Plakias
A quiet bay town on Crete's south coast, backed by cliffs and facing the Libyan Sea, with the Preveli Palm Beach, gorges and monastery nearby, ideal for slow travel.
Plakias lies on the south coast of Crete, Greece, in the municipality of Agios Vasileios in the Rethymno regional unit. It is about 40 km (roughly a 45-minute drive) from Rethymno town, and buses run in summer. The town sits in a wide sandy bay, backed by steep cliffs and facing the Libyan Sea. It was once just a fishing village, and today it is a base for slow travel and hiking on Crete's south coast, far quieter than the north.
The area around town falls into three parts. To the west are Souda Beach and the hill village of Myrtios, which overlooks the bay. Along the southeast coast are the small bays of Damnoni, Amoudi and Skinaria, good for swimming and snorkeling. Further east are Preveli Monastery and Preveli Palm Beach at the mouth of the gorge, reachable by boat from town. To the north, inland, are the Kotsifou and Kourtaliotiko gorges, and over the mountains lies the village of Spili. Farther southeast, Triopetra, the Agios Paulos dunes beach and the fishing harbour of Agia Galini make a good day trip by car.
May to October is the season for swimming. April and May bring wildflowers, the best time for gorge hiking. The south coast often gets strong summer winds, so on rough days, switch to the sheltered small bays. From November to March, most hotels and restaurants are closed. No public transport serves the beaches, so renting a car is recommended, as the mountain roads have many bends. Plakias is best enjoyed slowly, and 3 to 5 days is a good stay.
Top sights
- Preveli Beach – A palm-fringed beach at the mouth of a gorge, where a freshwater river meets the Libyan Sea. It is one of the most famous scenic spots on C…
- Preveli Monastery – An Orthodox monastery built on a cliff above the Libyan Sea. It sheltered Allied soldiers during World War II and has a small museum, with…
- Triopetra Beach – A long sandy beach on the south coast named after three giant rocks in the sea. Development is limited, the water is clear, and it is often…
- Agia Galini – A white hillside town on Messara Bay on the south coast. Its tiers of houses face a small harbor and the Libyan Sea, and at dusk the harbor…
- Spili – A mountain village along the main north-south road. In the village centre, a row of 25 Venetian lion-head fountains runs with mountain spri…
- Damnoni Beach – A golden-sand bay east of Plakias with turquoise water and gentle waves. Nearby hidden coves such as Ammoudi are good for swimming and snor…
- Plakias – A small fishing village resort on the Libyan Sea on the south coast. The 1.5 km bay has a wide sandy beach backed by two gorge cliffs and i…
- Kourtaliotiko Gorge – A 3 km limestone gorge crossed by the road to Preveli on the south coast. From a car park by the road, steps lead down to the Church of St…
- Myrthios – A white village on the hillside behind Plakias, with terrace taverns overlooking the whole bay. It is a favourite spot for dinner and sunse…
- Kotsifou Gorge – A road gorge north of Plakias with steep, narrow rock walls and a small white chapel beneath the cliffs, visible from the car as you drive…
- Souda Beach (Plakias) – A pebbly beach about 3 km west of Plakias, backed by palm trees and a stream valley, with clear water and fewer visitors.
- Ammoudi Beach (Plakias) – A small sandy bay east of Damnoni, surrounded by rocky cliffs, with turquoise water. Its northern end is a traditional clothing-optional co…
- Schinaria Beach – A small pebbly bay southeast of Plakias, where there are many fish around the reefs. It is widely regarded as the best snorkelling and divi…
- Kato Preveli Monastery – The stone ruins of the old Preveli Monastery near the mouth of the gorge, beside a Venetian-era stone arch bridge.
- Agios Pavlos Beach – A small bay next to Triopetra, backed by towering golden dunes. It is often used as a film location.
Where to eat
- Merastri Taverna – A family taverna at the eastern edge of Selia village, overlooking Plakias Bay, known for honey-mustard pork and daily…
- Plateia Myrthios Taverna – A glass-terrace taverna in the hillside village of Myrthios, with panoramic views over Plakias Bay, busiest at sunset.
- Sirocco Seafood Taverna – A seafood taverna on the Plakias seafront with tiered seating where almost every table has a sea view, famous for its d…
Itineraries
- Crete West-to-East Road Trip – A self-drive route across Crete, flying into Chania, driving towards Agios Nikolaos, and flying out of Heraklion.