Pleveli Beach

Preveli with its riverside palm-groves (burnt in the summer 2010, but regenerated at the moment) is one of the most famous and beloved beaches in Crete. Its name – and that of the broader region – is taken from the historical monastery nearby, dedicated to St. John the Theologian.

The forest of palms, covering some 10 acres, was the second largest of its sort in Crete (the first being at Vai in east Crete): it consists of this endemic form – the Theophrastus palm. Apart from these, there exists willows, oleanders, carobs, skina and reeds. The fire caused massive ecological damage. Fortunately the larger palms survived; and numbers of the smaller ones are putting out shoots, so that there is good hope that in a few years it will largely have grown back.

A walk on the bank or a pedalo up the river itself through the palms and oleanders and into the gorge is a quite unforgettable experience. At the mouth of the gorge, where the river Kourtaliotis ends in a delta, is the exquisite beach of Preveli. It has pale sands and a stony bottom to the crystalline water.

Preveli can be reached in a number of ways. If you have a car or a motorbike, set off from Plakias towards the Preveli Monastery – follow the signs and at 1.5 km after the Lower Preveli Monastery you will reach a flat area, which is used as a parking lot by visitors. From there runs a footpath which in 20 minutes will take you to the beach.

The view on the way down is captivating; the ascent is another matter – it is rather tiring, especially in the midday hours!

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Explore More...

Vai Beach

Vai, or more specifically the palm forest of Vai, is one of the most popular sights in Crete and one of the most beautiful and

Episkopi – Argiroupoli

Episkopi is a village 23kilometers west of Rethymno, it is a pretty traditional town of winding lanes and tiny houses overlooking the valley. The springs and

Chania Airport rent a car

Chania Airport rent a car

Chania Airport rent a car Chania Airport Daskalogiannis is an international airport. It is located near Souda Bay on the Akrotiri peninsula of the island

Sfakia Village

Sfakia is a small fishermen’s village located south of Crete. During the summer, it’s full of life because at its small port the ferry boats dock,

Gramvousa

Northwest of Kissamos is the beautifully wild and remote Gramvousa, whose main attraction is the stunning lagoon like sandy beach of Balos on Cape Tigani on

Lassithi Plateau

Lassithi Plateau is one of the few areas in the Mediterranean with permanent inhabitants at an altitude over 800 metres. Lassithi plateau is 11 kilometres on

Rent A Car Sitia with Caravel car rental Crete

Sitia City

Rent A Car Sitia with Caravel car rental Crete. Sitia is a nice amphitheatre city with population over 11.000 residents. This town is a refuge for