Preveli Crete

holiday report and Preveli Crete map

Preveli beach Crete

The are two access routes to the spectacular beach at PREVELI, neither of which is particularly easy. The first is marked by rough signposts just before the turn to Preveli Monastery and follows the river down to the sea, but the way is long and rough underfoot.
The alternative is just below the monastery where a good tarmac road drops steeply to a large car park (not free). There follows a very steep climb down to the beach.
Valiant efforts have been made to ease the way with stone steps and a staging post half way that is little more than a large litter bin. But this is still a steep and tricky climb.
The beach itself looks stunning with a small lagoon draped in palms and oleanders and protected by a large bank of grey gravel sand. Unfortunately it is not quite the paradise touted in the brochures.
A ramshackle taverna tunes into a loud disco radio station, a seedy hamburger café appears to hold the franchise on sunbeds and barrowloads of soft drinks cans litter the old huts behind the lagoon.
Well-trodden jungle-style pathways snake back alongside the lush lagoon. They would make pleasant, shady walks had they not been used so obviously and freely as open-air toilets. Soiled knickers, dirty tampons and other unsanitary detritus had been liberally strewn around in bushes off the well-walked tracks.
Rowing boats are for hire to paddle up the lagoon for 30 minutes. Over the headland is a more substantial taverna and the path back to the river access route. Those heading back up the cliff face a rougher ride. I gave up counting after 700 steps in the 20 minutes it took me to crawl back to the car park.