Travel Guide > Crete > Chania > Seaside villages > Kissamos

Kissamos is located 42 km west of Chania and it is the largest town and the capital of the Kissamos province. It is a busy small town with a long seafront made up by a rocky strand to the east and a small sandy beach to the west.

During the ancient years, Kastelli Kissamou was the harbour of the ancient city-state Polyrinia, located 7 km inland, which was independent with its own coins that represented the head of Hermes on the one

side and a dolphin on the other. During the Roman Period, Polyrinia became at its greatest fame; it is indicated by the ruins of acropolis, the theatre, the aquaduct and the statues that were excavated in the site of Polyrrinia.

Kastelli''s centre consists of two squares, the square Kastelliou, where the buses arrive, and the square Venizelou. There are two banks, and cafes on the square Venizelou, however there are more facilities in the central Kastelliou square and the main street (Skalidi) that runs through it. The restaurant Makedonas, the Papadakis taverna, the Stimadoris restaurant, the restaurant Kastell and the Kellari taverna are the best places for food in this town.

There are some fine pebble beaches on Kissamos Bay, which you should visit. The Falassarna sandy beach (16 km west) and the Balos sandy beach on the Gramvousa Peninsula are regarded as two of the best sandy beaches of Crete.
You can get to Kastelli by suburban bus service (KTEL) from Chania or by car if you take the new National road to Kastelli (42 km west of Chania). In the small port 3 km west of the town of Kastelli arrive the ferries from the Peloponnese or Kythira.