Best things to do in Kamisiana in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Kamisiana is a village on the northwest coast of Crete, in the Chania region, about 19 km west of Chania town and 14 km east of Kissamos. The village sits behind the long beach that runs between Kolymbari and Platanias, with the nearest shoreline, Rapaniana, 1.7 km away. Five beaches lie within 7 km, two water parks stand within 2 km, and the resort villages along the same coast road are all short drives.
Chania airport lies 31 km east of the village, and Rethymno is 64 km east. Kamisiana works as a quiet base for this stretch of coast rather than as a resort in its own right, with the beaches, the water parks and the inland gorges reached in a few minutes of driving.
Things to do in and around Kamisiana
Six outings lie within 9 km of Kamisiana, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Cool off at a water park. Chrispy Waterpark Chania stands 1.2 km from the village, the nearer of two water parks on this part of the coast.
- Add the second water park to the same trip. Selene Water Park is 1.6 km out, which puts the pair within 2 km of each other.
- Swim at Rapaniana. The calm mixed sand-and-pebble beach 1.7 km from the village forms part of one long open shoreline running from the Rodopos Peninsula toward Chania, so Rapaniana stays uncrowded even in summer.
- See the Maleme domed tomb. The domed tomb at Maleme is 2.3 km away, a few minutes by car.
- Walk the Kolimbari seafront. A seaside town of more than 5,000 residents sits 2.8 km away on the eastern edge of the Rodopos Peninsula, and the sandy beach at Kolimbari runs east from the town towards Tavronitis.
- Hike the Roka Gorge. The 2 km route from Deliana to Roka starts 8.7 km from Kamisiana and takes about two hours, and the Roka Gorge follows the dry riverbed in summer under plane trees. Trouli hill at the Roka end carries the remnants of a Byzantine fortress.
About Kamisiana and its setting
Kamisiana belongs to the run of villages behind the beaches of northwest Chania, between Kolymbari on the Rodopos Peninsula and the resort strip at Platanias. Kamisiana sits a short way back from the water rather than on a seafront promenade.
The shore in front of the village is one near-continuous beach rather than a chain of separate bays, reaching from Kolimbari in the west to Stalos in the east. Open coast of that kind catches the weather, and these beaches are exposed to the northerly winds common on this side of Crete, so calm mornings matter.
Three neighbouring settlements carry history worth knowing. Maleme, 3.3 km away, takes its name from the word “Malama”, meaning gold, and the old military airport at the west end of its beach saw a serious resistance against German forces in 1941. Tavronitis, 2 km away, is named after the river beside it. Kolymbari, 2.8 km away, keeps the coves below Gonia Monastery 1 km to its northwest.
Beaches near Kamisiana
Five beaches lie within 7 km of Kamisiana, and they differ mainly in how sheltered they are.
- Rapaniana lies 1.7 km away, a calm beach of sandy patches and pebbly ground 4 km east of Kolymbari, with village services close by.
- Tavronitis sits 2 km away, a long pebbly beach 1 km north of Tavronitis village and west of the historic Maleme airport, with hotels, tavernas and restaurants nearby.
- Kolimbari is 2.8 km away, sandy with occasional small pebbles and shallow water that often turns wavy; the tiny coves near Gonia Monastery are the quieter alternative.
- Maleme lies 3.3 km away, a developed sandy beach with amenities beside it, and a more secluded west end next to the old military airport.
- Afrata sits 6.1 km away, a small sheltered pebble cove on the Rodopou peninsula about 1 km below Afrata village, calm when the rest of the north coast turns windy.
Where to eat near Kamisiana
Eating near Kamisiana means cafés, snack places and village tavernas, the closest a few hundred metres out and the rest within 3 km.
- Papaderos 365 Coffee Lab & Vegan Market sells coffee and vegan groceries, 700 m from the village.
- Knack Cafe & Snacks serves coffee and snacks, 1.1 km out.
- Cross Road Cafe sits 1.2 km from the village.
- Paliomylos Traditional Restaurant serves traditional cooking, 2 km out.
- Plateia Cafe-Taverna is a café and taverna, 2.8 km away.
Getting to Kamisiana
Reach Kamisiana from the coast road that runs west out of Chania towards Kissamos. Chania town is 19.1 km east and Kissamos 14.2 km west. Rethymno lies 63.6 km east along the north coast.
Chania airport sits 31 km east of the village, on the far side of the city. Two resort villages break the drive back towards Chania: Gerani, 6.1 km east, splits into a beachside Kato Gerani and an inland Palaio Gerani, and Platanias, 9.2 km east, is the busiest resort on this coast, set on a hill above about 7 km of sandy beach.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kamisiana in Crete?
Kamisiana is on the northwest coast of Crete, about 19 km west of Chania town and 14 km east of Kissamos. The village falls within the Chania region, on the coastal strip between Kolymbari and Platanias.
Does Kamisiana have a beach?
The village sits back from the shore, and the nearest beach, Rapaniana, is 1.7 km away. Five beaches lie within 7 km in total, from Rapaniana and Tavronitis at about 2 km to the sheltered cove at Afrata at 6.1 km.
How far is Kamisiana from Chania airport?
Chania airport is 31 km east of Kamisiana, past the city, so the transfer runs the length of the resort coast between Platanias and Chania.
What is there to do in Kamisiana with children?
Two water parks stand within 2 km of the village. Chrispy Waterpark Chania is 1.2 km out and Selene Water Park 1.6 km, close enough to visit either one without a long drive.
Can you walk a gorge from Kamisiana?
The nearest gorge is Roka, 8.7 km away. The walk covers 2 km between Deliana and Roka and takes about two hours, though the narrow sections are hard to cross dry-shod while water is flowing.
Is the sea at Kamisiana calm?
The beaches near Kamisiana face open sea and often turn wavy. Kolimbari has shallow but frequently choppy water, and Maleme is exposed to the northerly winds typical of this coast. Afrata, 6.1 km away, holds its shelter when the rest of the north coast is blowing.
Where Kamisiana is
Best things to do in Kamisiana in 2024 is located at Kamisianá. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
