”A PIECE OF HEAVEN”
Crystal waters, golden sand,endless beach…a blessed place to be.
Falassarna is located 59 kilometers west of Chania and 12 kilometers west of Kissamos. Falassarna is now one of the most famous destinations in Crete, both for its beaches and for ecological interest. Falassarna is part of the Natura 2000 network, both due to its variety of flora and fauna and as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Descending Platanos towards the west, there are two directions to choose from to enjoy the sun and the sea. The first direction is towards the area of Falassarna. Falassarna is absolutely beautiful and uniquely magical to say the least. In recent years one can also say that it has become cosmopolitan. It is an area with lovely small hotels, many taverns which serve homemade traditional Cretan dishes, numerous beach bars for beverages or snacks while you are at the beach and coffee bars where you can enjoy your drink as you are waiting for the sun to set and the view is absolutely amazing. Falassarna beach has been voted the most beautiful beach of Crete and is rated as one of the 10 best beaches in all of Europe. It has crystal clear waters and wonderful white and pink sand. When the wind picks up and sea waves begin to come in one after the other, this is the best time for windsurfing lovers to arrive. Indeed an absolute adrenalin rush, not only for those who take part in the sport but also for those who delight in watching windsurfers “play” with the waves created by nature.
The beach of Falassarna extends over a very large area (about 3 kilometres from one end to the other). For practical purposes the locals have given names to different parts of the beach, for example, “Bourouni”, “Kalami”, “Agia Paraskevi” e.t.c. The most famous part of the beach Falassarna is called Pachia Ammos (Bourouni, Avoratias & Gulisma) it’s an exotic wide sandy beach about 1 kilometre long.
Text Source: visitfalassarna.com
It is very difficult to describe in words the deep blue waters, the white sand and the majestic sceneries that someone can see in Elafonisi beach. The sand gives the crystal clear waters beautiful colors in all the shades of blue. On many points, on which the waves meet the beach, the sand has an extraordinary pink shade, a unique feature of this exotic beach.
Elafonisi is a protected area (Nature 2000 site as well as a Micro-Reserve for the protection and study of Androcymbium rechingeri). The small island is home to 110 plant species and is a dream for anyone interested in botany. Most notable are Sea daffodils, Androcymbium rechingeri, Marram grass and endemic Juniper trees. Camping is not allowed.
An exotic beach
Elafonisi is located 76km west of Chania and 5km south of Chrysoskalitisa Monastery, in the southwesternmost tip of Crete. Elafonisi is an oblong peninsula, which often breaks in two parts by water giving the impression of being a separate island. It is a Natura 2000 protected area. The island is full of sand dunes with sea daffodils and jupiners. The endangered loggerhead sea turtle and several more rare animals and plants find shelter on the island; it is strictly forbidden to remove any plants, animals, shells and sand from the area.
Exotic beaches with white sand and turquoise water, reminding of the Caribbean, are formed on either sides of the peninsula. The sand is pinkish in many places, taking its color from millions of crushed shells. Near the breaking point of the peninsula, the sea water does not exceed 1m in depth, creating a small lagoon, ideal for children. You can easily cross the lagoon in order to reach the opposite site of the peninsula, while carrying your staff with you, because the water is very shallow there.
Text source: Inkissamos.gr
Balos Lagoon is surely the most photographed beach in Crete. You can actually find Balos in every tourist guide for Crete, probably in every tourist guide for Greece.
Balos is famous for its turquoise waters, the exotic scenery and the amazing natural beauty you will face after your arrival there. The best part is the amazing view when you walk down the path. Balos in certainly unique, picturesque and rough. Be prepared…
A must visit in Crete
Balos is famous for its turquoise waters, the unique landscape, the wild natural beauty and the beautiful exotic scenery. During the summer, it is visited by thousands of people, who arrive mostly by the ferries running from Kissamos port.
The lagoon of Balos has pinkwhite sand and exotic white, vivid blue and turquoise waters. The sea is very shallow and warm, ideal for families and young children. In many places the sand has a lovely pinkish color, because of the crushed shells.
The lagoon and the wider area, with rare species of flora and fauna, are protected under the Natura 2000 program.
There are 2 ways getting there. By car or by boat.
Text source: Inkissamos.gr
Archaeological museum of Kissamos is located in the city center, next to Skalidi street, the old market center of Kissamos. It is housed in the old building of the Venetian-Turkish Headquarters which was inside the perimeter of the Venetian castle, fortified during the Turkish occupation.
The exhibits of the Museum give an idea of the history in the wider region of Kissamos through the times, from the prehistoric era up to and including late antiquity, i.e. the early Christian period. The exhibition is split into sections based on chronological and local criteria and it takes up the ground and the first floor of the building. This way the visitor comes across the antiquities of the region in chronological order. Moreover, the findings are presented as excavation sets and thematical units.
The exhibition of the Museum provides a lot of informational and educational material. To attract the visitors’ interest and give them a more in-depth look, there is an electronic presentation with research and evidence concerning the most devastating earthquake of antiquity in 365 AD that hit Crete and demolished Kissamos.
Don’t miss the unique mosaic floors
The Archaeological Museum of Kisamos belongs to the 25th Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and is located in the homonymous coastal town of Western Crete, which was built over ancient Kissamos.
The exhibits of the Museum offer an overview of the area’s history from prehistoric times to paleochristian times. The exhibition is divided in units developed in the ground floor and the first floor of the building. So, the visitor gets acquainted with the antiquities of the area in chronological order. Furthermore, the findings are displayed by excavation set and in thematic units.
The entire exhibition of the Museum includes a lot of information and visual material. To better inform visitors and to attract their interest, the museum offers an electronic presentation with research and documentation on the most destructive earthquake of the antiquity, in 365 A.D., which struck Crete and demolished Kissamos.
Caretaking Authority
Chania Ephorate of Antiquities, Stratigou Tzanakaki Square, P.C. 73400, Kissamos (Prefecture of Chania),
Tel: +30 28220 83308, Fax: 2822083308, Email: efacha@culture.gr,
Open: 8:00-15:00 Monday closed,
Authors Vana Niniou – Kindeli, archaeologist
Aggeliki Tsingou, archaeologist
More information on http://odysseus.culture.gr
Venice of the East” is regarded by many, and not unjustly, as the most beautiful city in Greece.
The picturesque city of Chania is the second largest city of Crete, after Heraklion, with more than 60,000 residents. Fortunately it did not follow the same fate as the other cities of Crete, e.g. Heraklion, where the great Venetian and Ottoman monuments were destroyed for the sake of economic growth and “modernization”. Instead, the Old Town and the Venetian Harbour have remained almost intact, giving the city a special Venetian character, unique in the Mediterranean. Thus, the visitors of Chania are attracted by the beauty of the scenic narrow streets, the imposing lighthouse at the entrance of the small harbor and all the amazing monuments that make up the transcendent magic of Chania.
Chania is believed to be built on the site of the Minoan Kydonia, as shown by the excavations in Kastelli hill. Chania developed substantially in the Byzantine era, when it was fortified. Later, the Venetians turned the city into a great castle with strong walls, for which you can read here. After the Sultan Abdul Mezit visited Crete in 1850 and decided to construct a naval base in the gulf of Souda, the capital of Crete was moved from Heraklion to Chania (till 1971). After the liberation of Crete from the Turks in 1898 and during the Cretan State autonomy, great buildings were built in the city and the suburb of Halepa. The glory of Chania reached its peak during the hoisting of the Greek flag in the fortress of Firkas in 1913, marking the final Union of Crete with Greece, after centuries of slavery. Chania played also an important role in the outcome of the struggle against the Germans in World War II, as the nearby airport of Maleme was the epicenter of the glorious Battle of Crete. Chania was the last European city to be liberated from the Germans in April 1945.
From Chania came Eleftherios Venizelos, the greatest politician of Greece, as with its successful policy as prime minister of Greece he managed to triple the territories of Greece in the early 20th century. The tombs of the Venizelos family are set in a magical site east of Chania, with panoramic views of the city.
Some attractions of Chania are the old town, the Venetian harbour with the old lighthouse, the mosque of Kucuk Hasan, the pedestrian road of Kum Kapi, the shipyards, the great Arsenal which houses the Center for Mediterranean Architecture, the central market, the hill of Kastelli with the old Palace and the Minoan settlement, the picturesque district of the Ottomans called Splantzia, the church of St. Rocco, the cathedral of Chania, the archaeological museum, the beachfront of Nea Chora district, the Maritime Museum of Crete in Fort Firkas, the Prefecture and the Courts, the graves of Venizelos family, the house of Venizelos in Halepa, the Allies’ Cemetery in Souda, the Historical Archive of Crete, etc.
Πηγή: 🥇Travel Guide for Island Crete
https://www.cretanbeaches.com
Useful links
Falassarna guide
Made at 2018 from the Creative and Embellishing Residents Association of Platanos “Unity”.
Official guide of Kissamos
Made from municipality of Kissamos.
Tips for travellers in Kissamos
Every place has its secrets. Kissamos has its own -- Some usefull travelers secrets. InKissamos.gr, tips for travelers.