BEACHES

The nearest beach, 5 min drive or 20 min walk. A lovely small cove and sandy beach. Sun-beds and parasols available with a beach bar for drinks and snacks, and a restaurant around the cove. Safe, gently sloping shoreline, great for kids. It can get quite busy at peak times and weekends.

5 mins by car on the Chania road, this is a large bay with an island set in the middle, which is quite easy to swim to. Lots of sun-beds at one end and open beach the other combined with a very wide beach mean there is always space here. The sea is usually very calm and warm. A lifeguard station is on the beach for added safety. A couple of snack bars provide good food and drinks.

10 mins by car, a lovely sheltered bay in the shadow of the Stavros mountain of Vardies. Sandy beach, sun-beds and parasols, cafes and restaurants. The long, narrow bay ensures a very calm sea with safe swimming. Busy at peak times, but big enough to cope. The area was made famous by being the location for the film "Zorba the Greek" starring Anthony Quinn — hence the name of one of the restaurants.

Just around the corner from Stavros beach, this is a quiet beach even in mid August, possibly due to the smooth rock shoreline not being the traditional sand, but the beach itself is sandy. It has a lovely palm leaf covered bar, providing sun-beds, parasols and great food. The beach is very long and curves towards Blue Beach, to which you can walk.

To the west of Sunset Beach, where the Mediterranean meets the Ionian Sea, you will find a small sandy cove, which is great for children. During the course of the day, the sea changes colour from a silvery blue to a deep moody blue. These constantly changing colours were the inspiration behind the name Blue Beach.

On the south coast of the Akrotiri peninsula this is a small harbour with beaches on both sides. To the left it is quiet with a small beach taverna selling local fish dishes. To the right a much larger beach with many restaurants and facilities. The views across to Souda Island and beyond to Kalives and Almerida are quite lovely.