Tip of the day Akrotiri, Chania, Crete The Akrotiri region is a flat peninsula east of Hania with a hill at its eastern side (528 metres high). If you are interested in the beauty that nature has to offer, you won’t find much to see in Akrotiri. This is also where the dreary cement buildings of the Hania University campus are located as well as some factories and a number of country houses randomly built all over the place. If you wish to swim, again this is not the best place to come, because Akrotiri has very few good beaches. The most charming sandy beach is at Kalathas, but it is surrounded by many Rooms to Let, Hotels, taverns etc. A second beach, tiny but sandy, is that of Tersanas, which has much fewer buildings around it and is much more quiet. Only a hundred metres from the beach you can find the Studios to Let “Alianthos.” These make a very cosy place to stay, as they are surrounded by many trees, offer peace and quiet, and have balconies with an exquisite view and sheltered parking. Nearby you will find a nice tavern. A third beach, the largest of Akrotiri, is also sandy and lies west of Stavros. However, only a hundred metres behind the beach - and right over your heads - there is a huge military radar, which is not only disturbing but may also pose a threat to your health. The village itself consists of many large country houses, a few huts, and a couple of taverns featuring plastic tents, plastic chairs and plastic signs. The small sandy beach of the village must have been quite beautiful a century ago, but today it’s covered with plastic deck chairs. Still, a few of the most beautiful monasteries of Crete are located in Akrotiri and it’s worth making a trip just to see them.

Site recommended by the French guidebook Routard