Best things to do in Prinos in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Prinos is a village in the Rethymno region of Crete, set back from the beaches that run east of Rethymno city. Prinos sits 2 km from the Skaleta beachfront, which begins 11 km east of Rethymno and marks the eastern end of the long beach of the Bay of Rethymno. The coast, the monasteries and the gorges of this district all sit within a short drive.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Prinos. The village works as a base for the eastern Rethymno coast: 5 beaches lie within 7 km, Arsaniou Monastery stands 2.7 km away, and the Arkadi Gorge and the pottery village of Margarites are both under 8 km out.
Things to do in and around Prinos
Six outings sit within 8 km of Prinos, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Skaleta, where the beachfront 2 km away runs 3 km eastward and closes the long beach of the Bay of Rethymno. Skaleta is mostly sandy and organised, with patches of pebble and small rock along it.
- Visit Arsaniou Monastery, which stands 2.7 km from the village, and Arsaniou is the nearer of the two religious houses within reach.
- Snorkel at Spilies. The cove lies 3.4 km away between Skaleta and Geropotamos, also known as Tou Maliou to Riaki. Spilies has clear deep water, towering cliffs and sea caves that shelter endangered wildlife, and it faces north, so the sea is often wavy.
- Swim at Geropotamos, where the sandy beach at the river mouth sits 4.1 km away, beneath the bridge that carries the Heraklion to Rethymno highway. Geropotamos stays quiet and uncrowded, and its water is clear but cold and deep.
- Hike the Arkadi Gorge. The trailhead lies 7.5 km away just north of Arkadi Monastery, and the walk covers 4.5 km in about 2 hours along the eastern bank of a green rocky ravine. Arkadi Gorge ends near the village of Pikris where the Gypofarago gorge joins it, with no entrance fee and no facilities, so carry water and food.
- Walk around Margarites. The village 7.8 km away is the pottery centre of this part of Crete, with picturesque alleys and well-preserved architecture. Margarites has Venetian roots from the sixteenth century, stands near the ancient town of Eleftherna, and built its ceramic tradition in the Ottoman period.
About the village and its setting
Prinos is a village of the Rethymno region, positioned between the resort coast and the hill country behind it. The coast here is one long sandy run: it begins at Adelianos Kambos, 6 km east of Rethymno, and runs through Pigianos Kambos, Sfakaki and Stavromenos to Skaleta, narrowing until it fades at the end of the Rethymno Gulf.
Inland the ground is gorge and monastery country. The gorges around Margarites, 7.7 km from the village, are small parallel ravines cut into white-yellow marly limestone from the Upper Miocene, where streams such as the Margaritianos run north into the Geropotamos river. The Prasses Gorge lies 9.9 km out, and Arkadi Monastery sits above its own gorge 7.5 km away.
The neighbouring villages carry their own histories. Panormo, 7.4 km away and about 22 km east of Rethymno, grew around a natural harbour in the Milopotamos province, and its Greek name means “a place with a natural port”. About 400 people live there through the year, which keeps it calmer than the larger resorts nearby.
Beaches in and around Prinos
Prinos has no beach of its own, because the village stands back from the shore, but 5 beaches lie within 7 km. They split between the organised sand of the Rethymno bay and the small north-facing coves east of it.
- Skaleta lies 2.0 km away, the last segment of the East Rethymnon beachfront, sandy and organised, with Sfakaki and Stavromenos on the same stretch.
- Spilies opens 3.4 km away, a sheltered pebble cove with cliffs and sea caves, quiet despite the highway above it, and better for confident swimmers than for families.
- Geropotamos sits 4.1 km away at the river mouth, small and sandy under the highway bridge, with cold, deep water.
- Pigianos Kambos runs 5.1 km away, also called Pigi beach, a quieter and less developed part of the bay whose name means “Plane of Pigi” after the fields of the nearby village.
- Adelianos Kambos begins 6.7 km away, the seaside suburb where the sandy stretch of the Rethymnon Gulf starts, with hotels, shops and regular local buses from the city centre.
Where to eat in Prinos
Eating around Prinos means tavernas and restaurants between the village and the coast road, the nearest just over a kilometre away.
- Taverna-Restaurant Ilios stands 1.2 km from the village.
- Corali Beach Taverna works as a taverna and snack bar, 1.6 km away.
- Romeo & Juliet Fusion Cuisine sits 2.4 km away.
- Restaurant Eleven lies 2.8 km away.
Getting to Prinos
Prinos is reached from the Heraklion to Rethymno highway, which runs along this coast and crosses the Geropotamos river on a bridge 4.1 km from the village. Rethymno city lies west, with the beach suburbs of Adelianos Kambos and Pigianos Kambos 6 km and 8 km east of it.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport. Panormo, 7.4 km away, has direct access from the coastal national road, and the inland roads climb towards Margarites and Arkadi, so a car reaches far more of this district than the coast road alone.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Prinos in Crete?
Prinos lies in the Rethymno region, east of Rethymno city and 2 km back from the beachfront at Skaleta. That beachfront starts 11 km east of the city, which places the village towards the eastern end of the Bay of Rethymno.
Does Prinos have a beach?
Prinos has no beach of its own, but 5 lie within 7 km. Skaleta is the closest at 2.0 km, and Spilies, Geropotamos, Pigianos Kambos and Adelianos Kambos follow between 3.4 km and 6.7 km away.
Can you walk a gorge from Prinos?
The Arkadi Gorge, 7.5 km from Prinos, is the nearest walkable gorge. The route runs 4.5 km and takes about 2 hours, starting just north of Arkadi Monastery and ending near Pikris, and pairing it with the monastery fills a day.
Which airport is nearest to Prinos?
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Prinos, west along the north coast.
What is there to see near Prinos besides beaches?
Arsaniou Monastery, 2.7 km away, is the closest sight away from the coast. Arkadi Monastery and its gorge lie 7.5 km out, the pottery village of Margarites 7.8 km, and the harbour village of Panormo 7.4 km.
Where Prinos is
Best things to do in Prinos in 2024 is located at Prínos. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
