Guide to the best beaches in Heraklion
Agia Pelagia:About 20 km easternly of Heraklion. One of the biggest resorts of northern coast of Crete, Agia Pelagia is enough popular and allocates two smaller splendid sandy beaches. Here you will find all the goods of hotels and all the facilities and services are provided for a pleasant stay.
Matala:65 km southly-western of HERAKLION, in a good state. The beach of Matala is opened as an embracement in Livyko Sea. The golden sand, the clean waters, and the mystic rocks bring a lot of visitors here. The village is prone in each commercialisation and there are shops with souvenirs, cafeterias, etc Today Matala tries to restore the picture of unconcern of the sixties for which it was famous and it is worth visiting. The beach is beautiful and it has been maintained relatively well and it deserves a bypass here for coffee and perhaps a plunge and afterwards you may visit the also special beaches of Komou or Kalamakiou. There are also camping, restaurants, taverns.
Kalamaki:About 2 km from Matala. It not so much crowded as the neighbouring Matala, Kalamaki is a small fishing village built on a big sandy beach that usually quietness prevails and is not as busy as Matala. There are certain small taverns, cafes and other essential for the visitor services.
Komos:Between Matala and Kalamaki. A deserted coast with grey sand, a little northern from Matala, this beach is a splendid landscape well hidden behind bustling Matala. If you pass from here, it is even worth a small bypass if you seek for natural beauty and peacefulness. Be careful in the way the turn for the earth-road that leads to the beach, above the street north from Matala.
Karteros-coast:It is found easternly in a distance of 7 kilometres from the city of Heraklion. The Coast is very big in length and organised. Deck chairs, beach bars, cafes and taverns are widely available in the region. In order to go to the Coast you can take a bus or taxi from Heraklion.
Palaiokastro:Ideal beach for good swimmers. Instead of sand it has small pebbles and the waters are particularly deep.
Ammoudara:A long, sandy beach, 5 kilometres western from Heraklion. The waters are really boiling hot and there are a lot of comforts available in the beach. There is also a windsurfing instructor school. You can reach the beach either by taxi or by bus from Heraklion.
Keratokampos:If you want to swim in the Livyko Sea, without a lot of people and trouble, Keratokampos is the most suitable choice. Calm, clean waters, sand and pebbles are the elements that compose the landscape.
Koudoumas:One quieter sandy beach, without activities and crowds of people. It is clean and particularly popular with the locals. In a near distance there is also the homonym Monastery, precisely behind the beac