Lentas rests on the far south coast of Crete, tucked below the Asterousia mountains in the Heraklion region. The drive down from the Messara plain climbs slowly over the ridge, and that long, twisting road keeps the village far from the mass-tourism track. Travellers reach a place where pebble beaches, clear water and simple tavernas … Read more
Agiofarango Gorge cuts through the Asterousia mountains on the far south coast of Crete, deep inside the Heraklion region near the Odigitria monastery. The name means ‘gorge of the saints’, drawn from the hermit caves and rock chapels that monks once used inside its walls. A gentle two-kilometre walk between tall limestone cliffs delivers you … Read more
Ierapetra holds the distinction of being the southernmost city in Europe, sprawling across the narrow waist of Crete in the Lasithi region. This working town on the island’s sun-drenched south coast offers an authentic Cretan experience far removed from the polished resort atmosphere found elsewhere. The Venetian fortress Kales stands guard over the old harbour, … Read more
Agia Galini spills down a steep hillside to meet the Gulf of Messara on Crete’s southern shore. This former fishing village has grown into a relaxed resort that retains its small-scale charm and friendly atmosphere. The harbour forms the heart of town, lined with traditional tavernas and cafés where locals and visitors gather to watch … Read more
Sougia rests on the remote south-west coast of Crete, a village that has resisted the pull of mass tourism and held tight to its unhurried rhythm. The long grey-pebble beach stretches beside clear, deep water, and the surrounding mountains drop steeply to the sea. Walkers finishing the Agia Irini Gorge emerge here, dusty and satisfied, … Read more
Paleochora sits on a small peninsula jutting into the Libyan Sea on the far south-west coast of Crete, earning its nickname as the bride of the Libyan Sea. This relaxed resort town in the Chania region offers two distinct beaches flanking the peninsula: a long sandy stretch on one side and a pebbly shore on … Read more
Loutro sits tucked into a sheltered bay on the south coast of Crete, where whitewashed houses curve around impossibly blue water and no road reaches the shore. This tiny village in the Sfakia region remains accessible only by boat or on foot, preserving a rare quietness that has vanished from most Mediterranean coastlines. Tavernas line … Read more
Plakias sits on the southern shore of Crete, a low-key resort village that has kept its independent spirit intact. The long sandy beach sweeps around a bay framed by mountains and the dramatic mouth of the Kotsifou gorge. Waterfront tavernas serve fresh fish and local wine, while the village attracts hikers, backpackers and travellers seeking … Read more
Frangokastello stands as a perfectly preserved Venetian fortress on the remote southern coast of Crete, its honey-coloured walls rising dramatically against turquoise waters and rugged mountains. Built in the fourteenth century to control the fiercely independent Sfakia region, this rectangular castle with four corner towers guards a pristine sandy beach where shallow, warm waters lap … Read more
Matala is a small resort on the Gulf of Messara, along the south coast of Crete in the Heraklion region. Its landmark is a low sandstone cliff at the north end of the beach, riddled with man-made caves cut in antiquity as tombs. That same cliff later drew a wandering community of travellers and musicians … Read more