Best things to do in Skepasti in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Skepasti is a village in the Milopotamos province of the Rethymno region, set back from the north coast about 25 km east of Rethymno. Skepasti gives its name to the beaches 2 km east of it, which lie 27 km east of the city. The village sits in rugged, rocky country, and the dirt roads down to its shore start from the village itself.
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport, and the coastal national road passes 3 km away at Panormo, which sits 55 km west of Heraklion. Skepasti suits a visitor who wants unorganised beaches and village country within a short drive of the resorts, rather than a base with its own hotels and tavernas.
Things to do in Skepasti
6 things to do sit within 9 km of Skepasti, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Koukistres. The Skepasti beaches, 2 km east of the village, are pebbly with deep water and entirely unorganised, and Koukistres is the one local people head for. Poor dirt roads from the village are the way down, the northern winds hit the shore directly, and the nearest hotels and eateries are in Panormo, so carry everything you need.
- Spend a day in Panormo. Panormo, 3 km away and 22 km east of Rethymno, is a former fishing village around a natural harbour, which is what its Greek name means. About 400 people live here all year, which keeps it calmer than Bali and Georgioupolis, and the village beaches run to 2 main ones plus several smaller; Limanaki, the harbour beach, is sandy with clear water.
- Find the church above Agios Nikolaos beach. Agios Nikolaos, 4 km away and slightly west of Bali, takes its name from the Byzantine two-nave church of Saint Nicholas that stands in a green creek above the cove. The ravine dries out by late spring, though the plane trees show where the water is, and limestone rocks around the almost semicircular cove form small caves.
- Walk between the 4 coves at Bali. Bali, 5.5 km away, has 4 sandy coves with clear greenish water: Livadi, Varkotopos, Limani and Karavostasis. They sit close enough together to walk between on most days, and the bay faces west, so the sea stays calm.
- Swim under the highway bridge at Geropotamos. Geropotamos beach, 7 km away, is a small sandy beach at a river mouth, 18 km east of Rethymno and 3 km west of Panormo, directly below the bridge that carries the Heraklion to Rethymno highway. The beach stays uncrowded and its water is clear but cold and deep, which suits confident swimmers more than young children.
- Walk the Margarites gorges. The country around Margarites, Orthe and Eleftherna, 8.9 km away, holds a run of small parallel gorges cut into white-yellow marly limestone laid down 8 to 10 million years ago. Watercourses such as the Margaritianos run north through them into the Geropotamos river, and groups of horizontally branched cypresses grow along the route.
Beaches near Skepasti
7 beaches lie within 10 km of Skepasti, and the choice runs between unorganised pebble and the sheltered sand of the resorts.
- Skepasti beaches lie 2 km east of the village, pebbly, deep, unorganised and open to the north wind, with Koukistres the local favourite.
- Panormo sits 3.2 km away, 2 main beaches and several small ones around a natural harbour with tranquil water.
- Agios Nikolaos is 4 km away, a secluded cove with a rocky seabed, named after the Byzantine church above it. North winds push litter into the bay.
- Bali lies 5.5 km away, 4 sandy coves in a west-facing bay 30 km east of Rethymno and 43 km west of Heraklion, calm and suited to families.
- Geropotamos is 7 km away, sand at a river mouth under the highway bridge, quiet, with cold and deep water.
- Spilies lies 7.7 km away, a pebble cove on the same stretch of coast.
- Glaros sits 9.5 km away, the furthest of the 7 from the village.
Where to eat near Skepasti
Eating near Skepasti means Panormo, because the Skepasti beaches themselves have nothing on them. The places below sit between 2.2 km and 3.3 km from the village.
- Kampos Taverna is 2.2 km away, the closest to the village.
- Taverna Veronica stands 2.7 km away.
- Locus Deli Restaurant is 2.9 km away.
- Kastro Cretan Cuisine lies 3.3 km away.
Getting to Skepasti
Skepasti is reached from the coastal national road, which passes Panormo 3 km away and gives the village its link to the rest of the island. Rethymno lies about 25 km west and Heraklion further east, with Bali, 5.5 km away, standing halfway between the two cities.
A car is necessary for the beaches below the village. The tracks down to the Skepasti shore are poor dirt roads that start in the village, so anyone without suitable transport should swim at Panormo or Bali instead, both of which have direct access from the national road.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Skepasti in Crete?
Skepasti lies in the Milopotamos province of the Rethymno region, about 25 km east of Rethymno, a little inland from the north coast near Panormo. Crete has more than one Skepasti; this is the one in the Milopotamos province.
Does Skepasti have a beach?
The Skepasti beaches lie 2 km east of the village. They are pebbly, deep and entirely unorganised, the local favourite among them is Koukistres, and poor dirt roads out of the village are the only way down to them.
What should you take to the Skepasti beaches?
Take everything you need for the day, because the Skepasti beaches have no facilities. The closest hotels and eateries are at Panormo, 3 km from the village, so there is nothing to buy once you are down at the shore.
Which beach near Skepasti suits families?
Bali, 5.5 km away, suits families. Its 4 coves are sandy and its bay faces west, which keeps the sea calm, while Geropotamos is cold and deep and the Skepasti beaches are unorganised pebble.
Can you walk a gorge from Skepasti?
The nearest gorges are the small parallel ravines around Margarites, 8.9 km away. Further inland, the Arkadi Gorge is a moderate 4.5 km walk of about 2 hours along the eastern bank of a green rocky ravine, starting just north of Arkadi Monastery and ending near the village of Pikris, with no entrance fee and no facilities on the trail.
Which airport is closest to Skepasti?
Heraklion (HER) is the closest airport to Skepasti. Panormo, 3 km from the village, sits 55 km west of Heraklion on the coastal national road.
Where Skepasti is
Best things to do in Skepasti in 2024 is located at Skepastí. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
