Almyrida Crete

holiday report and Almyrida Crete map

Almyrida beach Crete

ALMYRIDA or ALMIRIDA is a charming tourist resort on the north coast of Crete about 15km east of Chania. Dozens of apartments have sprung up in the last few years along with a couple of low rise hotels as tour companies have caught on to the delights of the place but not enough to spoil the character.
Three beaches are strung together around the bay at Almyrida, one is of stone, one is a small but sheltered strip of sand, and the remaining main beach is very sandy and somewhat larger.
Taverna tables sit directly behind the main sands at Almyrida and the beach enjoys the usual facilities that include sunbeds, showers and a toilet block.
At the far end of the main Almyrida beach is a small harbour, recently rebuilt. This part of Almyrida beach has the best sand and the safest water. The western end of the beach suffers from some underwater rocks and notices warn of dangerous currents.
The village road runs directly behind the beach while out in the bay there sits the small rock islet of Karga where the ruins of an ancient Phoenician wall can just about be seen.
Almyrida has a dozen or so tavernas and cafes, all very fine although many visitors like to take the road up the hill to Plaka, in the west, where there are two excellent tavernas.
In Almyrida village UK ex-pats have opened the very popular Enchanted Owl which offers English food (including fish and chips) as well as Indian and Indonesian dishes.
Otherwise, facilities are all you would expect in a small village, a couple of small mini-markets, a kiosk, a tourist shop (buckets, spades and postcards) and that is just about the lot. Car and bike hire is available from Kalives-based Flisvos.
There are lots of good walks in the area. There is a mountain path between Almyrida and Kalives that offers fine views over Suda Bay. The road from nearby Drapanos to Kefalas has some particularly splendid panoramas, as does the walk from Plaka, through Kambia, to Kokkino Horio.