First time in Southern Crete, and I must say, WOW. This island’s like no other, and I cannot wait to discover more of it. This fascinating place is a must-see in Southern Crete. The diversity in the landscape is mind-blowing.
Preveli Palm Forest
We started the day driving from Moires, where we are staying, to Preveli Palm Forest. The drive takes around one hour and 15 minutes through the mountains and olive fields. You will not even feel the time as you will constantly be amazed by the beauty and magnificence of the massive mountains. The road is in excellent condition, and the drive is smooth. We came across many villages that looked so pretty.
You must have a car to get to Preveli since there is no public transportation. At least there wasn’t anything available when we went in mid-November. Also, during the summer, many travel agencies organize day trips to Preveli, so having a car is not necessary but convenient. Put in your GPS Preveli Beach Parking to get to the correct location. You can leave the car there and walk for 5 min to an open area which is the viewpoint of the Palm forest and the beach. This is the perfect spot for pictures, and you can walk down to the beach afterward. The way down is easy, but the way back up is steep, and you’ll have to stop a few times for a breather. The following day I had pain in my calves.
As I came to learn, Crete has so many gorges. The one that passes through Preveli and meets the South Cretan Sea is called Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Once you reach the beach, there is a gate to enter the palm tree forest. As you go in, you will feel that you have left Crete and are in a tropical paradise. The only difference is that no exotic birds or monkeys but goats are roaming around.
What’s more, it only takes 15 to 20 min to walk to the end of the palm tree forest. If you’re brave, you can also swim in the river. The water is colder in the gorge than in the sea, but you will feel refreshed. The beautiful sandy beach completes the landscape perfectly.
After all the fun, we got super hungry. I found a lovely place called Taverna – Kafenion Geroplatanos on Google Maps in Dhrimiskos village. It had excellent reviews, so we decided to try it out. Unfortunately, not all restaurants are open during the winter months, and sometimes the info online says that a place is available when it isn’t. Anyway, we tried our luck with this place, and it was open. We came on Sunday, and it’s only open on the weekends during the winter, and from April, it’s available throughout the week. The food was tasty and fresh, and the host was friendly and funny. Overall, this was a perfect day, and I was so happy to experience this incredible location.
Thanks for tuning in and I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s exploration of this one fascinating place that you must see in Southern Crete. You can check my complete guide on Rhodes Island. It’s detailed with everything to see, do and eat on the island.