Kissamos Municipality

Top Attractions in Kissamos

Kissamos Essentials

Kissamos features some of Crete’s most recognizable landscapes, including the Balos Lagoon with its turquoise waters and the expansive sandy shores of Falassarna. The region preserves significant historical sites such as the 16th-century Venetian fortress on Gramvousa Island and the ancient hilltop ruins of Polyrinia. Inland, the landscape shifts to the rugged Topolia Gorge and the cavernous St. Sophia Cave, while the 17th-century Chrysoskalitissa Monastery stands on a coastal cliff. These locations showcase the distinct geological formations and archaeological heritage of western Crete.

Kissamos Essentials — Map

A

Balos Beach

Turquoise lagoon waters meet white and pinkish sand formed by crushed seashells. Located on the Gramvousa Peninsula, the area is a protected natural habitat accessible by boat from Kissamos or via a steep rocky track.

Mwchalmers / CC BY-SA 4.0

B

Balos Lagoon

Quite remote but beautiful lagoon, with white sands and lots of seashells. Ideal if you want a little peace.

C

Falasarna

A wide stretch of sandy coastline known for clear water and archaeological remains. The site includes the ruins of an ancient Hellenistic harbor, featuring stone-carved thrones and defensive walls at the northern end of the beach.

Krzysztof Chyżak / CC BY-SA 4.0

D

Mοnastery of Chrysoskalitissa

Chrysoskalitissa Monastery is a 17th-century Eastern Orthodox Christian monastery located on the southwest coast of the island of Crete,…

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

E

St. Sophia Cave

Located 400 meters above sea level in the Topolia Gorge, this large cavern features 20-meter-high stalactites and stalagmites. It houses a small chapel and has yielded archaeological finds dating from the Neolithic to the Roman periods.

Pampuco / CC BY-SA 4.0

F

Polyrinia Archeological Site

Polyrrhenia or Polyrrenia, Polyrrhen or Polyrren or Polyren, or Pollyrrhenia or Pollyrrenia, or Polyrrenion or Polyrrhenium, was a town and…

G

Balos beach trail

A descending hiking path approximately 2 kilometers long that connects the plateau parking area to the lagoon. It provides an elevated vantage point over the meeting of the Ionian, Aegean, and Libyan seas.

H

Gramvousa Fortress

A Venetian fortification built in 1579 on a steep rocky island to protect Crete from Ottoman expansion. It later served as a pirate stronghold and features well-preserved outer walls and an underground water cistern.

I

Topolia Gorge

A 1.5-kilometer-long canyon with limestone walls reaching heights of 300 meters. The gorge is characterized by dense Mediterranean vegetation, including plane trees and oleanders, and is traversed by the main road leading toward the southwest coast.

Other Lists

Best of Kissamos Religious Heritage