Akrotiri Peninsula
East
of Chania and at a distance of barely 15 km, following the
road towards the International
airport, is the peninsula called Kiamon in the old days
and Akrotiri today. It is a historic peninsula associated
with the liberation struggles of Crete. Akrotiri shapes the
bay of Suda, one of the biggest natural harbours in Greece.
Worth visiting:
- The Venizelos graves, 6 km from Chania, with a breathtaking
view of the town
- The monastery of Agia Triada, 16 km from Chania. One of
the few monasteries in Crete where monastic life is practised.
- The monastery of Gouverneto, 20 km from Chania, which
has beautiful embossed decorations in Venetian style. The
liturgies of Holy Week are atmospheric. Older than the monastery
of Agia Triada, with old murals, it gives a feeling of seclusion
and isolation.
- The beaches of Akrotiri. There are many beautiful beaches,
such as Stavros, Kalathas, Tersanas, Loutraki, Marathi.
Kalathas is a small natural bay on the
edge of a ravine, with a quiet, sandy beach. Also visitors
can swim to the islet which is very close by. The beach can
be crowded in summer and at weekends. Very shallow and ideal
for children.
Stavros is another beautiful beach. One of the bays
of the area gives the feeling of a lake because of its small
size. In this area you can find an abundance of fish. At this
place filmed the famous Alexis Zorbas and Stavros had its
moment of fame.
Loutraki, is a tiny beach with extremely crystal clear
water.
Marathi, discovered a few years ago by the inhabitants
of Chania. It gets very crowded at weekends. Nice sandy beach
with quite warm shallow water.
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