Chromonastiri is an inland village in the Rethymno region of Crete, about 4.7 km south of Rethymno city. Chromonastiri sits in the hills below Mount Vrysinas, close enough to the city for a ten-minute drive yet outside its beachfront entirely. The Mili Gorge runs between Chromonastiri and Xero Chorio and collects its water from the northern slopes of Vrysinas, so the village stands at the head of one of the easiest walking valleys in the Rethymno hinterland.

Chania airport lies 39.5 km west, with Chania 48.9 km away and Heraklion 57.7 km east. The village works as a quiet base for the Rethymno Bay beaches, the gorge walks south of the city and the monasteries and watermills scattered through the surrounding hills.

Things to do in Chromonastiri

Six outings lie within about 5 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.

See the Prinari watermill. The watermill stands 400 m from the village.
Walk the Mili Gorge. The signed trail runs 2.5 km along the valley, takes about 2.5 hours and rates 1 out of 10 for difficulty, which makes it a walk rather than a scramble. A shaded stream runs through Mili Gorge all year, past the abandoned mill village of Mili, old watermills, spring-fed pools and small rock-cut churches, and the plant life is dense enough to read as a botanical garden.
Visit the monasteries. Agia Irini monastery stands 2 km from Chromonastiri, and Saint Anastasia the Roman monastery a further 1.7 km on, 3.7 km from the village.
Climb to the Vrysinas peak sanctuary. The sanctuary sits 2.3 km away on the mountain whose northern slopes feed the Mili Gorge.
Hike the Prassano gorge. The route starts south of Prasses village, 2.4 km from Chromonastiri, and takes about three hours through enormous rocks and some demanding passages under tall plane trees. Prassano now carries the overflow from the Potami dam through the rocky Gargana hills, and its stream ends at the Platania suburb east of Rethymno. The gorge is passable only from mid-June to mid-October.
Walk around Rethymno old town. The city 5.1 km north is the third largest in Crete and the capital of its region, and its Renaissance core mixes Ottoman and Cretan building. The Loggia, the Neratze, Veli Pasha and Kara Moussa Pasha mosques and the church of Agios Frangiskos all stand within the old streets of Rethymno.

Beaches in and around Chromonastiri

Chromonastiri has no beach of its own, and 5 lie within 6 km on Rethymno Bay. The bay’s beachfront runs about 13 km east from Rethymno harbour to Skaleta, and loggerhead sea turtles, a species at risk of extinction, nest along it.

Pervolia lies 4.4 km away, a long, well-kept sandy stretch in front of one of three former villages that Rethymno’s growth absorbed, with food, drink and lodging along it.
Rethymno beach sits 4.6 km away, the organised town beach of golden sand and shallow clear water beside the Venetian port, about 500 m from the old town. Entry is free and you pay only for a sunbed and umbrella, with the Eleftheriou Venizelou promenade running alongside.
Misiria is 4.6 km away, part of the same 13 km sandy strip, fronting the second of the three absorbed suburbs and used by nesting loggerhead turtles.
Platanes lies 5.1 km away, long, sandy and organised, with shallow light-blue water, sunbeds and lifeguards in season. Pervolia, Missiria and Platanias together take the name Platanes.
Koumbes sits 6 km away and 2 km west of central Rethymno, the only beach on the city’s western side. Sand and fine pebbles run below views of the Fortezza fortress a few hundred metres east, and the municipality has added walkways along it. The name comes from the Turkish kubbe, meaning dome.

Where to eat in Chromonastiri

Eating around Chromonastiri means village tavernas rather than seafront restaurants, and the nearest three sit within 1.5 km of the village. Rethymno adds cafés and a much wider choice 5 km down the road.

Mili Gorge Tavern stands beside the gorge, 900 m from the village.
Mylonas Taverna is 1.4 km out.
Vamvakas Taverna lies 1.5 km out.
Akro-Polis Cafe sits 3.6 km out, towards the city.

Getting to Chromonastiri

Chromonastiri is reached from Rethymno by heading inland and south, a drive of 4.7 km. Chania lies 48.9 km west and Heraklion 57.7 km east, so the village sits nearer the western half of the island’s north coast. Chania airport is the closer terminal at 39.5 km.

A car helps, because the gorges and the monasteries sit on hill roads that bus routes cover thinly. Rethymno itself is close enough to treat as the village’s shopping street, and the beaches of Rethymno Bay all lie between 4 km and 6 km away.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Chromonastiri in Crete?

Chromonastiri lies about 4.7 km south of Rethymno city, inland in the Rethymno region, in the hills below Mount Vrysinas.

Does Chromonastiri have a beach?

Chromonastiri is an inland village with no beach of its own, but 5 lie within 6 km. Rethymno beach, 4.6 km away, is the organised town beach and the easiest of them to reach.

How far is Chromonastiri from Chania airport?

Chania airport sits 39.5 km from Chromonastiri, and Chania city 48.9 km.

Can you walk a gorge from Chromonastiri?

Yes, the Mili Gorge runs between Chromonastiri and Xero Chorio, 1.1 km from the village. The signed trail covers 2.5 km in about 2.5 hours and rates 1 out of 10 for difficulty. The Prassano gorge, 2.4 km away, is the harder alternative and opens only from mid-June to mid-October.

What is there to do in Chromonastiri?

The Prinari watermill, the Mili Gorge trail and two monasteries all sit within 4 km of the village. The Vrysinas peak sanctuary is 2.3 km away, and Rethymno’s Renaissance old town 5.1 km north.