By John Freedman
Originally posted elsewhere June 25, 2019
Reposted on Contemplating Crete April 11, 2021
A few people will hate me for posting this blog – most all of the 20 or 30 people with whom we shared Sfinari beach yesterday, for instance. Crete is full of undiscovered gems; Sfinari (stress on the A) is surely one of them. It is not for everyone. The beach is rock and gravel – bring your Crocs or other rubber-bottomed swim shoes. There are a couple of ragged greenhouses that break up the otherwise spectacular views. But what may keep away the crowds is what makes this place heaven for the connoisseur. The huge, sweeping, picturesque beach is virtually empty. The only sounds one hears are waves of chattering crickets and the particular rattle of lazy waves flopping on the shore and knocking the rocks against each other. There are three beautiful tree-covered tavernas right on the beach – we dined at Captain Fidias where our lamb chops and jumbo shrimp were grilled in an outdoor oven – and there are places for campers to hook in and set up camp. My wife and I spent about 4 hours here, and one man sitting in front of his van under a tree did nothing but stare blissfully out at the Mediterranean Sea the whole time. I don’t believe he so much as moved a pinky. One woman on a chaise lounge (they are free here! – most beaches charge 8 to 10 Euros) read a fat book for four hours. Two young men slept the entire time, barely even rolling over on their chaises lounge. One has the feeling that time at Sfinari beach has been stopped. Its beauty, utter simplicity and isolation are of another era, another world, and they give it an astonishing, regenerative energy. As we were leaving, a young pair of teenage lovers showed up and added their wonderful chirping to the other mesmerizing natural sounds. Somehow that rounded out our time just perfectly. One lovely detail of Sfinari beach is that a small mountain stream cuts through the beach and empties out into the sea. On a hot day, like yesterday, it is particularly refreshing to swim right where the sparkling, cold water hits the rolling, salty sea. And don’t forget the road that gets you to Sfinari, for as everyone knows, it’s the journey, not the goal that matters. The winding mountain road from Kissamos is breathtaking even by Cretan standards. Sfinari is roughly an hour, 15 minutes drive from Chania, a half hour or so from Kissamos, and not more than 15 minutes from Falasarna. 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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