Best things to do in Stavros in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Stavros is a coastal village at the farthest point of Cape Akrotiri in western Crete, 17 km north-east of Chania. Stavros stands beneath Vardies, the camel-shaped mountain that appeared in the 1964 film “Zorba the Greek” as the backdrop to Anthony Quinn’s Sirtaki dance. The village began as a small fishing hamlet and has since grown into a busy resort with hotels and tourist facilities, and its two beaches are the reason most people come.
Chania airport is the nearest airport to Stavros. The village suits a swimming holiday rather than a touring one: the main beach is a sheltered lagoon, the coves along the peninsula are quiet, and the monasteries and the gorge walk on Akrotiri sit within about 5 km.
Things to do in and around Stavros
Six outings lie within about 17 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim in the Stavros lagoon. The main beach lies 500 m east of the village at the base of the Vardies mountain, next to the harbour, and forms a protected, semi-circular lagoon of white sand. Our full write-up of the shoreline sits on the Stavros beach page.
- Walk over to Maherida. The cove sits 2.1 km away, 1 km west of Chorafakia village near Tersanas, in a calm south-west-facing bay enclosed by sharp rocks. Maherida has white sand and turquoise water, no sunbeds, umbrellas or tavernas, and shallow water that suits swimming and snorkelling.
- Spend a day at Kalathas. The seaside village lies 3.7 km away in a natural bay that is open to the north winds, and its beach has fine sand and shallow clear water. Kalathas is well organised with umbrellas, water sports, lifeguards and mini markets, and a small island sits close enough offshore to swim to.
- Visit Gouverneto Monastery. The monastery stands 4.5 km from Stavros and is the starting point for the walk down to the coast. Gouverneto also works as a short visit on its own, and the Monastery of Agia Triada Tzagaroli stands 5 km away.
- Walk the Avlaki Gorge to Katholiko Bay. The gorge runs 2 km from Gouverneto Monastery down to the sea, dropping 280 metres in about an hour, and it rates 2 on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10 and stays generally dry. The route through Avlaki passes caves, hermitages and the abandoned Katholiko Monastery, which is why the canyon is also called the Katholiko Gorge.
- Spend a day in Chania. The city lies 17 km south-west and is the capital of the Chania prefecture and one of the oldest cities on the island. The old town of Chania keeps its winding streets, its Venetian and Turkish monuments, its harbour and its lighthouse.
Stavros beach
Stavros beach sits at the base of the Vardies mountain, east of the village and beside the harbour. The bay closes almost into a circle, which makes it a protected lagoon of white sand, and it is the beach the village is known for. Stavros has a second beach as well, so one stretch of sand filling up does not end the day.
Beaches near Stavros
Four beaches lie within 6 km of Stavros along the Akrotiri peninsula, and they range from a fully organised village beach to a bay you can only walk to.
- Maherida lies 2.1 km away, a secluded white sand cove named after the Greek word “machairi”, meaning knife, for the knife-like rocky cape at the northern end of the bay. It stays undeveloped, and a second theory traces the name to the Gladiolus flower instead.
- Kalathas sits 3.7 km away in front of a village settled by people from Chania who wanted to live away from the city, with fine sand, shallow clear water and a secluded unorganised bay beyond the rocky western end.
- Agios Onoufrios is 5.1 km away in a deep bay beside a small port, quiet, sandy and well protected from the wind, with sunbeds, parasols, showers, changing rooms, a lifeguard and two volleyball courts. Fuel tanks stand north-west of the sand.
- Katholiko Bay closes the list 5.3 km away at the foot of the Avlaki gorge, reached on foot rather than by road. The bay once served as the port of the Katholiko Monastery, where monks docked and mended their boats, and pirate raids led to the monastery being abandoned in the 16th century.
Where to eat in Stavros
Eating in Stavros starts at the beach and the village, with more choice along the road back towards Chorafakia and Kalathas.
- Yiasemi stands 500 m from the village, by the beach.
- Methexis Restaurant is 1.1 km out.
- Irene’s Tavern does taverna cooking 2.9 km out.
- Lena Beach Restaurant lies 4 km out, towards Kalathas.
Getting to Stavros
Reach Stavros by driving north-east out of Chania across the Akrotiri peninsula, 17 km in all, with the road ending at the village because Stavros sits on the cape’s farthest point. The ferry port of Souda lies 11.3 km away at the head of Souda Bay and takes the boats from Piraeus, so arrivals by sea come through there.
A car is worth having on Akrotiri, because the monasteries, the gorge trailhead and the coves sit several kilometres apart with little between them. Drivers heading further out on the cape pass the village of Chordaki, near the technical Diplochachalo Gorge, which lies 9.4 km from Stavros and needs rope work rather than a walk.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Stavros in Crete?
Stavros lies 17 km north-east of Chania, at the farthest point of Cape Akrotiri in the Chania region of western Crete. The village sits beneath the Vardies mountain on the north coast of the peninsula.
Was Zorba the Greek filmed at Stavros?
Yes, the Vardies mountain above Stavros was the backdrop for Anthony Quinn’s Sirtaki dance in the 1964 film “Zorba the Greek”. The camel-shaped mountain stands directly behind the main beach, east of the village.
Does Stavros have a beach?
Stavros has 2 beaches, and the main one is a protected semi-circular lagoon of white sand. It sits 500 m east of the village at the base of Vardies, next to the harbour.
Is Stavros beach good for children?
The main beach is a sheltered lagoon, which keeps the water calm. Maherida, 2.1 km away, is family friendly as well, with clear shallow water, though it has no sunbeds, umbrellas or tavernas.
Which airport serves Stavros?
Chania airport is the nearest airport to Stavros. The village lies north-east of Chania city on the Akrotiri peninsula.
Can you walk a gorge from Stavros?
The Avlaki Gorge starts 5 km from Stavros at Gouverneto Monastery and reaches the sea at Katholiko Bay. The route runs 2 km, drops 280 metres, takes about an hour and rates 2 on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10.
Where Stavros is
Best things to do in Stavros in 2024 is located at Stavros. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
