Best things to do in Vrouchas in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Vrouchas is a village in the Lasithi region of Crete, north of Agios Nikolaos and 1.8 km from the beach at Plaka. Our page on that beach puts Plaka 16 km north of Agios Nikolaos, facing Spinalonga island across the Gulf of Mirabello. Vrouchas stands on the road that carries on from Plaka towards the Aforesmenos lighthouse.
Sitia airport is the nearest terminal to the village. Vrouchas works as a quiet base for the Spinalonga end of Mirabello. The fortified islet lies 2.3 km off, Elounda 6.2 km away, and the coast north of the village turns wild, with bare mountains, steep cliffs and small bays that fishermen use when the sea gets up.
Things to do in and around Vrouchas
6 things to do around Vrouchas lie within about 7 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Plaka. The organised pebble beach 1.8 km away has smooth pale pebbles, clear and usually calm water and tamarisk shade behind the sunbeds, set out on the Plaka beach page.
- Take the boat to Spinalonga. Plaka is one of the main departure points for the fortified islet 2.3 km offshore; see the Spinalonga fortress.
- Swim below the fortress. The small quiet Spinalonga Beach sits on the south-west side of the islet, reached only by boat on the same day trip.
- Take children to Tsifliki. The sandy beach 3 km away, also called Dreros after the hotel behind it, has tranquil water, tamarisk trees at the shoreline and the basic facilities of an organised beach; see the Tsifliki beach page.
- Walk the Kouroukoulos gorge. The route 5 km from Vrouchas starts at the abandoned village of Agalianos and follows the Lagos stream, hikeable along its whole length; the Kouroukoulos Gorge page describes it.
- Spend an evening in Elounda. The resort town 6.2 km away has seafront tavernas, boat trips to Spinalonga and the sunken ancient city of Olous offshore, covered on the Elounda page.
About the village and its setting
Vrouchas sits on the dividing line between two very different coasts. South of the village the shore is sheltered and built up, taking in Plaka, the Korfos lagoon at Elounda and the olive groves of Tsifliki, all looking across calm water to Spinalonga. North of the village the northern Mirabello coast takes over, a landscape of bare mountains, steep cliffs, pebble beaches among rugged rocks and frequent strong winds.
That northern side is thinly inhabited. Kato Selles, 2.7 km away, holds a few small beaches with sparsely scattered cottages and farms, reached by a mostly passable dirt road. The gorges inland are emptier still: the Skotini gorge, 6.1 km off, is remote enough that the University of Crete put an aerosol research station there, away from urban pollution, and its walls hold caves and two or three water-filled wells, as the Skotini Gorge page records.
Beaches in and around Vrouchas
5 beaches lie within 4 km of Vrouchas, and they run from an organised resort beach to a bay that fishermen use in bad weather.
- Plaka lies 1.8 km away, a pebbly, well-organised beach in Plaka village facing Spinalonga and its Venetian fortress across a narrow channel. Smooth pale pebbles, clear and usually calm water, and tamarisk trees behind the sunbeds; boats for the island leave from here.
- Spinalonga sits 2.3 km away on the south-west side of the islet, below the Venetian fortress and looking across to the Kolokytha peninsula. Sand with rocks in places, blue and usually calm water, a few snack bars, and no umbrellas or sun loungers. Boat is the only way in.
- Kato Selles is 2.7 km away, a secluded group of small beaches at Agios Antonios, strewn with white round pebbles and stones among rugged rocks. The dirt road in is mostly passable, and the conditions suit fishing rather than family swimming.
- Tsifliki lies 3 km away on the route linking Elounda to Plaka, among olive groves with views over the Elounda lagoon and Spinalonga. The sand is broken by occasional rock, the water is tranquil, and the Dreros stretch is kept up by the hotel behind it.
- Chomatistra sits 3.8 km away in a bay at the Agios Ioannis and Aforesmenos cape, rocky and pebbly and often empty. The water inside stays calm when the Cretan Sea turns stormy, which is why fishermen use it.
Where to eat near Vrouchas
Eating near Vrouchas means the 2 km to Plaka, where the tavernas and restaurants sit along the waterfront.
- Spinalonga Restaurant is 1.9 km from the village.
- Ocean Restaurant lies 2 km out.
- Captain Nicolas Fishtavern is a fish tavern, 2.1 km out.
- Taverna Gorgona Plaka is a taverna in Plaka, 2.1 km out.
Getting to Vrouchas
Reach Vrouchas on the coast road that runs north from Agios Nikolaos through Elounda and Plaka and carries on towards the Aforesmenos lighthouse. Sitia airport is the nearest terminal, Hersonissos lies west and Ierapetra south.
A car is the sensible way to use the village. Plaka and its boats are 1.8 km away, Elounda 6.2 km on, and the northern beaches need dirt roads. Spinalonga itself is the exception, since the fortress island can only be reached by boat.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Vrouchas in Crete?
Vrouchas lies in the Lasithi region, north of Agios Nikolaos and 1.8 km from Plaka beach, on the Gulf of Mirabello. Plaka itself is given as 16 km north of Agios Nikolaos.
Does Vrouchas have a beach?
The nearest beach to Vrouchas is Plaka, 1.8 km away. Spinalonga follows at 2.3 km, Kato Selles at 2.7 km, Tsifliki at 3 km and Chomatistra at 3.8 km, so 5 beaches sit within 4 km of the village.
How do you get to Spinalonga from Vrouchas?
To reach Spinalonga, take a boat from Plaka, 1.8 km from Vrouchas. Plaka is one of the main departure points for the island, and the beach below the fortress can be reached no other way.
Which beach near Vrouchas suits families?
Tsifliki is the one described as suiting families. The sea there is tranquil, tamarisk shade reaches the sand and it carries the basic facilities of an organised beach. Kato Selles, by contrast, suits fishing rather than family swimming.
Can you walk a gorge from Vrouchas?
Yes. The Kouroukoulos gorge, 5 km away, is hikeable along its entire length. It begins at the abandoned village of Agalianos, follows the Lagos stream through oak woods that give way to brushwood and oregano near the sea, and merges with the Patsopoulos gorge just before the shore.
Where Vrouchas is
Best things to do in Vrouchas in 2024 is located at Vrouchas, Crete, Greece. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
