Preveli: One of the strangest beaches in Greece

Is there a place in Greece that combines the gorge, with the river, with the lagoon, with a wonderful sandy beach and a palm forest; The answer is yes and reminds us -once again- why we are so lucky to live in this country. At the exit of Kourtaliotis gorge, where the homonymous river ends, a delta is created in which the Preveli. After talking about the gorges of Crete, five destinations -with their secrets- worth exploring. Let’s go again to the unique Preveli, which is 38 km away. south of Rethymno and 10 km. east of Plakias, below the monastery of Preveli. The beach is otherwise known as Lake Preveli or Finikas. It is one of the most famous and beautiful beaches on the island, with light sand, a pebbled seabed, and crystal-clear waters.

---

Simos – Elafonisos: One of the most beautiful beaches in Greece that you can go to by car

---

Preveli Beach: A magical place

For your visit to this magical spot, you need to dedicate a whole day if you want to swim in the beach that “looks” straight at the Libyan Sea and the lagoon and the river Kourtaliotis. Behind the impressive sandy beach lies a 40-acre riverside palm forest. Apart from palm trees, osier, oleander, carob, skina, and reeds also grow in the forest. Unfortunately, in the summer of 2010, 70% of this forest was burned. Nevertheless, natural reforestation proceeded rapidly, the forest regained its character, and the area is now protected by the Natura 2000 network.

As for the sandy beach, it has managed to maintain its naturalness as it does not have umbrellas and sunbeds. There is, of course, a canteen where you can get the essentials, but this is the full extent of the service you will get here, so make sure you are organized. Also, if you are not a fan of very cold water, avoid the right side of the beach where the river water ends and prefer to stay in the center of the sea.

In the 60s – 70s and until the late 1980s, the beach was the refuge of many foreign and Greek hippies who camped on it building huts with grass and branches from palm trees, however the public of the beach has today been replaced mainly by families and couples. Besides, one can no longer spend the night on the beach, and generally, the behavior of the public towards this habitat must be very careful.

Preveli: Entrance to the Palm Forest

As you understand, just as much as the beach, you will be excited by the palm forest. In the heart of the forest, the visitor loses his sense of time and place. You can follow the demarcated path (and it is advisable not to go out of it) to fill the hard drive of your memory with images full of green, but also with small passages in which only the sounds of running water are heard.

If you climb some moderate-difficulty rocks and pass through equally moderate-difficulty paths a few meters from the beach, you will find yourself in a small, magical lake. Located in the gorge and surrounded by mountains, it has green, icy waters that invite adventurous visitors to try them. On your return to the beach, you can continue your journey through the river, passing through small waterfalls and stopping for rest on rocks in the water, or take again the path through which you entered the palm forest.

How to get to Preveli

• By car, the beach of Preveli is about 50 minutes from the city of Rethymno. See here the route.
• By car, following the signs for Preveli Monastery. At the end of the route, you will leave the car in the parking lot and follow the 500 m-long walking path. (about 15 to 30 minutes walk). During the descent, you will gaze at the unique view from above.
• You can also choose to come here by boat, from the nearby Damnoni, or from Plakias. Note, however, that the boats will limit your time, as they depart around 10:00 and return at 16:00.