Élos

Elos is an inland village in the Chania region of western Crete, south of Kissamos, and its nearest beaches lie about 9 km away on the west coast. Elos stands on the road that runs down to Elafonissi through the Topolia gorge, so the sea here is a drive over the hills rather than a walk from the square. 5 beaches sit between 8.7 km and 9.1 km from the village, and not one of them is an organised resort beach.

Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Elos. The village suits a visitor who wants gorges, mountain villages and empty shoreline in the same day, because the two gorges closest to it sit within 8 km and the coast beyond them carries pebble coves instead of sunbed rows.

Things to do in and around Elos

6 outings sit within 10 km of Elos, listed below from nearest to furthest.

1. Call in at the Chestnut Nest. Chestnut Nest (Καστανοφωλιά) is the one address we list inside Elos itself.
2. Visit the museum at Vlatos. Museum Vlatos Kissamos stands 3.4 km from Elos, in the neighbouring village of Vlatos.
3. Walk the Sirikari Gorge. The Sirikari gorge, 6.2 km away and 17 km south of Kissamos, splits into 2 parallel routes: Tsichliano to the west and Kioliano, also called Sirikariano, to the east. Both end at Polirinia, the site of the ancient town, whose walls still stand in the citadel on a hill above Kissamos bay, and a forest of towering chestnut trees grows close to Sirikari village.
4. Drive the Topolia Gorge. The Topoliano canyon begins near Strovles at 450 m and comes out near Topolia at 150 m, 7.6 km from Elos, and the River Tyflos runs through it from Mount Dikeos. The narrowest and most striking walking section lies between Katsomatados and Topolia, where the side rocks stand very high and steep, and the Cave of Agia Sofia sits just above the main road at the start of it.
5. Look out from Topolia village. Topolia sits 8.5 km away at 307 m above sea level, with the Topolian Gorge in view to the east and Kissamos Bay to the west. Its history runs back to the second Byzantine period, and Roman coins and ceramics have been found nearby.
6. Swim at Sfinari. Sfinari beach lies 9.1 km from Elos in front of its own village, at the mouth of a deep, green valley ringed by mountains. The sand is speckled with pebbles, tamarisk trees give natural shade, and a handful of rooms and tavernas back it.

Beaches near Elos

5 beaches lie about 9 km from Elos, all of them on the west coast below the village. Those figures are straight-line distances, and the roads that cross the hills between run longer than the map suggests.

• Gylisma lies 8.7 km away, also called Kambos or Afratolaki, a stony beach of coarse pebbles near Kambos village. There are no umbrellas or sunbeds, high waves make it poor for swimming on windy days, the rocky seabed suits snorkelling, and the approach is a 4.5 km dirt track in poor condition.
• Stomio sits 8.9 km away, large pebbles and patches of sand at the river mouth that gives the beach its name, 1 km north of the Chrisoskalitissa monastery and part of the broader Elafonissi area. The water is cold and deep and there are no facilities, though a small tavern sits close by.
• Xotikospilio is 9.0 km away, a rugged cove of large round pebbles whose name means “the cave of elves”, with a chapel built inside the cave beside it. Turkish forces murdered women and children sheltering in that cave on Good Friday of 1824.
• Sfinari lies 9.1 km away, 30 km south of Kissamos, the sandiest of the 5 and the one with rooms, tavernas and tamarisk shade. Calm days turn it into snorkelling water.
• Keramoti sits 9.1 km away, 36 km south of Kissamos, a medium-sized pebbly beach with rocky sections and no amenities, reached on a rough dirt track from Keramoti village. A spring-fed stream runs alongside it and keeps the sea cool.

Where to eat near Elos

Eating around Elos means the cafés and tavernas of the neighbouring mountain villages, none of them more than 6 km from the square.

• Cafeneon Vlatos is a kafeneio at Vlatos, 3.2 km out.
• Oasis lies 3.5 km out.
• Krystalia Cafe is a café, 4.3 km out.
• The House Of Raki sits 5.6 km out.

Getting to Elos

Elos is reached on the road that leaves Kissamos for Elafonissi and passes through the Topolia gorge. Elos sits south of Kissamos in the Chania region, on the same road as Topolia village, which our page places 12 km south of Kissamos and 45 km south-west of Chania. Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport.

Reaching the coast means carrying on past the village and dropping down the western slope. Our beach pages put Sfinari 30 km south of Kissamos and 60 km west of Chania, and Keramoti 36 km south of Kissamos. A car is needed for all of it, and the last stretch to several of these beaches is unsurfaced.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Elos in Crete?

Elos lies inland in the Chania region of western Crete, south of Kissamos, on the road to Elafonissi. Topolia village stands on the same road 12 km south of Kissamos, and the Topolia gorge runs alongside it.

Does Elos have a beach?

Elos has no beach of its own, and the nearest 5 lie about 9 km away on the west coast. Gylisma, Stomio, Xotikospilio, Sfinari and Keramoti are the closest, and all of them are pebble or mixed shorelines without sunbeds.

Which beach near Elos is sandy?

Sfinari is the sandy one, 9.1 km from Elos. The sand carries some pebble, tamarisk trees shade it, and the village behind it has a few rooms and tavernas, which makes it the calmest family option on this coast.

Which gorges are near Elos?

4 gorges lie within about 10 km of Elos: Sirikari, Topolia, Kambos and Kandanos. Sirikari is the nearest at 6.2 km and ends at ancient Polirinia, while Topolia, 7.6 km away, carries the main road and the Cave of Agia Sofia.

Is Elos on the way to Elafonissi?

Elos sits on the road that leads to Elafonissi through the Topolia gorge. Stomio beach, 8.9 km from the village, already counts as part of the broader Elafonissi area.

Which airport is nearest to Elos?

Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Elos. The village lies in the south-west corner of the Chania region, reached through Kissamos.