By John Freedman
Originally posted elsewhere August 25, 2019
Reposted on Contemplating Crete April 11, 2021
The beach in the town of Plakias runs nearly 1.5 kilometers in length, the western part of which is apparently called Gialia, and the eastern segment of which is called Paligremnos. Maybe the locals use these names, I don’t know. I’ve never heard anyone refer to the beach as anything but Plakias. “Have you been to Plakias?” “You must go to Plakias!” It is located a 90-minute drive from Chania, or 45 minutes from Rethymnon, which is pretty much directly north of it. The drive is a lovely one and the swim in the Plakias waters is no less thrilling. As virtually everywhere on the south of Crete, the Libyan Sea is as welcoming as they come. By Cretan standards this is a well-developed tourist destination. Numerous hotels (one especially is set against the beautiful cliffs on the far east side), lots of cafes, taverns, restaurants and coffee shops. If chaises longues and umbrellas are your thing, there are plenty, as there are lots of opportunities to rent equipment for sea sports activities. If you prefer wide-open beach, there is lots of that too. Just head for the part of the beach that calls out to you. That water’s going to get you in the end, and that’s all that’s going to count. The excellent Cretan beaches website has a nice little mythical tale to go with the beautiful and imposing cliffs at the far eastern edge of the beach: “Characteristic of Paligremnos are nearby vertical cliffs that rise to a great height that attract many climbers. This place is called Gonates (i.e. knees), because according to tradition, the epic hero Digenis kneeled there to drink water from a local spring.”
All text and photos © 2019 John Freedman. If you wish to reproduce, repost or use any of the text or any photo, please ask for permission. Renewal of copyright © 2021 John Freedman.
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