Maleme Crete

Maleme, Crete: A remote small village with a quiet beach and rich
history.

Maleme, Crete, is asmall
coastal village located about 15 kilometers west of Chania city. The village is
relatively undeveloped, in relation to its neighboring resorts of Platanias and
Agia Marina. However, this can very well be balanced by the more relaxing, remote
nature of the village.

The
surrounding area of Maleme, Crete,
is impressive, combining a fine sandy beach with the green hills on the south,
and featuring a beautiful rural landscape with citrus trees and olive groves.

At the
centre of Maleme, Crete you can find the church of Agios Antonios. There are
also a couple of fine traditional taverns inside the older part of the village.

Although
Maleme, Crete is a bit far from Chania city, the local public bus service is
very efficient, with frequent routes until late afternoon.

The beach of Maleme, Crete

The beach of
Maleme, Crete, is the westernmost part of the large zone of fine sandy beaches
that starts at Agioi Apostoloi, and
passes through the great resorts of Agia
Marina and Platanias.

The beach of
Maleme, Crete is long, sandy, and relatively organized, with sun beds and
parasols at some areas. There are also opportunities for water sports.

If you want
a really remote beach, go to the western part of Maleme beach. An advantage is the
number of the trees near the beach, which provide valuable shade during the hot
summer midday of Crete.

Around the
beach and in the village of Maleme, Crete, you can find some good taverns,
cafés, shops and mini markets.

If you want
to try something different in your vacation, you can go to the nearby village
of Deres and try horse riding in the good local facilities.

The rich history of the village of Maleme, Crete

Although a
small, relatively unknown place, Maleme, Crete, has played a major role in the
20th-century history of Crete and Greece.

During World
War II, the strong resistance in Crete, combined with the equally strong
resistance in the rest of Greece, played a large part in the big delay of the
German forces in the Balkan Peninsula. This delay forced the Nazi army to
attack the Soviet Union in winter, which was a key event that led to the defeat
of Hitler in Stalingrad, which in turn led to the final loss of the war for the
Nazi regime and its allies.

Although the
attack of the German forces in Crete was executed by the heavily armed and very
technologically superior German air forces, the fierce resistance of the Cretan
people made the operation of invading Crete very hard. It was one of the most
fierce and violent military operations in World War II, the now famous Battle
of Crete.

It was in a small
plain near the beach of Maleme, Crete, that the most important part of the
Battle of Crete took place. Here, in 1941, thousands of German paratroopers
were thrown from airplanes in a massive and decisive move from Hitler’s troops
to end the battle sooner. The local population resisted heavily, fighting with
everything they could find – mainly with agricultural tools, even with rocks
and bare hands! As a result, many locals and German paratroopers were killed in
the battle, with the German forces, although suffering very heavy losses,
finally managing to set foot in Crete, which gradually led to the occupation of
the island.

Today, apart
from the memorial in the local cemetery, there is also a German war cemetery
(Deutscher Soldaten Friedhof) in the area, about 3 kilometers outside Maleme,
Crete. Here, about 4.500 German paratroopers, most of them young, who lost
their lives in the Maleme operation, have been laid to rest. The war cemetery
is located on a hill, in a very scenic location, serving as a monument
reminding the foolishness and devastation of war. A short history of the Battle
of Crete is inscribed on the wall of the entrance hall of the cemetery.

Maleme, Crete, is a small village with a lovely, uncrowded beach.
If we also take into account the rich history of its location, the village of Maleme, Crete, is a really interesting
place to visit in the area around Chania city.

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