Overlooking Chania Bay, Platanias is a popular beach resort on the north-west coast of Crete. Its historic village clusters on a hillside and offers magnificent views across the Sea of Crete and the nearby island of Agioi Theodoroi.
Spend your days relaxing on Paralia Platanias, a sandy beach that stretches along the length of the village. Beach chairs and umbrellas are available for rent from the bars that line the sand and you can participate in a range of water sports, including parasailing. Between May and September, loggerhead sea turtles are known to nest on the beach.
A short boat ride from Platanias will take you to the island of Agioi Theodoroi, which is home to the ruins of a Venetian fortress and a historic church. The island is designated as a national park to protect a population of around 80 Cretan ibex, which were reintroduced from the mountains of Crete.
Getting there
Platanias is a 15-minute drive from the centre of Chania and 30 minutes from Chania International Airport Ioannis Daskalogiannis, which has seasonal flights to destinations across Europe. Buses connect Platanias to towns throughout Crete while the village is small enough to explore on foot.