Visit and explore the main sights and landmarks of 1Chania / Starting Point in the comfort and convenience of a private car. This experience combines the typical historical sites, famous beaches and hidden gems of the city of Chania.
On the way to Elafonissi Beach, you can stop by the 2Chrisoskalitissa Monastery, an Orthodox Christian monastery located on the southwest coast of Crete, about 72 kilometers southwest of Chania. It stands on a rocky, 35 meters height hill, overlooking the Libyan Sea. This female monastery is just a few kilometers north of the famous Elafonisi beach. According to Cretian tradition, the name of the monastery derives from the ninety steps which lead there, the last one of which is said to be golden but only visible to the faithful (hence the name of the monastery from the word "Hriso" meaning "gold" and "Skalitissa" meaning "the stair").
The monastery is dedicated to the Holy Trinity (“Agia Triada”) and the death of The Virgin Mary (“Kimisis of Theotokos”). It is said that the painting of “Kimisis tis Theotokou” was made 1.000 years ago. The area of Chrisoskalitissa is inhabited from the Middle-Minoan years when there was a settlement of fishermen and, like all monasteries in Crete, hadn’t escaped from the troubled history of the island, including numerous wars and conquers but it is still standing proudly above the sea. Chrisoskalitissa Monastery is one of the landmarks of southwest Crete. A simple, but impressive, building has kept alive the atmosphere of past centuries. Today, the monastery is open to all people who want to visit it.
Then you will continue to the famous and endless 3Elafonisi Βeach that is located 76 km west of Chania and 5 km south of Chrysoskalitisa Monastery. Elafonisi is an oblong, which often "breaks" in two parts by water, giving the impression of being a separate island. Elafonisi is a Natura 2000 protected area. The island is full of dunes with sand lilies and junipers (like cedar trees). The endangered turtles, caretta caretta, and several rare animals nest on the island and it is strictly forbidden to remove any plants, animals or sand from the area. Exotic beaches with white sand and turquoise waters, reminiscent of the Caribbean, are formed on either side of the peninsula. The sand is pinkish in many places, taking its color from thousands of broken shells. Near the “breaking” point of the peninsula, the water does not exceed 1 m, creating a small lagoon, ideal for children. You can easily cross the lagoon in order to reach the “island” where the water is shallow. The eastern side of the beach, in front of the lagoon, is well organized and has the most people. There are umbrellas, showers, lifeguards, snack bars and changing rooms.
Also, near the beach, there is a huge area for parking and, even further, a few rooms to rent. Alternatively, the beaches on either side of the island are less crowded and are the most beautiful, with amazing azure colors. If you want to stay completely secluded or nude, you can walk along the peninsula until you find a quiet cove that you like! There are always many coves available for naturists.
Destinazioni Più Popolari
Esplora le destinazioni più popolari dall'Aeroporto di Heraklion e Chania! Scopri i luoghi più votati in tutta Creta, con spiagge mozzafiato, siti storici e città vivaci a soli un trasferimento di distanza. Pianifica il tuo viaggio verso questi luoghi imperdibili e inizia la tua avventura con facilità.