Location

Villa Platanias Beach Apartment Hotelstands right on the wonderful Platanias beach. Platanias beach features a 4km long coastline, and is one of the most organized in Greece.

Platanias itself is a famous summer resort, one of the most well-known in Crete and Greece, with excellent infrastructure for visitors, especially couples and families travelling with children. Here you can find super markets, mini markets, shops, specialty stores, banks, pharmacies and everything else in between. 

Platanias, apart from the crystal-clear waters of Platanias beach, also offers its guests a true hidden gem: the picturesque narrow lanes, beautiful flower gardens and breathtaking views of Ano Platanias, or Upper Platanias.

If you want – or, better, if you can – escape charming Platanias, you can use the very good public transport system, or a car, which you can easily and inexpensively rent in the area, to get to the magnificent nearby sights. Of these sights, the most famous is the superb city of Chania – considered by many the most beautiful city in Greece.

Chania city has been a cultural, political and financial center for centuries. From ancient Minoan years, to classical Greece, the Byzantine empire, the Venetian era, the Arabs, the Saracen pirates, the Ottoman empire, and modern Greece, the city of Chania has always played a major role in Cretan history – and Greek history in general.

The must-see sights of the city of Chania include:

• The absolutely picturesque Venetian Port, with Firkas fortress on its west side, which today houses the Naval Museum. On the opposite side of Firkas, you can find the Arabian Lighthouse and the Old Sea Wall. Further east, behind the Chania marina, there are the Venetian “Neoria” (dockyards), which in recent years are in the process of renovation.
• The Old Town of Chania, surrounding the Venetian Port, with its traditional elegant alleys. Chania Old Town is where all the action takes place. Here you can find a special plate to eat at a good local tavern or restaurant. You can also taste the traditional spirit of Crete, called “tsikoudia” or “raki”. Finally, you can shop all the way around: fine jewels, leather goods, decorative items, unique clothing – shopping possibilities are practically endless.
• The Old Market, a cross-shaped historical building, where you can lose yourself in the colours and aromas of different flavours of honey, olive oil and eastern spices.
• The Koum Kapi district, the “Gate of Sand”, to the east of the Venetian Port, with its fashionable cafes. 
• The historic and stylish Halepa district. In this aristocratic district of Chania, you will find impressive old houses and mansions, many of which are listed, like the house of Eleftherios Venizelos. Eleftherios Venizelos, former prime minister of Greece, was one of the most influential politicians in modern Greek history.
• The Venizelos’ Graves, a historic site for Greeks, is situated to the east of Chalepa, towards the Akrotiri peninsula. Next to Eleftherios’ grave is his son’s, Sofoklis, who also was a famous politician in his time. Apart from its historic flavour, the spot presents arguably the best panoramic view of Chania city and its surroundings.

Additionally, and beyond the very rich historical and cultural sights, Chania region in West Crete is synonymous to some of the best beaches in Greece! Like the following:

• Elafonisi beach in the south west of the island, is a colourful lagoon with fine white-pink sand and clear waters. It is truly a unique beach in the whole world, and the most especial beach in Crete. Elafonissi is an environmentally protected area by Greek and European treaties.
•  Falasarna beach in the north west of the island is a long, sandy beach with clear waters. In the middle of a breathtaking landscape, where the mountain meets the sea, under a clear blue sky, it is one of the best beaches in Greece.
• Also in the north west of Crete Island, but to the north east of Falasarna, lays Balos beach, in the remote Gramvoussa peninsula. Balos is a real tropical lagoon, with fine white sand and turquoise waters.
• The more than ten magnificent beaches around Paleochora village, the most well-known destination in south west Crete. Paleochora is one of the first villages in South Crete that attracted visitors from all over the world, for its calm, laid-back charm. It is built on a small peninsula, near the ruins of a Venetian castle that stood here centuries ago. Paleochora is a great place to combine a select collection of beaches with crystal-clear waters, with the atmosphere of a genuine southern Crete traditional village.
• Regarding beaches and tranquillity, Sougia village is another great option in the south of Chania region. Featuring wonderful beaches and a sense of a true retreat, this is the place where you can get away from it all.
• Loutro village in the Sfakia region in South Crete, which is near Sfakia’s capital Hora Sfakion, and accessible by boat only, is a nature’s masterpiece. Apart from the unbelievably clear waters, Loutro is considered by most visitors one of the most beautiful coastal villages in the whole Mediterranean Sea.
• On the other side of Hora Sfakion and to the east, there is Frangokastelo, a historic place named after a large, 14th century Venetian castle, which is maintained in very good condition. In front of the castle, you can swim in the excellent beach, while imagining the castle’s warriors going up and down the high towers. Here in Fragokastelo is where, in the end of each May, the interesting occurrence of “Drosoulites” happens.
• To the east of Platanias and Chania city, and on the north part of the island, lies Akrotiri peninsula, with superb beaches like Marathi, Kalathas and Stavros. It is noteworthy that Stavros beach – and Stavros village – was the place where the famous movie “Zorba the Greek” was filmed.
• Further to the east, we find the very popular beaches of Kalives and Almyrida, in Apokoronas peninsula. 
• After Apokoronas, and some more kilometres to the east, we arrive at the famous Georgioupoli resort. Georgioupoli is one of the most exclusive resorts in Greece, featuring numerous luxury hotels. In the summer of 2004, and about a month before the 2004 Athens Olympics, Georgioupoli became world famous, due to a funny incident: While the USA track and field team was preparing there for the Olympics, some IAAF officials came unannounced by helicopter, in order to conduct anti-doping tests on the USA athletes. The result? Many of the athletes mysteriously vanished into thin air, making the IAAF officials chasing them all over the island!

But that’s not all. Chania region in West Crete also features some other world-class attractions, like:

• Samaria Gorge, in Sfakia region in the south of the island, is the longest gorge in Europe, with a natural environment unlike everything else you’ve probably seen…
• Two monumental centuries-old monasteries in Akrotiri peninsula, Agia Triada Tzangarolon Monastery and Gouvernetou Monastery. Also, another historic monastery is Chryssoskalitissa Monastery, just on the north of Elafonissi beach.
• Apokoronas peninsula, to the east of Platanias and Chania city, is a mainly mountainous area of unparalleled natural beauty – the greenest in Crete. Apart from the nature, it features breath-taking views of the marvellous coastline. Some of the traditional villages of Apokoronas, which are now well-known all over Europe, are Vamos, Douliana, Kefalas, Gavalochori, Vrisses, Almyrida, Plaka and Kalives. It comes to no surprise that the houses and villas in the area are very popular among international property buyers. Also, during recent years, Apokoronas peninsula has become one of the prominent areas in Greece for ecotourism and agritourism.
• Finally, to the easter end of Chania region, and south of Georgioupolis resort, you can find the picturesque Kourna Lake, the only lake in Crete. A good idea in Kourna Lake is to get aboard a pedal boat and explore the magnificent surrounding landscape from the middle of the lake! 

Chania region, for many visitors to Crete, features the very best the island has to offer: Unparalleled beaches, gorgeous sights, magnificent nature, and a style and culture unique all over the Mediterranean Sea.

Platanias village and Villa Platanias Beach Apartment Hotel are in the right spot to offer you easy access to all the sights and experiences Chania region has to offer. And when you combine all these with the superb Platanias beach, which is right at your door when staying in Villa Platanias, then your next vacation in Crete is destined to become a select experience, which you will remember for years to come… until you come back to Villa Platanias again, as many of our visitors do!