Sandy beaches

Stavros Beach

Chania, Chania · Free

Directions

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

Organised

Well organised

Characteristics

Good for

Family friendly

Facilities

About

A round lagoon-like bay under a big mountain on Akrotiri, where Zorba the Greek was filmed.

Stavros is an almost closed bay with calm, shallow water under the steep Vardies mountain. The famous final dance scene of Zorba the Greek was filmed here. Coarse sand, sunbeds and good snorkelling around the rocks.

The beach is sandy and organised, with tavernas and cafes. The water is like a lagoon, perfect for children. It's a short drive from Chania airport, so it's a nice stop on arrival or departure.

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

North coast, on the Cretan Sea
Nearest town: Chania, about 14 km by road
Nearest airport: Chania airport (CHQ), about 11 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