilies and junipers (like-cedar trees). The endangered turtles Caretta-Caretta and several rare animals nest on the island and it is strictly forbidden to remove any plants, animals from the area. Exotic beach with white sand and turquoise waters, reminding of the Caribbean, are formed on either sides of the peninsula. The sand is pinkish in many places, taking its color from thousands of broken shells. Near the “breaking” point of the peninsula, the water does not exceed 1m, creating a small lagoon, ideal for children. You can easily cross the lagoon in order to reach the “island”, having your stuff with you, because the water is very shallow there. The eastern side of the beach, in front of the lagoon, is well organized and has the most people.
There are umbrellas, showers, lifeguards, snack bars and changing rooms. TripAdvisor website has rated Elafonissi as the 11th Best Beach in the world. The road to Elafonisi Beach going through Topolia Gorge is one of the most breathtaking road trips in Chania, with plenty of opportunities for photos of the Cretan mountains. The canyon of Topolia starts near the village of Strovles and it ends in the village of Topolia, where the rock walls are very high and steep. A large number of birds find shelter in the crannies, cracks and caves of the otherwise bare walls of the gorge.
Falassarna Beach is located in the western part of Cape Gramvousa. It is one of the most famous beaches in Greece, which has been awarded as the best beach of Crete and one of the 10 best beaches in Europe in the past. Falassarna spans a huge area and consists of five consecutive beaches, with the two most central being the most favorite. With its crystal-clear water and white sandy beaches, Falassarna is the perfect place to unwind and relax. Falasarna is also famous for its majestic sunset, which is considered the best in all Crete because of its unhindered horizon view. Visitors who choose to explore them in the afternoon literally watch the sun dive in the sea.
The ancient town of Falasarna (or Phalassarna) is located at the west base of the peninsula Gramvousa and was one of the major towns of Crete during the Hellenistic and Roman Era. The city was famous for its port, the only natural harbor in western Crete, built in a small lagoon. In antiquity, it was called Korikos, while the name Falasarna was possibly taken after the local nymph Falasarni. The opponent town in the region was Polirinia, which managed to turn Falasarna to its port after 100 years of conflicts (186BC). It is believed that Falassarna was a refuge for pirates. This forced the Romans to destroy the city in 69 BC and seal the port forever giving an end to it’s magnificent history.
