Best things to do in Amigdalokefali in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Amigdalokefali is a village on the west coast of Crete, in the Chania region, south-west of Kissamos and a few kilometres back from the sea. Amigdalokefali stands among the small settlements strung along the western coast road down to Elafonissi, with Keramoti, Livadia and Kambos as its neighbours. The coast below the village is rock and pebble rather than sand, as most of the western shore of Crete is.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport. The village suits walkers and swimmers who want empty coves rather than sunbeds: 6 beaches, 2 gorges and a stretch of the E4 coastal path lie within 7 km.
Things to do in and around Amigdalokefali
6 outings lie within 10 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Keramoti. The beach lies 2.8 km away beside the village of the same name, a medium-sized pebble shore with rocky patches and no facilities. A stream fed by mountain springs runs alongside it, and those springs cool the sea, so Keramoti beach swims cold. Access is by a rough dirt track from Keramoti village.
- Find the cave of the elves. The cove 3.2 km away takes its name, Xotikospilio, from a local legend that elves live in the small cave beside it, and a tiny chapel stands inside the cave. The same cave was the site of a massacre on Good Friday 1824, when Turkish forces killed women and children sheltering there after the Elafonissi slaughter.
- Walk down to Stomio. The beach 4.2 km away sits 1 km north of the Chrisoskalitissa monastery and belongs to the wider Elafonissi area. Its name means “mouth”, after the river from the village of Vathi that reaches the sea here, and Stomio has no amenities beyond a small tavern nearby.
- Hike the Kambos Gorge. The canyon opens 4.6 km from the village, off the main road west of Kambos, and it is the most westerly gorge on the island. A trail runs through it under tall plane trees beside a river that flows all year, past striking rock formations to a natural spring, then rejoins the village road near the subterranean churches. Our Kambos Gorge page has the route.
- Pick up the E4 coast path. The European long-distance trail follows this coastline from Sfinari, and Sfinari beach is 6.2 km from Amigdalokefali.
- Walk the Sirikari Gorge to ancient Polirinia. The gorge starts 9.4 km away and splits into two parallel routes, Tsichliano to the west and Kioliano to the east, both ending at Polirinia, where the walls of the ancient town still stand in a citadel above Kissamos bay. A chestnut forest grows near Sirikari, and the Sirikari Gorge is reached on a paved road through heavy vegetation.
About the village and its setting
Amigdalokefali is one of a line of small villages on the far west of Crete, set back from a coast of coves and headlands south-west of Kissamos. Keramoti lies 2.8 km away, and rooms in this area are found in villages like Keramoti and Livadia rather than in hotel blocks. Tourist facilities are thin all along this coast.
The landscape around the village is the reason to come. Gorges cut down from the hills to the west-facing shore, the E4 European path traces the coastline, and the Chrisoskalitissa monastery and the Elafonissi area lie south. Keramoti village, the nearest neighbour, is 36 km south of Kissamos and 75 km south-west of Chania.
Beaches in and around Amigdalokefali
Amigdalokefali has no beach in the village itself, and the nearest shore is about 3 km away. 6 beaches lie within 7 km, all on the west-facing coast, and the nearest 3 are pebble and rock rather than sand.
- Keramoti lies 2.8 km away, pebbly with rocky areas, reached by a rough dirt track, with cold water from the springs that feed the stream beside it.
- Xotikospilio sits 3.2 km away, a small rugged cove of large round pebbles with a cave and chapel at its edge, 1.5 km north-west of Keramoti village.
- Stomio opens 4.2 km away, large pebbles and patches of sand at a river mouth, with deep, cold water and no facilities on site.
- Platanakia follows 5.7 km along the coast.
- Voulolimni is 5.9 km away.
- Sfinari stands 6.2 km away, the point where the E4 coastal path begins.
Swimming here depends on the weather. Rocky, wavy shores are the rule on the western side of Crete, so calm days are the ones to pick, and the rocky seabeds suit snorkelling better than they suit small children.
Where to eat near Amigdalokefali
Eating near Amigdalokefali means a handful of village places, the nearest 500 m from the centre. There is no restaurant strip on this coast.
- Petroula’s Orange Juice Bar stands 500 m from the village.
- Gialites Taverna is 2.4 km out.
- Krystalia Cafe sits 2.4 km out.
Getting to Amigdalokefali
Amigdalokefali sits on the western coast road that runs south from Kissamos towards Elafonissi, passing Kambos on the way, and a car is the practical way in.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport, and Kissamos is the nearest town of any size, with its ferry terminal and shops. Two more gorges lie further out than Sirikari, the Topolia Gorge and the Pelekaniotis Gorge.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Amigdalokefali in Crete?
Amigdalokefali is on the west coast of Crete, in the Chania region, south-west of Kissamos. Neighbouring Keramoti village, 2.8 km away, is 36 km south of Kissamos and 75 km south-west of Chania.
Does Amigdalokefali have a beach?
Amigdalokefali has no beach in the village, but 6 lie within 7 km. Keramoti is the nearest at 2.8 km, followed by Xotikospilio at 3.2 km and Stomio at 4.2 km.
Are the beaches near Amigdalokefali sandy?
The 3 nearest beaches are pebble and rock rather than sand. Keramoti is pebbly with rocky areas, Xotikospilio is made of large round pebbles, and Stomio mixes large pebbles with patches of sand. Rocky seabeds make them good for snorkelling on calm days.
What does Xotikospilio mean?
Xotikospilio means “the cave of elves”. The name comes from a local legend that elves live in the small cave next to the beach, and a small chapel was built inside that cave.
Can you walk a gorge from Amigdalokefali?
The Kambos Gorge starts 4.6 km from Amigdalokefali and is the most westerly gorge on Crete. A trail runs beside a river that flows all year, under plane trees, to a natural spring. The Sirikari Gorge, 9.4 km away, is the other walk within reach and ends at the ancient town of Polirinia.
Where Amigdalokefali is
Best things to do in Amigdalokefali in 2024 is located at AmigdhalokeFálion. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
