Beaches near Protória, in Heraklion region

Located on the southern slopes of the Asterousia Mountains, Voidomatis or Vouidomatos, which translates to ‘ox’s eye’, is situated 62km south of Heraklion and 2.5km east of the Treis Ekklisies settlement. The breathtakingly rugged gorge of Mesosfinis, known for its towering walls and wild cliffs, a common sight in Asterousia, leads you to Voidomatis.

Upon exiting the gorge, you’re greeted by a beautiful beach with sandy shores and crystal clear blue waters. Notable features of this beach are two large rocks in the sea and an impressive sea cave, the ‘ox’s eye’, situated at the eastern end of the beach. This location can be reached via the old dirt road that connects Treis Ekklisies to the Mournia village. Surrounding Voidomatis, you’ll find several secluded bays with stunning beaches, usually only visited by locals.

Just 100m east of Voidomatis, lies the small yet captivating Plysimo Beach, which can be reached through a challenging climb. The beach, known for its coarse sand, is positioned at the exit of another smaller gorge in the area. This beach gets its name from the local shepherds who would wash their sheep here. Locals still refer to the beach as Tsagaraki’s Plysimo, named after Dimitris Tsagarakis who used to wash his sheep at this location.