Sandy beaches Iconic

Falasarna Beach

Kissamos, Chania · Free

Directions

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free
Best time: Afternoon & sunset
Time needed: Half day
Good to know: Exposed to west wind; check the sea forecast

Organised

Partly organised

Characteristics

Activities

Windsurf & kite

Good for

Family friendly

Facilities

About

Long, wide sandy beach on the west coast and Crete’s favourite sunset spot.

Falasarna is a wide sandy bay on the west coast of Crete, about 15 km beyond Kissamos. It is actually a string of beaches, with the main one, Pachia Ammos, known for its soft pale sand and clear water. Because it faces west, Falasarna is one of the best places on the island to watch the sun go down into the sea.

The bay has a history too. At its northern end lie the ruins of ancient Phalasarna, a Hellenistic port city with its own coins. Its harbour basin is now high and dry, because a strong earthquake in the year 365 lifted this part of Crete by several metres. You can walk among the old harbour walls, towers and a curious stone throne.

The beach is partly organised with sunbeds and a few tavernas, but there is plenty of space to find a quiet spot. The west wind can make the sea rough, especially in the afternoon, so a calm day is ideal. The small greenhouse farms on the plain behind the beach grow tomatoes, and the tavernas serve them fresh.

Around Kissamos

West coast
Nearest town: Kissamos, about 9 km by road
Nearest airport: Chania airport (CHQ), about 67 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