Villages & Towns

Akrotiri Peninsula

Chania, Chania · Free

Directions

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

About

Beaches and monasteries near the airport.

The Akrotiri peninsula lies north-east of Chania, between the town and Souda bay. Chania airport is here.

The peninsula has sandy beaches like Stavros, Kalathas and Marathi, the monasteries of Agia Triada, Gouverneto and Katholiko, and the graves of Venizelos. It's a great area for exploring, close to Chania.

The peninsula is flat in the south and rugged in the north, where the monasteries of Gouverneto and Katholiko hide among rocky hills. Many people live here and commute to Chania, so the villages are lively all year. The beaches are among the best near the city, and the area is quieter in the evenings than the resorts west of Chania.

The Chania area is the green heart of western Crete. Around the city, olive groves and orange orchards stretch towards the White Mountains, whose peaks stay snowy until late spring. The old town, with its Venetian harbour, the market hall and countless tavernas, is never far away, and the Akrotiri peninsula adds sandy beaches, old monasteries and the Venizelos graves. Food here is a highlight: try boureki (a bake of courgettes, potatoes and cheese), kalitsounia pies and fresh fish, with a glass of local raki to finish.

Around Chania

Nearest town: Chania, about 8 km by road
Nearest airport: Chania airport (CHQ), about 8 km by road

The west of Crete is the island at its most dramatic. Chania has the most beautiful Venetian old town on Crete, wrapped around a harbour with a lighthouse and a domed mosque. In the evening the narrow lanes of Splantzia and the old Jewish quarter fill up with tavernas and small bars. More about Chania