Sandstrände

Petres Beach

Rethymno, Rethymno · Free

Route

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

Organised

Teilweise organisiert

Characteristics

Sandig

Facilities

Liegen

About

A small, quiet beach at the mouth of the Petres gorge west of Rethymno.

Petres is a small beach of dark sand and rocks, named after the nearby gorge. Only partly organised and often quiet.

The gorge behind the beach is worth exploring on foot. It's a peaceful escape from the busy town beaches.

The Petres gorge behind the beach is about 3 km long and can be walked in summer, when the stream is dry. It's lined with plane trees and oleanders. Near the beach, an old stone bridge crosses the river. The beach is about 15 km west of Rethymno and makes a quiet stop on the old road to Chania.

The area around Rethymno town mixes a lively Venetian old town with a long sandy coast and quiet villages in the hills. To the east, the beach runs for kilometres past Platanes and Adelianos Kampos, where loggerhead turtles nest in summer. Inland, villages such as Chromonastiri, Myloi, Atsipopoulo and Maroulas have old Venetian houses and tavernas with views. The Arkadi monastery and ancient Eleftherna are less than half an hour away. Try the local snails, staka with eggs and the town's famous pastries.

Around Rethymno

North coast, on the Cretan Sea
Nearest town: Georgioupoli, about 13 km by road
Nearest airport: Chania airport (CHQ), about 36 km by road

Rethymno sits between the mountains and two seas, and it is the easiest region to combine with the rest of the island. Its old town and Fortezza are among the best preserved on Crete, with Venetian doorways, Ottoman wooden balconies and a long sandy beach right next to the centre. More about Rethymno