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Kalives is a seaside village about 20 km east of Chania, placed in a green surrounding and with the white mountains in the back. A road leads you along the harbour front with tavernas, hotels and some charming old houses, of which some have almost completely fallen apart. In front of this road there are big rocks for protection, because the sea can beat hard on the coast. It's sort of a big village with plenty of shops, a butcher, a bakery, a supermarket, a post office, a petrol station, kafenions and restaurants, and a very nice church. Kalives has good sand beaches. The eastern beach is the most popular because it is in the village itself. The western beach is more quiet and about one km away.

Kalives remains relatively quiet compared to some of the other seaside resorts on the north coast of the island of Crete. The village has all facilities you can ask for in a holiday resort, like good supermarkets and plenty of tavernas to choose from. There is a large village square next to the church where you can have a drink or something to eat in the shade of some very large and old trees. Here you find also the remains of some buildings from the Venetian times. The beaches in the village are quite large and sandy, with some parts where you can rent a parasol and sunbeds. Next to the beach is a large parking area where you will most certainly find a space for your car. The village is lively in a pleasant way. From Kalives it is only a short drive to Chania or to the next door village Almyrida, but there are more exits in the village that will for instance set you down south of the island. In between Kalives and Almyrida lay the pleasantly unspoilt and quiet sand / pebble beaches of Kera where you will find no facilities at all.

Between the old village houses with the fruit gardens and the usual houses that are fallen apart you find the shops, the small hotels, the real estate agents and the tavernas. More up in the village are the more recently built houses, some of which are for sale. There are also a few bars to be found inside Kalives. Through the village runs a river that can be crossed over several bridges. The beaches of Kalives have been awarded the blue flag for its cleanliness. The main beach of Kalives is a shallow beach and so it is perfect for children. The beach is facing north though and it can sometimes get windy. There is a system of flags on the beach near the river telling you when it is safe to get into the sea or if you should be careful or not to.

Within walking distance of the village center (about 1 kilometer away on the west side of Kalyves) you find another beautiful and more quiet beach. There are just a couple of accommodations here and not much for taverns etcetera, so it sounds wise to maybe make it easy on yourself and bring your own water if you decide to go here. It is a long, good and sandy beach backed by a fertile green valley. There just a few parasols and sunbeds on some places (do they belong to the hotels or are they for rent to anybody, I don't know). There are a few trees on the beach here and there as well if you want shade. What you will also see are the rare and protected white beach lillies. Some of them have a little fence around them to protect them, some of them just grow randomly on the beach. The end of September only a few were still in bloom. This second beach is also divided into two (just like the village beach) and you can cross this river by a bridge. This beach is perfect for people that like it really quiet and that appreciate a good and sandy beach. I think it is one of the best beaches in the Apokoronas area.

For people that like to see more closeby beaches there are even more options. In the east next to the village of Kalives are the two (small) beaches of Kera, one sandy and one - the one where the church is - more a pebble beach. Even more to the east are the beaches of Almyrida. On the other side, west of Kalives, you will find the beaches of Kalami: a collection of a few very quiet pebble / sand beaches. On the beaches of Kera and Kalami there are no facilities (no sunbeds, no parasols, no taverns).

In Kalyves village, near Chania, this accommodation is ideal for your family holidays, offering breathtaking panoramic views and crystal clear waters. Offering 26 large apartments, you can enjoy yourself by the pool area in the large fresh water pool for adults and the smaller pool for children. There is also a snack bar and ample room for lounging and sunbathing. Within walking distance from our hotel, the beach of Kalyves is is well-known for its 500 metres of clean sand and its calm shallow waters, making it suitable for children. The various restaurants on the beach offer a variety of menus including local speciality dishes and fresh seafood. Refreshments by the beach are available throughout the day and night.

Check the prices and availability & book the Sunrise Suites - click here.

Kalyves Beach lies by the sea, next to the river Xydas in Kalyves, a village located in the province of Apokoronas. It features 2 swimming pools and a beach bar serving summer cocktails. Kalyves Beach Hotel offers sunlit, spacious rooms with private balconies which offer views of Souda Bay. Mediterranean cuisine is proposed for lunch and dinner at the open-air veranda offering a spectacular view to the Cretan Sea. Other hotel facilities include gym, sauna, jacuzzi and a TV lounge.

Check the prices and availability & book the Kalyves Beach Hotel - click here.

Kiani Beach Resort is ideally located on the beach of Kiani, just a few km east of Chania centre and old Venetian town. It offers 2 pools, 2 sea-view restaurants, an open theatre and a tennis court. All guest rooms have self-controlled air conditioning, satellite TV, kitchenette with fridge, hair dryer and balcony or terrace. The large swimming pool outlined by sun-beds and umbrellas enjoys the service of the beach bar for snacks and beverages and is just steps away from the beach of Kiani. The shallow beach, childrens swimming pool, playground, open theatre makes this resort a haven for families with young children. A rich buffet breakfast is served daily at the hotels breakfast room just a stone's throw from the water. The buffet restaurant Symposium proposes Cretan dishes for a romantic dinner at the open-air veranda. At the beach bar next to the sea and the pool, guests can relax to the sounds of soft music and enjoy the breathtaking views, with a cocktail, juice or refreshing beverage

Check the prices and availability & book the Kiani Beach Resort - click here.

As permanent residents and regular visitors to Taverna Medusa, in Kalyves we want to share our excellent experiences. We believe that this taverne should definitely be listed as being worth a visit during your holiday. Taverna Medusa can be found at the dead end road that leads from the parking lot to the beach and the small port of Kalyves. For the last five years this taverne has been run by Michalis & Michele Koukoumafski. During this time, this couple has managed to give their own meaning to the concept of a "Greek taverna". Naturally the menu is based on the authentic greek dishes such as: Mousaka, Beef Stiffado and many other dishes. But also there are the specialities like: Bon Fillet Steaks and Lamb Kleftiko. In this taverna all dishes are cooked only with fresh ingredients. No meat or large fish will be taken from the freezer, also the vegetables and herbs will be fresh, and so will be the home made sauses. This taverna also serves very delicious vegetarian dishes. Large fresh fish has to be ordered at least 1 day in advance to guarantee this is fresh from the sea. Portions are very good, at very friendly prices. If you want to go to the beach for a day, and you have your lunch or dinner in this taverna, you are granted free use of the umbrellas and sunbeds.

Michele and Michalis are very pleased to invite you to come to their taverna in order to relax and enjoy your holidays in Kalyves. Or as they say: every day is a wonderful day at the Taverna Medusa in Kalyves. We hope you will have the same experience as we always have. In the meanwhile we (webmaster Hans and his best friend Wilbert) have also had lunch here and we agree with the verdict below.

Our verdict: 8,5 out of 10 - Willem & Ivonne Bouw - Kalyves

This restaurant is located on the waterfront directly on the sea in Kalives. We ordered a tzatziki (cucumber, yoghurt and garlic), cheese croquettes and a Chef Salad. The waiter was grumpy and prefered to see the customers go rather than come in. He was talking on the phone or was not to be seen. A toddler brought some stuff around. The cheese croquettes were bland and tasted like fried wallpaper glue. He also brought the wrong salad because although I clearly asked for a Chef salad he put a Greek salad on the table instead. When I brought him back to exchange it was my fault the waiter told me because I asked for Greek salad. After waiting an eternity and inquire again the right (but disappointing) salad finally came. There were only a few pieces of cheese on it instead of parmesan cheese (according to the menu) and the promised bacon that was supposed te be in it was not to be found.

Our verdict: both the service and the food in Provlita Restaurant are awful - how low can we rate?

Akrogiali is a (mostly) seafood restaurant on the beach of Kalives. Apart from fish there are also other dishes on the extensive menu. We order a swordfish souvlaki and a seabass (fish). The souvlaki has a small bone in it. The fish tastes good but has no butter sauce with. The fries are okay and the wine tastes good. After dinner, the waiter is nowhere to be see for a long time and therefore paying the bill takes quite some time.

Our verdict: a 7,5 out of 10