Peristeres is located 47km southwest of Rethymnon city, between Fragokastelo and Rodakino village and is very well known to the Greeks as it was the favourite beach of Alexis Tsipras being prime minister of Greece. The beach is formed to the west of the hill Kastelos and extends to the west till Agia Marina. The beach is actually divided into two separate coves and is generally quiet since access is not as easy as the nearby beaches of Korakas and Polirizos. On the beach, there are no facilities, just some small taverns. Peristeres is pebbly and has some rocks in places. It is favoured by nudists and campers, who stay under the shade of the big carob trees around.

The name Peristeres means pigeons in Greek,. This is taken after the small sea caves at Kastelos cape (beyond the east end of the beach) where pigeons nest. These caves are amazingly beautiful with arches, huge boulders and tiny sandy beaches formed inside. There is an aquarium-like sea bottom where you have to snorkel.

The German general Heinrich Kreipe was moved to Egypt from this beach. Kreipe was the general commander of the land forces of “Fortress Crete”- Festung Kreta. He was abducted in Heraklion by two British officers and Cretan resistance fighters. Hunted by German patrols, the group moved across the mountains to reach the southern side of the island, where a British Motor Launch picked them up on 14 May 1944. This historic abduction has been characterized as one of the most difficult and bolder operations of the Second World War that made Hitler furious. Kreipe handcuffs are still kept by a resident of Rodakino. Moreover, allied submarines and destroyers used this bay for bringing supplies for the fight against the Germans.

To get to Peristeres you can either follow the paved road from Polirizos to the west and then turn left on the first dirt road you’ll meet on your left hand or drive on the 4km dirt road that connects Lakki (near Skaloti village) with Polirizos.