Falassarna Beach is located on the western shore of the Gramvousa peninsula, about 59 km west of the regional town of Chania and about 16 km from the resort of Kissamos. The beach is very well known, as when the most beautiful beach of Crete is announced, it usually shares the first place with the nearby Elafonisi beach. Falassarna is also traditionally ranked among the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the whole of Greece.

The beach is unique in that it is covered with fine sand of a light to pinkish colour, which is given by the dust from the shells of the local corals scattered in the sand all around. Combined with the crystal clear water, the beach takes on a very exotic feel. Incidentally, Falassarna is also one of the cleanest beaches in Greece, and both the cleanliness of the sea and the quality of the beach itself are highly praised.

The coastline in this area slopes gently into the sea, making the beach ideal for families with smaller children. However, sometimes there are big waves which bring with them the strong westerly winds (meltemi) so typical of Crete. Bigger waves can be dangerous for children or weaker swimmers, but windsurfers love them. Romantic souls will appreciate the magical sunsets, which can be watched in peace and privacy. Despite all its splendours, Falassarna remains a very quiet beach.

Falasarna is also described as one of the longest beaches in Europe, but it is actually made up of several smaller beaches:

• the central part of the beach, often called Pachia Ammos (translated as "fine sand"), sometimes also "Big Beach" (the sign on the sign when you come down the road) - an exotic beach 1 km long, it is the main beach of the resort, covered with fine and very pleasant sand, this is where most of the visitors to the area head, organised beach with sunbeds and umbrellas, nearby there are restaurants, taverns, beach bars and beach volleyball courts, supervised by a lifeguard in summer
• a smaller sandy beach to the north - it is close to the village of Falassarna (small and very quiet resort with limited accommodation, only a few guesthouses and apartments), unorganized beach without sunbeds and umbrellas, pleasant and several taverns nearby
• further north, a small pebble cove - located near an archaeological site (the ancient city of Phalasarna and the so-called "Throne of Poseidon"), a cove with pebbles and a rocky seabed
• on the contrary, south of the main beach there is a small sandy beach, sometimes called "Livadi" - an unorganized beach without sunbeds and umbrellas, with a rocky seabed, which makes it a paradise for snorkeling fans
• further south a small pebble beach - it can be found by the harbour, unorganised beach without sunbeds

If you have a little time to explore this part of Crete, the Gramvousa peninsula is a great gem in itself with beautiful nature and unique beaches. In addition to Falassarna beach, there is also the very popular Balos beach, the so-called Pirates' Cove, on its western shore. However, this beautiful bay with shallow water and wild surrounding nature has experienced a great influx of tourists in recent years. In contrast, Falassarna beach is quiet and not overcrowded even in the peak tourist season (especially due to its length).

More touristic destinations of Crete

Close beaches: Balos Beach

Most favourite beaches of Crete: Amoudara Beach (Heraklion), Balos Beach, Elafonisi Beach, Falassarna Beach, Glyka Nera Beach (Sweet Water), Matala Beach, Platanias Beach, Preveli Beach, Stalis Beach, Stavros Beach, Vai Beach, Voulisma Beach, Xerokampos Beach

Resorts, beaches, sights or trips - clearly listed on the map of Crete.