Location: Kissamos
Top Things to do in Kissamos
What to do and see in Kissamos, Greece: The Best Places and Tips
Kissamos (Greek: Κίσσαμος) is a town and municipality, multiple (former) bishopric and Latin titular see in the west of the island of Crete, Greece. It is part of the Chania regional unit and of the former Kissamos Province which covers the northwest corner of the island. The city of Kissamos is also known as Kastelli Kissamou and often known simply as Kastelli after the Venetian castle that was there. It is now a port and fishing harbour, with a regular ferry from the Peloponnese via Kythira. A town museum is located in the old Venetian governor's palace and there have been important archaeological finds in the town, including fine mosaics, dating from the Roman city of Kisamos (Κίσαμος, Latinized as Cisamus). The head town of the municipality (Δήμος Κισσάμου) is Kastelli-Kissamos itself.
Restaurants in Kissamos
1. Kedrodasos Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 312 reviews
One of the best Beaches in Chania prefecture, quite untouched and unexplored. Many travelers use the area around the beach as a free camping spot. It is actually a cedar forest next to the beach. It is also a favorite beach for naturists. The road up to Elafonisi is quite good and then you need to take a non asphalt road for about 10 minutes. Then you also need to take a walk path for another 15-20 minutes. No matter the time you will need to go there, it's sure that you will enjoy that unique beach.
Reviewed By TarkanFan - Yorkshire
The most beautiful beach with yellow/pink sand, and beautiful clear blue/turquoise sea. Lots of little rocky bays . Perfect for snorkelling with many different varieties of fish. Access is approximately ten minutes along an unmade road to the (spacious) car park, then down a steep track to the beach. This is a protected juniper coast which is unfortunately being spoilt by campers who are damaging the trees and putting the area at risk with fires/stoves. Stay away from the area behind the tents as it has been used as a toilet by many. Lots of paper/wipes blowing around littering the area. Once you are past the camping area (sorry, the protected junipers), the beach is paradise and unspoilt. There is some nudism and no facilities. .
2. Balos Lagoon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By angel3744 - Heraklion, Greece
Balos bay is on the north-west shore of Crete, near Kastelli Kissamos. The clear-sparkling silver-blue sand and the transparent waters make this bay to be among the most beautiful Beaches in the world. One can go by car, to park and to go down to the beach by walking, for about 20-30 min. Or, can take small boat from Kastelli to Balos. Next to Balos beach a marvellous little island, Gramvousa can be visited. Unique places and ecosystems!
3. Archaeological Museum of Kissamos
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 154 reviews
Reviewed By John R - Telford, United Kingdom
Is situated 26km west from our Atlantica Creta Paradise Hotel on the coast, by car about 26 minutes, we used the public transport busses and they take about 45 minutes, the small town has a few shops and a museum, cost of entry for senior citizens is euro1.00 each it was a nice day out and bus fares are reasonable and run frequently throughout the day.
HISTORY
In Hellenic times ancient Kissamos was a small town and harbour of Polyyrrhenia.
In Roman times the town grew – the new parts laid out on Hippodamian (grid) plan-and became more powerful, acquiring limited autonomy from Polyyrrhenia. The new city, whose development began in the 1st century A.D. expanded gradually to the size of a modern town.
Despite the inevitable roman influences, Kissamos preserved it’s cultural traditions. The Pax Romana and the development of trade through its harbour nourished its growth into a prosperous provincial town.
4. Cretan Traditional Cooking Lessons
Overall Ratings
5 based on 63 reviews
Reviewed By Lindakhigh - Petaluma, California
Koula was born and raised on a farm near Chania. Her family has a working olive orchard on the peninsula near the airport. She has been teaching cooking for twenty years at a Traditional Olive Press in Vamos and recently started classes in her home in Helapa a neighborhood on the water east of old town Chania.
Koula is a gracious hostess and knows the stories behind traditional methods of curing meats, cheeses, olives and wine. She makes many of these gourmet items herself. Also Koula can guide you where to buy unique specialty foods such as how to find the shop where phyllo is still made by hand and where in the Central Market you can buy white balsamic reduction cream.
If you are interested in learning about what makes the Mediterranean diet so healthy and local ingredients, Koula's cooking classes and tasting sessions are not to be missed.
5. Sfinari Beach
Overall Ratings
4 based on 127 reviews
Reviewed By Vanessa_Fou - Athens, Greece
We weren't really planning to come here, but it was a natural stop when driving from Elafonissi to Chania. It was a windy day so swimming was difficult, as the beach has very large pebbles - but it was really quiet and the fresh fish was excellent!
6. Pnevmatikaki Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By CapeTurning - Iisalmi, Finland
Well, we have visited wineries on special winetrips in eg. France and Italy, and this is not an experience comparable with them, but very nice add-on to regular family beach holiday, especially good for rainy day! :)
Well, we had relatives with us never have visited wineries, and this was very special for them, has to be said also!
The visit was nice, the cellars, production facilities etc. The tasting was a bit different as normally, as there were all the wines on the table, and you can sip as much wine as you just want... :)
Well, the wines, I left the french grape wines untouched, focusing on the local varieties. Not anything special, you can find their wines almost in every supermarket, with the same price, BUT!
You should put your focus on tasting the one rare wine (explained incorrecty on somebodys previous review as "romeiko wine"):
The wine name is "Mithimnio". It is made of Romeiko Grapes, following the traditional wine receipe of Marouva wine.
I have attached the pics of the bottle.
This wine kind of looks like a rose wine, maybe a bit more deeper color, but it is not rose, it is red wine. If I understood this correctly, just accidentally as we arrived, there were a big box of just harvested romeiko grapes on the front yard of the winery, and our guide hinted us to taste. Then, I was wondering, why do they gather so much raw grapes, as there were around half to the grapes green, half ripe black/blue/violet, as the red grapes normally are when ripe. But, the guide said to taste both, and both tasted just equally ripe. So, that is the beauty of Romeiko, it actually produces to colours, and that is the why the wine is in-between red wine and rose wine.
Tasted good, bought 2 boxes with us! :)
7. Ancient City of Polyrinia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By Elias52 - Warwickshire, United Kingdom
About a 20 minute drive on a quiet road from Kissamos, Polyrinia is a magical place to visit in Springtime. Park at the roadside at the start of the village and walk through the settlement - there are some fairly interesting structures, with associated information boards, to be seen and it is worth a diversion down the steps to visit the church which has been carved out of the rock. There is a small information centre which provides a free map of the ancient site and also offers light refreshments. Gaining height as you walk through the village, you will eventually arrive at the main part of the ancient site. There is not a great deal to see in terms of remains - there have been no recent excavations. However, in mid-April the whole area was a mass of wildflowers - the best display which we came across in Western Crete. As you continue to climb up to the Acropolis (I wouldn’t want to do this on a hot day!) the wildflowers continue and the view opens up so that at the summit there is a 360 degree Panorama. On a clear day the views really are spectacular: to the North, Kissamos, with the headland and sea beyond; to the South, the snow capped Lefka Ori - and great views in every other direction too.
8. Maria Beach Bar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15 reviews
Maria Beach and Bar/Cafeteria is located on a beautiful and organized sany beach with a stunning view of the Kissamos Bay. The beach bar is operating for 37 years now, as part of Maria Beach family hotel, but independently as well and is well-known among tourists and local visitors. The bar offers a beautiful buffet breakfast in the morning from 08.00-11.00 and throughout the day coffee, local drinks, spirits, wine, beers and cocktails, snacks and ice-cream.
Reviewed By Angel A
We stayed today at the Maria beach and used the chairs and the umbrellas infront of the beach bar with the same name. The beach service is good and the prices are fair- cannot talk in general as we ordered some small snacks- some local food like bruschetta and french fries as well as frappe and juice- all was great and the frappe maybe the best we had in town. Some of the waiters do not speak English and some are not very polite so thus one point less, but in general we can only recommend the beach and the bar belonging to it. Is perfect for family with small kids as the water is flat and not deep at all. Also very warm so you can stay for hours inside and do not feel cold or in danger you can lose the kids. The shadow of the umbrellas keeps everyone in shape no matter how hot is outside- today almost 40 degrees in our case.
9. Ekklisia Ioannis Prodromes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By Andrew_Wilson70 - Dublin, Ireland
There is a large cave here called Saint Ioannis Cave. Part of the cave appears to be a sacred area for activities whilst the West side of the cave has a stunning little chapel.
There is a tunnel under the roadway that takes you to a beach as well.
It's very difficult to find any information about this place on the internet, but it's well worth a visit if passing by
10. Mavros Molos
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By HoodedBanoonigan - Melbourne, Australia
We really enjoyed this beach. For kids, there's nothing better. Shallow enough for the young ones to stand comfortably for at least 50 metres, calm sea, and sandy after a few metres. Organised in parts. We enjoyed free sun beds at Plaka Taverna (free of buying drinks), and Mavros Malos' eponymous restaurant half way along the beach; Cretan traditional food and excellent quality.
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