Best things to do in Gavdos in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Gavdos is a small island off the south coast of Crete, in the Chania region, lying about 68 km south of Rethymno and 75 km from Chania. Gavdos is reached by sea from Sfakia, 21 nautical miles to the north, and its only harbour is Karave on the eastern coastline. The island is wild rather than developed, and most of its beaches are unorganised, with pines, junipers and cliffs behind them instead of hotel strips.
Chania airport is 76.5 km away with the sea crossing in between, so a trip here is a ferry journey rather than a drive. Gavdos suits walkers, campers and swimmers who accept a long approach for empty sand.
Things to do in and around Gavdos
Six outings cover the island, listed below from the port outwards.
- Swim beside the port. Pebbled Karave bay sits next to the harbour and has clear, deep water, and it is the one option for a dip while waiting for the ferry.
- Walk the coast path to Korfos. A footpath follows the shoreline south from Karave for about an hour, and a bus covers the same 2 km.
- Spend a slow day at Korfos. The long bay 2 km south of the port mixes sand and pebbles and has rooms and taverns beside it, which makes Korfos the easiest beach here for a family. The chapel of St George and its spring stand close by.
- Trek to Pirgos. Two beaches of emerald sand split by rocks fill the bay 6 km northwest of Karave, and Pirgos is reached only on foot or by boat. The walk from the village of Ambelos takes 2 to 2.5 hours, towering cliffs shelter the bay, and no trees shade it.
- Hike the Lighthouse to Ambelos to Potamos trail. That trail is the principal way in to Potamos, 7 km northwest of the port, where reddish sand, shallow water and clay formations emerge from a small canyon under pines and junipers. The clay there is used as a spa treatment.
- Walk to Lavrakas. The golden sand near the island’s northern tip lies 20 to 30 minutes on foot from Agiannis, and Lavrakas is completely unorganised because foot access is the only access.
About Gavdos and its settlements
Gavdos carries a handful of small settlements rather than one central town, and each serves a different part of the island. Karave is the harbour on the east coast and the point every visitor arrives at. Korfos, 2 km south, has the rooms, taverns and basic amenities. Ambelos is the starting point for the walks down to Pirgos and Potamos, and Agiannis lies near the northern tip, within half an hour of Lavrakas on foot.
The island is old ground as well as empty ground. In the northern area 20 looted Minoan grave-caves have been found, and the name Lavrakas is often traced to the Greek word for a bass fish, “lavraki”, though the Minoan “lavrys”, the double axe that was the symbol of that civilisation, is the likelier source.
Facilities stay thin. Several beaches have no organisation at all, campers use the remoter bays because they sit so far from any tourist facility, and the settlements hold a short list of tavernas and rooms.
Beaches on Gavdos
Five beaches ring the island, and they divide neatly into the two you can reach easily and the three that ask for a walk.
- Karave sits at the port, pebbled and unorganised, with clear deep water; the bay runs south to Korfos by way of Agii Pateres beach.
- Korfos sits 2 km south of the port and is also known as Bosom, a long bay of sand and pebbles with rooms and taverns nearby.
- Pirgos is 6 km northwest of the port, two emerald-sand beaches under tall cliffs, with no shade and no road.
- Potamos lies 7 km northwest of the port, reddish sand with shallow water, clay formations and steep cliffs, named after the Greek word for river.
- Lavrakas sits near the northern tip, 2 km west of Agios Ioannis beach, soft golden sand with scattered rocks and no facilities.
Where to eat on Gavdos
Eating on Gavdos means tavernas, a café and a mini market, all within 3 km of the middle of the island.
- Metochi Gavdos Tavern and Rooms is a taverna with rooms at Metochi, 2.2 km out.
- Exoristoi lies 2.6 km away.
- Kédros sits 2.7 km away.
- Kiki’s Mini Market and Cafe serves groceries and coffee, 2.7 km out.
- Gavdos Panorama is a restaurant, café and bar with apartments, 2.8 km away.
- Akrogiali Gavdos sits 3 km out.
Getting to Gavdos
Reach Gavdos by ferry to Karave, the island’s only port, 21 nautical miles south of Sfakia. Every arrival lands on the eastern shore, and the rest of the island opens out from there.
Once ashore, a bus runs south from Karave to Korfos and another serves the north of the island towards Lavrakas. Walkers have the coastal footpath between Karave and Korfos, about an hour each way, and the inland routes from Ambelos down to Pirgos and Potamos. Chania airport is 76.5 km off, with the crossing from Crete in between, so plan around the ferry timetable rather than a driving time.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Gavdos?
Gavdos lies off the south coast of Crete, 21 nautical miles south of Sfakia, and belongs to the Chania region. Rethymno is about 68 km away and Chania about 75 km, both across water.
How do you get to Gavdos?
Take the ferry to Karave, the island’s sole harbour. Karave sits on the eastern coastline, 21 nautical miles south of Sfakia, and there is no other point of arrival.
Is there a bus on Gavdos?
Yes, buses run from Karave. One service links the port with Korfos 2 km south, and another heads north towards Lavrakas, which saves the walk from Agiannis.
Which beaches on Gavdos need a walk?
Pirgos, Potamos and Lavrakas are all walk-in beaches. Pirgos takes 2 to 2.5 hours from Ambelos, Potamos is approached on the Lighthouse to Ambelos to Potamos trail, and Lavrakas is 20 to 30 minutes on foot from Agiannis.
Is Gavdos suitable for families?
Korfos is the beach to head for with children. The bay 2 km south of the port has sand and pebbles, rooms and taverns beside it and basic amenities in reach, while the remoter bays have none of that.
What Minoan remains are on Gavdos?
20 looted Minoan grave-caves have been found in the northern area of the island. Artefacts from the Late Minoan period, 1600 to 1100 BC, turned up south of Korfos beach.
Where Gavdos is
Best things to do in Gavdos in 2024 is located at Gavdos. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
