Kournás
Kournas is an inland village in the Rethymno region of Crete, set west of Rethymno town and 2.8 km from Lake Kournas. Kournas the village and Kournas the lake carry the same name and are two separate places. The village sits back in the hills, and the coast lies 4.4 km away at Kavros, where the beach we publish is itself named Kavros beach at Kournas.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport. Kournas works as a quiet base behind the Georgioupolis coast: 4 beaches lie within 7 km, 4 gorges within 12 km, and the spring-fed village of Argyroupolis 4.5 km away.
Things to do in and around Kournas
Six outings lie within about 7 km of the village, listed here from nearest to furthest.
- Eat in the village. Babis Tavern stands 200 m from the centre of Kournas, the only one of these you reach on foot.
- See the Fylaki domed tomb. The tomb lies 1.7 km from the village and takes a short stop.
- Go to the lake. Lake Kournas lies 2.8 km from the village that shares its name, and our page on it covers the shoreline in full.
- Swim at Kavros. The beach 4.4 km away is a wide sandy stretch between Georgioupoli and Pyrgos with clear, shallow water. Kavros has restaurants, cafés and bars along part of it and unorganised sand elsewhere.
- Walk round Argyroupolis. The hill village 4.5 km away sits at about 260 m above the Mouselas river valley and is built on the grounds of the ancient city of Lappa. Argyroupolis is known for its waterfalls, its old grain mills that now serve trout, and its tavernas beside running water.
- Hike the Kollita Gorges. The twin ravines begin 6.4 km away near Argyroupolis and end near Kato Poros. Moundros and Vilandredo run parallel, with Vigla peak at 567 m to the east, and both suit walkers new to gorges.
About the village and its setting
Kournas is a village in the Rethymno region, and its setting is inland hill country rather than the coast. The village keeps a taverna 200 m from its centre, and 11 more eating places stand within 4.1 km in the settlements around it. Nothing here is built for a beach holiday: the nearest sand is 4.4 km off, and the village itself carries on as a place people live in.
The name Kournas belongs to two places at once, which is worth untangling before a visit. The village is the settlement described on this page. Lake Kournas is a separate place 2.8 km away, and we cover it on its own page rather than here.
Two older villages sit close by. Episkopi, 3.8 km away, stands at 120 m on the old national road between Rethymno and Chania, looks over the Mousselas river valley and the north coast, and keeps a Church of the Holy Cross dating to the 14th century. Episkopi also has the remains of an ancient settlement. Argyroupolis, 4.5 km away, layers Roman, Byzantine and Venetian history on the site of ancient Lappa, roughly 22 km inland from the north coast.
Beaches near Kournas
Kournas has no beach of its own, and the 4 nearest lie between 4.4 km and 6.9 km away on the Georgioupolis coast. Georgioupolis and Kavros are one continuous run of sand, with Kalivaki at the western end of the same bay.
- Kavros lies 4.4 km away, a wide sandy beach 4 km east of Georgioupoli with clear, shallow water. It is open to the wind, so waves are common. Restaurants, cafés and bars serve part of it, and other parts stay unorganised.
- Episkopi sits 5.6 km away, about 3.5 km of soft sand in the valley between the Mouselas river and the river out of the Petres gorge. The western section has a lifeguard, umbrellas, sunbeds, showers, snack bars and water sports; the eastern end near the Petres bridge stays quiet.
- Georgioupolis stands 6.3 km away, at the western edge of a 10 km run of sand. The town beach spans 2 km east from the Almyros river to Kavros, with dunes, shallow water, lifeguards, umbrellas and showers. Sea currents make windy days worth treating with care.
- Kalivaki follows 6.9 km away, the westernmost beach of Georgioupolis bay, at the mouth of the Almyros river. The sand stays sheltered from the wind and the shallow water runs noticeably cool.
- Kamari opens 11.1 km away, a compact beach by Gerani village at the entrance of the Vederi Gorge, with pebbles and rocks in places that snorkellers favour.
Where to eat in Kournas
Eating in Kournas means village tavernas rather than a resort strip. One stands in the village and the rest sit in the settlements within about 4 km.
- Babis Tavern is in Kournas itself, 200 m from the centre.
- Georgia’s Traditional Taverna stands 2.8 km out, the same distance as the lake.
- Taverna Café Asteri sits 4.1 km out.
- Taverna Pelagia’s Yard is also 4.1 km out.
Getting to Kournas
Kournas is reached by road from the Georgioupolis coast, 6.3 km away, or from the old national road between Rethymno and Chania, which runs through Episkopi 3.8 km from the village. Rethymno lies east and Chania north-west, so Kournas sits between the two rather than close to either. Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport.
A car matters here, because the lake is 2.8 km out, the beaches 4.4 km and further, and the gorges 6 km to 12 km away. The seaside town of Georgioupolis, 6.3 km away, is the nearest resort, and its beach has lifeguards on duty.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kournas in Crete?
Kournas lies inland in the Rethymno region of Crete, west of Rethymno town. The village sits 2.8 km from Lake Kournas and 4.4 km from the nearest beach at Kavros.
Is Kournas village the same as Lake Kournas?
No. Kournas is a village and Lake Kournas is a lake 2.8 km away from it. The two carry the same name, and each has its own page on this site.
Does Kournas have a beach?
Kournas has no beach of its own, but 4 lie within 7 km. Kavros, 4.4 km away, is the closest, and Episkopi, Georgioupolis and Kalivaki follow along the same coast.
Which airport is nearest to Kournas?
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Kournas. The village belongs to the Rethymno region, so the transfer crosses from one region into the next.
What is there to do near Kournas?
Four outings sit within 5 km of the village: the Fylaki domed tomb at 1.7 km, Lake Kournas at 2.8 km, Kavros beach at 4.4 km and Argyroupolis at 4.5 km. The Kollita Gorges and the Petres Gorge add walking at 6.4 km and 6.6 km.
Location
Kournás is located at Kournás, in the Chania region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
