Enjoy plenty of swimming and sunbathing spots on the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea
- Crete is the largest island in Greece and has lots of gorgeous beaches. Crete is washed by the Aegean Sea and the Libyan Sea. The most popular and visited beaches are the pink beaches—Balos and Elafonissi. Also, well-known is the beach of Preveli located near Rethymno. Preveli is a beautiful lagoon full of palm trees and soft golden sand. The main feature of this beach is a river called Kourtaliotis. The river creates a delta, and the territory of Preveli beach looks amazingly dreamy.
- Falassarna is famous as the cleanest beach in Crete. It’s an idyllic place surrounded by stunning landscapes and crystalline water. There you can find deck chairs, sun beds, and a few umbrellas. Vai beach is also known as Palm Forest because its beautiful palm trees create a real paradise for visitors. Heraklion Matala beach was once known for its cave hippy community. This beach is very romantic and suitable for newlyweds.
- Swimming season is open from May until October. During May–June, and September–October, there are not so many people, and the weather is pretty warm. Unfortunately, during the peak season in July and August, beaches are extremely busy and overcrowded. Besides during August strong winds blow on the north side of Crete, and it can create very powerful waves which means swimming is not comfortable at that time. The south side of Crete island isn’t so windy, but sometimes swimming during August can also be challenging there.