One place 4 all people
One place 4 all seasons
DISCOVER KISSAMOS
Words fail to capture the true essence of this land. To fully understand Kissamos one must experience it with all their senses. To witness the stunning mix of mountainous, lowland and seaside scenery, to spot unique species of rare flora and fauna, to discover ancient worlds. To take in the scent of the sea, and of the air filled with the aromas of all sorts of herbs, to taste the pure produce of Cretan land: olive oil, honey, wine, vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and raki, soaked in the zest of the local people, all mystically involved with this very soil, across centuries.
To hear the sweet voices of local singsong, ‘Mantinades’. To listen to everyday conversation regarding anything from legend to folklore, from tradition to history. To relish the hospitality and marvel at the majestic Cretan land that lies in the crossroads of three continents, fearless and life-giving, beyond all expectation.
BEACHES
Kissamos offers an enormous variety of beaches and seashores, some unknown to most people and others prizewinning and famous. Who doesn’t know or hasn’t dreamt of magical Falassarna, the exotic Balos Lagoon or the unique island of Elafonisos? Scenery of singular beauty, and pink sand that takes your breath away. All of them characteristic of Kissamos. Discover a small part of our Municipality, our beaches.
SIGHTSEEING
Kissamos has a long history, folklore and beautiful places worth visiting to admire. The Maris Fountain, the archaeological museum of Kissamos, the historic Skalidis street once the commercial centre of Kissamos, the Telonio Beach, are just some of the attractions and the places worth visiting at the centre of the town of Kissamos. Of course, Kissamos has an everlasting treasure…
ROUTES
Kissamos is full of short and long routes you can hike on during your stay. The area is also crossed by the European path E4. E4 is a European long-distance path operated by the European Ramblers Association (E.W.V.). The part of the path that runs within the Greek territory has been designed and signposted by the Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering and climbing. The path starts from the Pyrenees, it crosses the entire mountain range of the Alpes and it arrives at Florina where the Greek part of it starts. It crosses the whole of Greece down to Gythio and continues to Kissamos. From Kissamos starts the new part of E4 that goes down to Elafonisos and crosses all of Crete,…
THE CITY OF KISSAMOS
THE TOWN OF KISSAMOS The northern western edge of Crete, located between the capes of Gramvousa and Spathas, forms a natural bay. The present-day town of Kissamos is built on its inlet at 38 km west of Chania. It is the second largest town in the prefecture and the administrative centre of the Municipality of Kissamos that comprises the…
ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES
The history of Kissamos is rich and the archaeological sightseeing is just as rich. The history is lost in the depths of centuries and intertwines with mythology and the history of Chania and the rest of Crete. Within the boundaries of the Municipality, there are tell-tale signs of Neolithic habitation, and 5.7 million years old prints of a human ascendant were discovered recently. Let’s discover together the archaeological sites of Kissamos.
ORTHODOX FAITH
The contribution of the church and the faith of the people were the main components in shaping history and they still hold strong in Kissamos’ everyday life.
DISCOVER ALSO
Balos Lagoon
Balos lagoon is a heaven on earth of turquoise waters, pink-tinged white sands and wild, exotic beauty. Located at 17 km northwest of Kissamos, between the Gramvousa Cape and small rocky peninsula of Tigani, which connects with the rest of Crete via a thin strip of land, thus forming the famous Balos lagoon. Its southwest side is open to sea and forms a natural harbour, protected by winds due to the islet of Imeri Gramvousa across from it. On its open side the shore is deeper and rockier at places; a favourite for spearfishermen and scuba divers. The other side of the lagoon is closed to the sea and forms a generally quite shallow lagoon, except for some deeper places…
Falassarna beach
Falasarna beach is located on the Gramvousa Peninsula, 15 km west of Kissamos. This is one of Greece’s most renowned beaches, listed in the top ten of dreamy European shores and has been awarded in the past as Crete’s finest beach. With a vast, ca. 3 km, coastline that essentially consists of five consecutive beaches divided by rocks or sand dunes, with two of them attracting the largest crowds. The most popular is Pachia Ammos, spanning 1 km in length and of ample width; that is why it never looks crowded no matter how many its visitors. Its waters reflect a transparent turquoise tint, thanks to its thin, light-coloured sand and is fully organised hosting restaurants, cafés and bars, water…
Elafonisi beach
It takes a few seconds for the visitor arriving at Elafonisi to grasp the majestic, natural masterpiece that is laid out before them. A small peninsula split at its tip by the sea’s waters, resembling a separate island. The setting is tropical and enchanting, triggering an instant sense of marvel. Thin, white and pink tinted sands, cedars, jade crystal-clear waters, a natural lagoon at its north side, the open sea at its south, all underlined by the endless horizon. The beach prompts to an exotic paradise similar to the Caribbean, though perhaps of more beauty because of its iridescent shore; scores of minuscule crustaceans, called Foraminifera shed their shells on the beach, as they die, which are crushed to smithereens…
