Best things to do in Sfakaki in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Sfakaki is a small coastal resort on Rethymno Bay, on the north coast of Crete, about 11 km east of Rethymno. Sfakaki is the first resort east of Pigianos Kambos on the Skaleta beachfront, the 3 km run of sand that closes the long beach of the Bay of Rethymno. Stavromenos follows 1 km further east, and Skaleta itself another kilometre beyond that.
Chania is the nearest airport to Sfakaki, and Rethymno is the nearest city. The resort is a place to swim and eat rather than a place to sightsee: the beach is sandy and carefully arranged, tavernas and grill houses sit within half a kilometre of the centre, and the gorges and monasteries of the Rethymno hinterland start about 8 km inland.
Things to do in and around Sfakaki
Six outings lie within 8 km of the resort, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at the resort beach. The sand at Sfakaki forms the western end of the Skaleta beachfront and is described on our page as exceptionally well arranged.
- Eat on the beach road. Tavern Dimitris and two more kitchens stand 400 m from the centre, close enough to reach barefoot from the sand.
- Visit Arsaniou Monastery. Arsaniou Monastery stands 900 m from the resort, the one piece of sightseeing within walking distance.
- Walk east to Stavromenos. Stavromenos beach lies 1 km east along the same shore and takes its name from the settlement behind it.
- Hike the Prassano gorge. The Gorge of Prasses is 7.1 km inland and gives a three-hour walk through enormous rocks and some demanding passages, with plane trees over the streambed. It is walkable only between mid-June and mid-October.
- Pair the Arkadi Gorge with its monastery. Arkadi Gorge is 7.9 km away, a moderate 4.5 km hike of about 2 hours that starts just north of Arkadi Monastery and ends near the village of Pikris. There is no entrance fee and no facilities on the trail, so carry your own water and food.
Sfakaki beach
Sfakaki beach is the first stretch of the Skaleta beachfront, which begins 11 km east of Rethymno and runs 3 km east to the end of the Rethymno Gulf. The beaches along it are predominantly sandy and meticulously organised, with spots of pebbles and tiny rocks between them.
The sand does not hold up all the way. Heading east from Sfakaki towards Stavromenos and Skaleta, the sandy stretch narrows and gradually fades until it vanishes altogether at the end of the gulf, so the western end of this shore is the broader one.
Beaches near Sfakaki
Three more beaches lie west of Sfakaki within 5 km, all of them on the same 13 km sweep of Rethymno Bay.
- Pigianos Kambos lies 1.7 km west, the resort immediately before Sfakaki on this coast. Its name means “Plane of Pigi” after the fields worked by the inhabitants of Pigi village, and the beach is quieter and less developed than the stretches nearer the city.
- Adelianos Kambos sits 3.3 km west, a seaside suburb of Rethymno on a flat plain that once grew vegetables for the village of Adele. The sandy Rethymno Gulf beach begins here and runs east to Skaleta, and local buses reach it regularly from the city centre.
- Platanes is 5 km west, long, sandy and well organised, with shallow light-blue water, sunbeds and lifeguards in season. It fronts the Pervolia, Missiria and Platanias suburbs and forms part of a protected nesting shore for loggerhead sea turtles.
Where to eat in Sfakaki
Eating in Sfakaki means tavernas, grill houses and beach restaurants, and almost all of them sit within a kilometre of the centre.
- Tavern Dimitris serves taverna cooking, 400 m from the centre.
- Rizoti Grill – Pizzeria cooks grilled food and pizza, 400 m out.
- Pantelis Restaurant stands 400 m from the resort centre.
- Akti Bar Restaurant is a bar and restaurant, 500 m away.
- Thalassi Restaurant sits 700 m along the front.
- Restaurant Eleven lies 900 m from the centre.
Getting to Sfakaki
Sfakaki sits on the coast road east of Rethymno, roughly 11 km from the city, and the resorts either side of it are strung along the same route. Chania is the nearest airport to the village.
Buses serve this shore well. Local services run regularly from the centre of Rethymno out to Adelianos Kambos, 3.3 km west of Sfakaki, on the same coastal corridor.
The city is the obvious day out. Rethymno is the third largest city in Crete and the capital of its region, and its Renaissance centre blends Ottoman and Cretan architecture around the Loggia, the Neratze Mosque and the Church of Agios Frangiskos. Inland, Margarites is known across Crete for its pottery tradition, its picturesque alleys and its well-preserved architecture, and Panormo is another coastal village within reach on the same shore.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Sfakaki in Crete?
Sfakaki lies on the north coast of Crete, about 11 km east of Rethymno on Rethymno Bay. The resort opens the Skaleta beachfront, with Pigianos Kambos immediately to its west and Stavromenos 1 km to its east.
Does Sfakaki have a sandy beach?
Sfakaki has a sandy, well-organised beach at the western end of the Skaleta beachfront. Pebbles and tiny rocks break the sand up in places, and the sandy strip narrows steadily as you head east towards the end of the Rethymno Gulf.
How far is Sfakaki from Rethymno?
Rethymno lies about 11 km west of Sfakaki, at the far end of the bay whose beach the resort sits on. The city carries the banks, shops and facilities that the resort itself does not.
Can you walk a gorge from Sfakaki?
Yes, 4 gorges lie between 7 km and 9.4 km inland of Sfakaki. Arkadi Gorge, 7.9 km away, is a moderate 4.5 km walk of about 2 hours, while the Prassano gorge, 7.1 km out, is a three-hour route open only from mid-June to mid-October. Mili Gorge is 8.3 km away and Kaminolakkos 9.4 km.
What is there to do in Sfakaki besides the beach?
Arsaniou Monastery stands 900 m from the resort, and it is the only sight within walking distance. Everything else asks for a short drive: the gorges and Arkadi Monastery inland, the pottery village of Margarites, and Rethymno itself 11 km west.
Where Sfakaki is
Best things to do in Sfakaki in 2024 is located at Sfakaki. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
