Best things to do in Kavallos in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Kavallos is a village in the Rethymno region of Crete, set 500 m from Lake Kournas and about 4 km inland from the coastal resort of Georgioupolis. Kavallos sits in the green country behind the bay of Almiros, where rivers and springs cross the valley. Georgioupolis, the nearest resort, lies 21 km west of Rethymno city on the north coast.
Chania airport is 25.5 km from the village in a straight line, and the road runs longer than that figure. Kavallos works as a quiet base beside the lake, with 4 beaches and 2 gorges inside 9 km.
Things to do in and around Kavallos
Six outings sit within 9 km of Kavallos, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Walk to Lake Kournas. The lake is 500 m from the village, which makes Lake Kournas the one sight here you can reach on foot.
- Swim at Kavros. The wide sandy beach 3.1 km away runs 4 km east of Georgioupolis, and Kavros has clear shallow water with restaurants, cafés and bars behind it. The beach is open to the wind and often sees waves, and parts of it stay unorganised.
- Spend a day on Georgioupolis beach. The resort 4.1 km away sits on the western edge of a 10 km shoreline, and the town beach at Georgioupolis runs 2 km east from the Almiros river to meet Kavros. Sand, dunes, shallow water and lifeguards suit children, though currents call for care on windy days.
- Take small children to Kalivaki. The westernmost beach of Georgioupolis bay lies 4.6 km away at the mouth of the Almyros river, and Kalivaki stays sheltered from the wind, with shallow water that runs noticeably cool.
- Walk the Petres Gorge. The gorge 7.4 km away narrows to a section about 1 km long near the village of Karoti, and Petres is easy to enter and has ponds along its course that people swim in. Its river runs all year and is the longest in Rethymno province.
- Hike the Kollita Gorges. Two parallel canyons 8.7 km away end near Kato Poros, and the Kollita Gorges are gentle enough for first-time walkers. Moundros is the eastern of the two, below the 567 m Vigla peak, and Vilandredo the western.
About Kavallos and its setting
Kavallos is a small inland village rather than a resort, and the lake next door is what brings people past it. The nearest sand is 3.1 km away at Kavros, so a stay here means going down to the coast for a swim and coming back to somewhere quieter.
The setting is the valley behind Almiros bay, green country crossed by rivers and springs. Water shapes the district: the Almiros river reaches the sea at Kalivaki, the Mouselas and the Petres frame the beach at Episkopi, and the Petres river gathers tributaries from the Kollita Gorges across to Mount Vrysinas before forming a wetland at its mouth.
Neighbouring villages fill in the rest. The resort of Georgioupolis stands 4.1 km away with the accommodation and the amenities; Episkopi, 4.8 km off, sits at 120 m on the old Rethymno to Chania road and keeps a 14th-century Church of the Holy Cross and views over the Mousselas valley; and the springs village of Argyroupolis lies 6.8 km away above the gorges.
Beaches in and around Kavallos
Kavallos has no beach of its own, and 5 lie between 3 km and 11 km away, split between the shallow sands of Almiros bay and the rocky coves further west.
- Kavros lies 3.1 km away between Georgioupolis and Pyrgos, sandy with clear shallow water, developed but less commercialised than its neighbour, and windy enough to raise waves.
- Georgioupolis sits 4.1 km away, 2 km of sand and dunes running east from the Almiros river, well kept and staffed by lifeguards, with umbrellas, showers and food stalls.
- Kalivaki is 4.6 km away west of the Georgioupolis port and the church of Agios Nikolaos, sheltered at the river mouth, with cool shallow water that suits children on windy days.
- Episkopi lies 5.8 km away, 3.5 km of soft sand with a gentle entry, organised at the western end with a lifeguard and sunbeds, quiet at the eastern end near the Petres bridge.
- Ombros Gialos stands 10.9 km away on the Drapanokefala peninsula, a rocky unorganised cove near Kefalas where a harbour dock drops straight into deep clear water, with one fish tavern beside it.
Where to eat in Kavallos
Eating in Kavallos starts within 600 m of the centre, with more restaurants towards the coast about 2.5 km away.
- Lygaria is 200 m from the centre, the closest option.
- Óneiro sits 400 m away.
- Georgia’s Traditional Taverna serves taverna cooking 600 m out.
- Ostria Meat & Grill grills meat 2.6 km towards the coast.
- Taverna Pelagia’s Yard is 2.7 km away.
Getting to Kavallos
Reach Kavallos on the roads that climb inland from Georgioupolis towards Lake Kournas, 4 km from the coast. The old national road between Rethymno and Chania crosses this district too, passing Episkopi 4.8 km away.
Rethymno city is 18.6 km east of the village and Chania 31.5 km west, both measured in a straight line, so allow more than that on Cretan roads. Chania airport sits 25.5 km away on the same basis.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kavallos in Crete?
Kavallos lies in the Rethymno region of Crete, 500 m from Lake Kournas and about 4 km inland from Georgioupolis. Georgioupolis itself sits 21 km west of Rethymno city on the north coast.
Is Kavallos near Lake Kournas?
Lake Kournas is 500 m from Kavallos. No other village sight sits closer, and the walk from the centre takes only a few minutes.
Does Kavallos have a beach?
Kavallos has no beach of its own, and the nearest is Kavros at 3.1 km. Georgioupolis follows at 4.1 km and Kalivaki at 4.6 km, all on the same bay.
Which beach near Kavallos suits young children?
Kalivaki, 4.6 km away, is the sheltered choice for young children. It sits out of the wind at the mouth of the Almyros river, and Georgioupolis beach 4.1 km away has lifeguards on duty.
How far is Kavallos from Chania airport?
Chania airport is 25.5 km from Kavallos in a straight line, and the driving route is longer than that. Rethymno lies 18.6 km east of the village on the same measure.
Can you walk a gorge from Kavallos?
Petres Gorge, 7.4 km away, is the nearest. The walk is easy, the river runs through it all year, and ponds form along the course. The Kollita Gorges 8.7 km away add a second easy option near Argyroupolis.
Where Kavallos is
Best things to do in Kavallos in 2024 is located at Kávallos. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
