9 Best Beaches in Chania

Whether you are seeking breathtaking natural landscapes, crystal blue seas, shallow waters, or seaside taverns- discover the best beaches in Chania, from our list of favourites! 

Seitan Limani 

From the breathtaking scenery to the magical views and pristine water, Seitan Limani boasts rocky land, beautiful coves, and emerald waters. It’s a bit of a hike to get there, as you need to walk down quite a few steep steps but it’s worth the effort! Tip: it’s not an organised beach so make sure you come prepared with water, sunscreen, a hat, and snacks! 

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Loutraki

For a morning swim and a great Freddo (cold coffee), head to Loutraki beach, which has a  great cafe, and lots of sunbeds that are located on both the grass hill (with steps to the sea) and the sandy beach end. 

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Marathi 

This is the perfect spot for families!  With two beaches to choose from- both are sandy and organised. Here you will also find a range of traditional taverns that serve local dishes and delicacies! 

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Falassarna

This has been voted the best beach in Crete and one of the ten best beaches in Europe! Featuring a huge bay, which consists of five exotic beaches, Falassarna has pink sand, stunning blue waters, and a wonderful landscape.

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Stavros Beach 

Where “Zorba the Greek” was filmed, this is a peaceful and organised sandy beach that is less crowded than most. Actually a lagoon, it’s nestled in a bay and protected from the strong winds. The striking mountains that surround it create a unique scenery that you won’t find elsewhere. 

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Balos Lagoon

One of Chania’s most popular beaches (for a good reason) the waters at Balos are warm and shallow, while some parts of the beach also boast pink sand! Located near Kissamos, Balos beach can be reached either by car from Chania or by boat from Kasteli. 

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Elafonisi

Another must-see beach that offers both organised and unorganised sections. One of the most photographed beaches in Greece, Elafonisi is a perfect day trip from town- where you can spend hours swimming and relaxing. 

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Gramvousa Islet 

A 15-minute cruise from Balos, this 200-metre-long beach is one of the most stunning in all of Greece. Boasting soft golden sand and crystal-clear turquoise water, it’s the perfect spot for swimming and snorkelling.

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Golden Beach 

Often named one of the best beaches in Chania, here you will find golden sand and clear, calm waters. It’s one of the closest beaches to Chania Town and has a range of sunbeds and umbrellas to choose from. Perfect for families, as there are so many kid-friendly activities available here too. 

Insights Greece - 9 Best Beaches in Chania
Getting to Chania

Flights to Chania from Athens are around one hour, otherwise, you can take a ferry. There is one ferry line that takes 6.5 hours, or you can do an overnight trip, which is roughly nine hours. 

Greece 2nd in the World for 2022 Blue Flag Beaches Awards

Greece has ranked second in the world again for the “Blue Flag” quality award list of beaches, marinas and sustainable tourism boats.

The great news has come just in time for those deciding where to head for their summer swims; with the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF) announcing at a special event on Monday, that Greece was named second among 53 countries on the 2022 Blue Flag quality award list. 

Coastal stretches across Greece have been awarded 581 flags, marinas have received 15 in total and six tourist boats have been accredited by the Blue Flag label, which corresponds to 14 percent of the total number of beaches awarded by the program this year.

Halkidiki’s beaches received the highest number of accolades with 96 flags, followed by Attica, Crete and Rhodes.

Spain has retained the title of world leader in Blue Flag awards in 2022 with the country’s beaches, marinas and tourist boats having received a total of 729.

The prestigious Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards for beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.

Central to the ideals of the Blue Flag program is the aim of connecting the public with their surroundings and encouraging them to learn more about their environment. As such, environmental education activities must be offered and promoted in addition to a permanent display of information relevant to the site in terms of biodiversity, ecosystems and environmental phenomena.

 The International Jury Blue Flag 2022 for the northern hemisphere, chaired by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) has awarded 5,042 Blue Flags in 74 countries, 4,194 for beaches, 732 for marinas and 116 for tourist boats.

Discover Milos’ Most Beautiful Beaches

Milos, with its beautiful beaches, has now become one of Greece’s most sought-after summer spots. 

This Cycladic island of volcanic origin features over 70 stunning beaches – from Sarakiniko, the most famous thanks to its unique lunar landscape, to Kleftiko, with its crystal clear waters- you really are spoilt for choice here! 

What makes these beaches so unique is their interesting rock formations that create an impressive landscape, and although you can’t go wrong with any of them- when visiting Milos these are the spots I highly recommend for an unforgettable swim! 

-Start off at the one-of-a-kind, lunar landscape of Sarakiniko which is featured on countless postcards (and for a good reason). 

-Then make your way over to the beach of Firiplaka for crystal clear waters and breathtaking rock scenery as its background. A huge sea boulder divides the organised part with a beach bar and sun loungers (for rent) from the “untouched” side. 

-Tsigrado is a magical beach that owes its existence to perlite (a type of obsidian from the volcano of Firiplaka) that can be reached by boat or by climbing a rope ladder. 

-Add the caves of Papafragas to your wish list; a long-narrow fjord-like inlet featuring blue-green waters and grey-white rocks. Swim under the caves of Papafragas, alongside the ruins of the prehistoric town of Fylakopi, while listening to the hum of the Aegean Sea, and the turquoise waters rising beside you.

–  If you prefer sandy beaches then make your way over to Agios Konstantinos. Also known as Alogomandra, it features soft, fine sand and is the perfect place for a quiet swim. 

– Don’t leave Milos until you’ve been to Fyropotamos, a small settlement with a lovely beach and shady trees. On the right side of the beach, you will find the “Syrmata”, which are colourful and unique- highlighting the raw beauty of Milos.

Where the locals go: The residents of Plaka, the island’s capital, head to their secret sandy beach of Plathenia, which is perfect for sunset watching as well.

Tip: On the days when the meltemia (winds) blow on the northern shores, the beaches of the southern side are ideal. At the beach of Paliochori, hot springs well up so check it out. And look out for the Mediterranean monk seal, an endangered and protected species, that roams around the Milos western coast.

Extra tip: take a tour around Milos in order to discover the famous bay of Kleftiko with crystal clear waters and perfectly white rock formations in the background, the underwater sea caves of Sykia, -among others- and certainly the uninhabited island of Polyegos with exquisite waters. I would strongly recommend choosing Thalassitra, a replica of the dominant early 20th-century, traditional Milos craft. The captain cooks (onboard) ten authentic Milos recipes in Sifnos clay dishes- making it a really memorable experience for more reasons than one. 

All Images by Polina Paraskevopoulou ©

Greece’s Leading Bohemian Luxe Brand Loved by Free Spirits

Loved by free spirits, beach lovers, and creative types, Nidodileda embraces flowy fabrics, mixed patterns, and a laid-back eclectic style that we can’t get enough of!

Featuring rich colours and textures, mixed and matched with a modern flair to create luxury and sophistication, once you slip into one of their boho dresses or any piece you’ll understand why it makes women feel elegant and feminine.

Insights Greece - Greece’s Leading Bohemian Luxe Brand Loved by Free Spirits

Nidodileda was formed in 2012, when designer and founder, Antonia (Tonia) Mitroudi, decided to create her own clothing brand based on the principle of designing clothes to make you feel confident and free.

The brand’s core lies in designing handmade clothes, using high-quality fabrics and manufacturers. From flowy maxi dresses to dreamy pants with exotic prints, this boho brand is effortlessly soft, feminine, and stylish.

We recently spoke to designer and founder Tonia about her designs and upcoming projects.

Tell us a bit about your background and training in the fashion industry?

I was lucky enough to be able to fulfill my studies in Milan at Marangoni Fashion Institute and after in Barcelona at IED School of Design. Right after I returned to Greece and worked as a fashion stylist for fashion magazines (L’officiel and many others) and soon I got to experience the fashion industry through the Greek press for nearly seven years.

When did you launch your brand and what is the concept behind it?

Leaving the world of fashion through the Greek press, I managed to make my dream come true with a series of fortunate events that helped me build Nidodileda, slowly and steadily. It all started in 2012 when I designed the first collection and was so curious if the girls out there would understand our concept through our designs… and they did! Our philosophy is for all the “Nido” girls to feel free and beautiful, independent, and strong. A never-ending story about looking at things from the most beautiful perspective.

Insights Greece - Greece’s Leading Bohemian Luxe Brand Loved by Free Spirits

What inspires your creations?

I get inspired when I travel, and I try to travel a lot in order to do so. Now, given the situation, my inspiration comes from all the things I love such as music-which I can’t live without- going to the beach and staring at the sun and moon at nights and spending quality time with people.

How would you describe your brand?

Nidodileda has grown from a free spirit bohemian brand to a Luxury Bohemian chic brand. She has grown from a girl to a woman and I couldn’t be more proud.

Are the materials locally sourced and where are they made?

We try to enhance the local industry of course and we are very happy about the revolution in materials and quality. All the designs of the fabrics and materials are created by our partners in Europe. Through my travels, I try and seek new ones each time in order to be unique and different.

Who are the pieces created for?

The pieces are created for me and you! For all the women out there that dare to be different and that are looking for a unique piece for their special occasion. This is exactly why we refer to the pieces as “Wardrobe treasures”.

Tell us about your latest collection?

Our SS’20 was introduced as “New Jade and the Whites”. It is inspired by precious and semi-precious stones with my favorite gemstone the New Jade that symbolizes balance, cleaning the mind and soul, reduces negativity and anxiety. The collection has a color pallet of nude, gold, rose gold, and soft pastels, and the “whites” collection fits perfectly as it was my dream to create a collection with a white base.

What is your favourite item in your range at the moment? 

In each collection, I always have some pieces I distinguish and wear nearly every day from day to night. This season it is the “Niobium” kimono from the Whites collection and the “Iolite” kimono. Also if I may I will say “Dean” Dress from our capsule collection.

What are the current projects you are working on and is there anything exciting coming up you would like to share? 

We are thrilled to announce that we are soon moving our HQ offices to a bigger space and opening our first flagship store! We will be able to introduce to everyone our brand philosophy and all aspects of Nidodileda, such as our NidoHome collection and Bridal collection. We assure you there will be many more things coming!

Insights Greece - Greece’s Leading Bohemian Luxe Brand Loved by Free Spirits

Where is your brand stocked?

We are stocked in Greece.

Do you ship internationally?

We ship all around the world!

How would you describe the Greek fashion scene in 2020?

I find the Fashion scene very promising and full of action! It is great to see talents out there creating!

How would you describe your own style?

I would like to say Bohemian eclectic with a twist!

On another note, tell us your favourite Greek holiday destination?

My absolute destination is the island of Serifos, as it combines amazing beaches and food and beautiful sceneries that are breathtaking. I can now add the island of Koufonisi for the exact same reasons!

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