Falasarna Beach

On the far northwestern corner of Crete, in the Kissamos region, Falasarna Beach combines one of the island's best beaches with the remains of an ancient city. The beach is wide and long, with pale sand tinted pink in places by crushed shells and clear turquoise water, and it faces west, which makes it the place on the island that people head for at sunset. Behind it, greenhouses and low hills take the place of resort development, and the area feels more remote than the beaches on the north coast.

The ancient city of Phalasarna was a Hellenistic power, with a harbour that served a thriving trade and, according to ancient writers, a haven for pirates whose raids troubled the eastern Mediterranean. The Romans eventually blocked the harbour. A large earthquake in the fourth century AD then lifted this stretch of coast by several metres, leaving the ancient harbour basin high and dry, well above the present sea level. This is why the so-called closed harbour, a rectangular basin cut into the rock, lies inland from the sea today.

On the hill above the beach, a stretch of fortification walls and towers is visible, together with a rock-cut seat commonly called the throne, as well as water cisterns and traces of buildings. A small archaeological site sits at the base of the hill, and it is easy to combine a swim with a short walk among the ruins. Adjacent to the sand, the older name of the site, Phalasarna, survives in the modern Falasarna.

Visitors should note that the beach can be windy and that waves sometimes arrive from the west, so the water is not always calm, but the wind also keeps temperatures comfortable in July and August. Facilities exist in the form of a few sunbeds, tavernas and rooms, and parking is available near the sand. Bring sun protection, since shade is limited, and keep an eye on conditions if you swim.

From here, the Gramvousa peninsula and its lagoon of Balos lie a short distance to the north, and the town of Kissamos to the east has good restaurants and a museum with finds from the area. The drive along the coast is memorable in itself, with views of the sea and mountains along a winding road.