Self-Guided Day Trip to Seitan Limani Beach, Chania
Explore the idyllic cove of Seitan Limania, an unorganized beach with mountain goats and cliff jumping.
Overview
Experience the idyllic setting of one of Crete's best-kept secrets with a visit to Seitan Limania on the Akrotiri Peninsula. Located just 35 to 40 minutes from Chania, this beach is known for its white limestone cliffs, S-shaped inlet, and clear blue waters that are perfect for cliff diving. It's an unorganized beach with no services, so be prepared to bring your own food and refreshments, which you'll need after driving a winding mountain road and taking a short but steep hike down to the small pebbly shore of this picturesque cove.
Highlights
- Discover the secluded gem of Seitan Limania, one of Crete's best beaches
- Enjoy the thrill of cliff jumping and driving down a mountain road of hairpin turns
- Soak in a bird's-eye view of the cove while hiking down to it
- Meet photogenic mountain goats on the beach
Know before you go
Duration
4 hours
4 hours
Recommended for
All ages
All ages
Group
Self guided
Self guided
What you'll do
One of the hidden treasures of northwest Crete, Seitan Limania is a rugged paradise that feels far removed from the modern world, but is actually just 35 minutes from Chania. The name means "Devil's Port," a reference to the dangerous waves and tides in the bay that make this a suitable site for strong swimmers when the water is calm.
Seitan Limania gets full sun and full of people from the late morning until the late afternoon, so you may want to get there in the morning or early evening. It's best to drive yourself or take a taxi; just be prepared for an intense winding road of hairpin turns for the last mile or so. Once you arrive in the parking area, you'll have to hike down to the beach. It's about 980 to 1640 feet (300-500 m) down, depending on which trail you pick, and both trails are quite steep and take 15 to 20 minutes.
This is an unorganized beach, meaning there are no services like food or drink stands or sunbeds, so you'll have to bring everything you need. There's a canteen at the top of the road that offers sandwiches and tasty homemade dishes like souvlaki (grilled meat skewers) and moussaka (eggplant with minced meat and bechamel) made from the owners' livestock and produce. You can stop at the canteen before or after the beach or if you're feeling really peckish, call in a free delivery down to your towel.
Just be mindful of the friendly and stubborn mountain goats, who love to come down to the beach to pose for a selfie and steal your food. The water of Seitan Limania is deep, so perhaps you'll want to snorkel, or if you're feeling adventurous, you can jump off some of the cliffs.
Seitan Limania gets full sun and full of people from the late morning until the late afternoon, so you may want to get there in the morning or early evening. It's best to drive yourself or take a taxi; just be prepared for an intense winding road of hairpin turns for the last mile or so. Once you arrive in the parking area, you'll have to hike down to the beach. It's about 980 to 1640 feet (300-500 m) down, depending on which trail you pick, and both trails are quite steep and take 15 to 20 minutes.
This is an unorganized beach, meaning there are no services like food or drink stands or sunbeds, so you'll have to bring everything you need. There's a canteen at the top of the road that offers sandwiches and tasty homemade dishes like souvlaki (grilled meat skewers) and moussaka (eggplant with minced meat and bechamel) made from the owners' livestock and produce. You can stop at the canteen before or after the beach or if you're feeling really peckish, call in a free delivery down to your towel.
Just be mindful of the friendly and stubborn mountain goats, who love to come down to the beach to pose for a selfie and steal your food. The water of Seitan Limania is deep, so perhaps you'll want to snorkel, or if you're feeling adventurous, you can jump off some of the cliffs.
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The Arkadi Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery. The current catholicon (church) dates back to the 16th century and is marked by the influence of the Renaissance. This influence is visible in the architecture, which mixes both Roman and baroque elements. As early as the 16th century, the monastery was a place for science and, had a school and a rich library. Situated on a plateau, the monastery is well fortified, being surrounded by a thick and high wall. The monastery played an active role in the Cretan resistance of Ottoman rule during the Cretan revolt of 1866. 943 Greeks, mostly women and children, sought refuge in the monastery. After three days of battle and under orders from the hegumen (abbot) of the monastery, the Cretans blew up barrels of gunpowder, choosing to sacrifice themselves rather than surrender. The monastery became a national sanctuary in honor of the Cretan resistance. 8 November is a day of commemorative parties in Arkadi and Rethymno. The explosion did not end the Cretan insurrection, but it attracted the attention of the rest of the world.
After that you will visit Eleftherna, an ancient city-state in Crete, which lies 25 km southeast of Rethymno. Archaeologists excavated the site, located on a narrow northern spur of Mount Ida, the highest mountain in Crete. It flourished from the Dark Ages of Greece’s early history until Byzantine times.
In the systematic Eleftherna project, a team of archaeologists from the University of Crete led by Prof. N. Stampolidis has been in charge since 1984. Surveys and systematic excavations have revealed the city’s settlement patterns, sanctuaries and necropolis in Orthi Petra, even stone quarries in the surroundings of the Prines hill. The discovery of the remains of four females in Orthi Petra was declared one of top 10 discoveries of 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America. The Museum of Ancient Eleftherna, directly linked to the archaeological site, was inaugurated in June 2016.
The next stop will be at Margarites, a scenic traditional Cretan village. You will walk on the stone paths of the village and admire the pottery traditional shops around. Then, leaving Margarites, you ‘ll have lunch in Asteri village. The unique restaurant with the folklore private collection and the traditional Cretan delicacies will take your breath away.