KISSAMOS IN CRETE Kissamos (also called Kastelli) is the major town and port in the far north west of Crete. With 15.000 inhabitants it still remains relatively quiet. There are not many cars rushing through its boundaries, like on the ugly stretch of land that leads along most of the northcoast. |
The western sand beach and the boulevard at Kissamos (without cars).
| Kissamos has all the facilities of a modern holiday resort, like banks, hotels and a boulevard with taverna's and shops, yet it is not accompanied by all the noise. This is probably also due to the fact that it is too far away from the main airport at Heraklion, which has made the town less interesting for mass tourism. |
The boulevard and a small (not comfortable) pile of sand in the middle of the town.
| When the road stops you can only walk along the boulevard and the beaches on either side of it. The beach at the far end of the town is the best and has some umbrella's and chairs. The bigger stretch of beach on the other side is left original and is more wild. A quiet, friendly, maybe some would think boring place, but I liked it. |
The rough and long eastern pebble beach of Kissamos
| Kissamos has its own port with ferry connections to the nearest island of Kythira and Kalamata, Gythion and even to Piraeus. There are boats going to the nearby small island of Gramvoussa, which is topped with Venetian castle. Kisamos itself has its own Venetian castle. The town is close to Roman and Mycenaean archeoligical sites, as well as to the ancient Dorian village of Polirrinia. |
View from the boulevard to the sea.