Beaches in Heraklion North and South Coast

Map of Beaches in Heraklion Region

Check the number next to each beach to locate it on the map of Heraklion prefecture.

Beaches on the North Coast of Heraklion

1. Fodele beach

Fodele beach is located 23 km west of Heraklion. The sandy beach is by the highway from Heraklion to Rethymnon and Chania.

The village of Fodele is 2 km distance from the beach. Fodele is the birthplace of El Greco (Domenico Theotocopoulo), the famous painter.

2. Mononaftis beach

Mononaftis beach with sand and shingle 20 km west of Heraklion.

3. Agia Pelagia beach

Agia Pelagia beach is located 16 km west of Heraklion. There are plenty of taverns, restaurants and cafes in Agia Pelagia town. There are also many hotels and apartments. The bay of Agia Pelagia is protected from north-west winds and the sea is almost always calm. Drive carefully on the winding road descending to Agia Pelagia.

There is another smaller sandy beach west of the Capsis Beach Hotel. Ask the locals to show you the way. This beach is not protected from North winds.

4. Ligaria beach

Ligaria beach is located 15 km west of Heraklion and it is less crowded than the Agia Pelagia beach.

5. Paliokastro beach

Paliokastro beach is located 10 km west of Heraklion. A small pebbles beach.

It is relatively protected from north winds and the water becomes deep rapidly.

There are a few restaurants here and some small hotels & apartments. Good for snorkelling.

6. Amoudara beach

Amoudara beach is located 5 km west of Heraklion. It is a long, sandy beach in an area with many hotels, both large and small.

You will find areas with sunbeds, umbrellas and a lifeguard, but there are also parts of the beach with no establishments.

Cafes, restaurants and beach bars can be found along the beach. Easy transportation by public buses or taxi from Heraklion.

Amoudara windsurfing school

At the west end of the beach (take the right turn past the Dolphin Bay Hotel) there is a windsurfing school. A course lasts one week and it costs 90 Euro.

7. Karteros beaches

Amnissos, Tobrouk, Florida beach

Florida beach, Karteros beach, EOT beach (Akti Club), Amnissos beach, Tobrouk beach. A long & wide sandy beach 8 km east of Heraklion, with different names for the various parts of it. Beach cafes, restaurants and fish taverns are available.

Florida beach, the part of the beach closer to the airport, is less crowded but the airplanes approaching the Heraklion airport are evident (…and noisy).

8. Kokkini Hani beaches

Kokkini Hani beach, is located 12 km east of Heraklion. There is a big sandy beach along the main road, which is annoyingly full of sunbeds. There is also a beach bar with loud music and younger people may find it interesting.

In Kokkini Hani there are also many smaller sandy beaches. Side roads lead to them and you will have to ask around in order to locate them.

9. Gournes beach

Gournes beach is a sandy beach located 17 km east of Heraklion

10. Gouves beach

Gouves beach is located 18 km east of Heraklion.

11. Analipsis and Anissaras beaches

Analipsis beach and Anissaras beach are located 20 km east of Heraklion.

Sandy beaches with occasionally rocky sea-bottom.

If you walk a few hundred yards far from the crowds, then it is possible to find a spot with nobody around.

12. Hersonissos beaches

Hersonissos beaches (click)

13. Stalis or Stalida beaches

Nice sandy shallow beach. When the wind is too strong high waves may prove dangerous for inexperienced swimmers. Always listen to the instructions of the lifesavers.

Read more about Stalis
Stalis beach pictures

14. Malia beaches

Malia beach 6 km of sandy beach.

Read more about Malia beaches

If it gets too crowded then head to the east, to the Potamos beach.

Beaches on the South Coast of Heraklion

15. Kokkinos Pirgos beach

Kokkinos Pirgos Beach is along sandy beach which is very shallow close to the fishing port of Kokkinos Pirgos. It is preferred by the locals, very few tourists around. The part of the beach to the east is more secluded than the part close to the port.

16. Kalamaki beach

Kalamaki Beach is a sandy beach. Be careful when you enter the water due to the slippery rock plates.

17. Kommos beach

The north part of Kommos beach is the naturists part with no sunbeds or cafes. There are many tamarisk trees that offer pleasant shade during the day. The rock plates exist here too and the beach is particularly exposed to north winds.

The south part of the beach is in front of the Archaeological site of Kommos. The site is still closed to the public. There are sunbeds and a tavern.

The road to Kommos starts from Pitsidia village, on the way from Festos to Matala. Drive slowly and try to locate the sign on your right, next to a small Supermarket.

18. Matala beach

The famous beach preferred by hippies, who used to live in the many caves of Matala in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

The beach is relatively protected from north winds, but big waves are not unusual when south or west winds blow. The beach of Matala is usually very crowded.

19. Kokkini Ammos beach

Kokkini Ammos (Red Sand) Beach. Another clothing optional beach south of Matala. Access is possible on foot or by boat from Matala.

20. Vathi beach

Vathi is a closed bay with few houses of locals. The pebbly beach is accessed by a dirt track past Sivas village and Odigitria Monastery. It is a long, difficult drive, suitable more for 4-wheel-drive cars.

21. Ayiofarango beach

Ayiofarango means the gorge of the Saints in Greek. The pebbly beach is accessed on foot through the gorge or by boat from Kaloi limenes port. It is an excellent beach protected from the wind but with no facilities. Occasionally it is clothing optional.

22. Kaloi Limenes beach

Kaloi Limenes is a pebbly beach preferred by the locals. When the wind gets too strong, then Kaloi Limenes beach is the only solution for calmer swimming.

23. Diskos beach

Diskos, west of Lentas is a beautiful beach with its east part clothing optional.

24. Lentas beach

The beach of the village of Lentas. You will swim together with the locals in front of the many taverns and restaurants of Lentas.

Ostria Beach

Ostria beach is a pebbly beach with a nice tavern, 1 km east of Lentas. A few tamarisk trees offer pleasant shade during the hot noon hours.

25. Loutra beach

Loutra Beach is a nice beach with pebbles 3 km east of Lentas. The road is a dirt track suitable for all cars.

The rocky seabed makes it good for snorkelling. The east part of the beach is occasionally clothing optional.

26. Psili Ammos or Trafoulas beach

Psili Ammos or Trafoulas beach, a great beach with sand and pebbles, accessible only on foot or by boat from Lentas. It is a naturists beach.

27. Koudoumas beach

The pebbly beach is in front of the Koudoumas Monastery. Camping is possible with respect to the monastery and the locals. There are no facilities, so you will have to carry everything with you.

Drive past Sternes village for 45 minutes on a dirt track descending from 1,000 m down to sea level. The views are excellent but it is not suggested for those who suffer from fear of heights.

28. Agios Nikitas + Maridaki beach

Maridaki beach is an adventurous drive on a dusty dirt track past Ahentrias village will bring you to Maridaki beach. It is a small pebbly beach preferred by the locals.

Agios Nikitas is one km west of Maridaki there is another pebbles beach, the Agios Nikitas beach. The access is through the Monastery of Agios Nikitas. Keep driving past the monastery and you will reach an unknown palm-forest of Crete. No facilities are available in Agios Nikitas.

29. Tsoutsouros Beach

The sandy beach of the Tsoutsouros village. Tsoutsouros beach is very popular to the people of Crete, therefore it may be crowded during the weekends.

30. Dermatos beach

Dermatos beach

Dermatos is a pebbly beach with many tamarisk trees.

31. Keratokampos beach

Keratokampos is a long beautiful beach with pebbles and sand on parts. If you walk to the east, then you will reach a beach with sand-dunes and almost nobody close to you. The rocky sea bottom makes the place excellent for snorkelling.

32. Arvi beach

Arvi is the pebbly beach of the Arvi village. It is very narrow inside the village but it gets wider towards the east.

33. Psari Forada beach

Psari Forada or Sidonia beach

Psari Forada or Sidonia is a beach with dark sand and tamarisk trees.

34.Tertsa beach

Tertsa is a tiny village with a pebbly beach. A dirt track leads to Tertsa from Sidonia or Myrtos. There are restaurants and a few rooms for rent.

Things change all the time, so your assistance in keeping this beach report up-to-date is valuable. If you want to add a beach or suggest a correction , please contact us.

Beach Guide