Kerames is a village in the Rethymno region of Crete, about 49 km south of Rethymno, above the Libyan Sea beaches that carry its name. Kerames sits inland of its own shore, Keramiani Gialia, which is called after the village, and a narrow, poorly paved road drops from it to the small port of Agia Fotini. South of that shore the coast runs on into Akoumiani Gialia, the beachfront that holds Ligres, Triopetra and the Agios Pavlos sandhills.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Kerames, and the neighbouring village is Agalianos. What Kerames offers is access: 5 beaches lie within 5 km, 4 gorges within 7 km, and the roads down to most of that coast are rough enough to have kept the crowds off it.
Things to do in and around Kerames
Six outings lie within 6 km of Kerames, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Agia Fotini. The road from the village ends near the little harbour of Agia Fotini, 1.8 km away, also spelled Agia Fotia, where small pebble beaches sit between large boulders and the water suits snorkelling.
- Take the track to Podare. The main beaches of Keramiani Gialia lie south-east of Agia Fotini, reached on a well-kept dirt track, and Podare is the first of them.
- Hike the Swallows’ Gorge. Chelidonia opens 2.9 km from Kerames, starts at Kenda peak at 881 m, passes Drymiskos village and finishes at Drymiskiano Ammoudi beach. Swallows give the canyon its name, and it is dry in summer and easy enough to walk without equipment.
- Drive down to Ligres. Ligres lies 3.3 km from the village, 7 km below it by road, at the foot of the Siderotas mountain. Rough sand, deep water and an awkward approach have left it one of the quietest beaches on the island, with a few taverns and rooms at its western end.
- See Preveli beach. Preveli, 4.1 km away, is the palm-fringed beach and freshwater lagoon where the Megalos Potamos leaves the Kourtaliotiko gorge and meets the sea. Theophrastus date palms line the river, in one of the few natural palm forests in Europe.
- Visit the Preveli monastery. Preveli Monastery and its museum stand 5.5 km from Kerames, above the beach of the same name.
Beaches near Kerames
Five beaches lie within 5 km of Kerames, and access is what separates them, because dirt tracks and broken asphalt serve most of this coast.
- Agia Fotini lies 1.8 km away, the port at the end of the village road, with small pebble beaches among big boulders and clear water for swimming and snorkelling.
- Pahia Ammos sits 1.8 km away, part of Keramiani Gialia south-east of Agia Fotini, on the dirt track that starts at the harbour.
- Ligres is 3.3 km away, the northern segment of the Akoumiani Gialia beachfront, which runs south from Cape Mellissa. The beach is wide, the sand is rough and the sea drops away deep.
- Drymiskos lies 3.6 km away, a 3 km sequence of coves below Drymiskos village, split up by rocks and reefs that make for good snorkelling. Its western beach, Ammoudi, is where the paved road from Preveli ends.
- Preveli sits 4.1 km away, the palm lagoon at the mouth of the Kourtaliotiko gorge, also known as Lake Preveli, Phoenix or Finikas.
Where to eat in Kerames
Eating around Kerames means beach tavernas and a winery restaurant, the nearest of them down at the harbour.
- Agia Fotia Taverna is a taverna at the harbour, 1.9 km from the village.
- Ligres Beach Taverna is a taverna at Ligres, 2.8 km out.
- Dionyssos Rooms & Restaurant has rooms and a restaurant towards Preveli, 3.6 km out.
- Cedros Winery & Restaurant is a winery with a restaurant, 4.5 km out.
- Gefyra Taverna Cafe is a taverna and café, 4.8 km out.
- Taverne Agamemnon sits 5.5 km from the village.
Getting to Kerames
Drive to Kerames from Rethymno, which our beach pages put 49 km to the north of the village. Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Kerames. From the village itself, one narrow and poorly paved road runs down to Agia Fotini and the Keramiani Gialia beaches, and a separate, badly kept asphalt road reaches the western side of Ligres, 7 km below Kerames.
Two villages within 8 km make the obvious stops on the way in or out. Spili, 6.7 km away, is the mountain village at about 430 m on the slopes of Mount Vorizi, seat of the Agios Vasileios municipality, with roughly 800 residents, cold running water and a shaded square. Agios Pavlos, 7.9 km away, sits on a cove reached by asphalt road, with small hotels and tavernas by the beach, the dunes of Alatsogremni to its west and the rock formations of Apoplystra in between.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kerames in Crete?
Kerames lies about 49 km south of Rethymno, in the south of the Rethymno region next to the village of Agalianos. The village stands above the Libyan Sea rather than on it, with its nearest beach 1.8 km away.
Does Kerames have a beach?
Kerames has a shore of its own, Keramiani Gialia, which takes its name from the village. A narrow, poorly paved road runs down to it and ends near the port of Agia Fotini, 1.8 km from the village, and a dirt track carries on south-east to the main beaches.
Which beaches are near Kerames?
Five beaches lie within 5 km of Kerames. Agia Fotini and Pahia Ammos are both 1.8 km away, Ligres 3.3 km, Drymiskos 3.6 km and Preveli 4.1 km, and the better-known names further south, Triopetra and the Agios Pavlos sandhills, sit along the same coast.
Can you walk a gorge from Kerames?
Four gorges lie within 7 km of Kerames. The Swallows’ Gorge is 2.9 km away and the Agia Fotia gorge 5.8 km, the latter a short lush walk of 1.5 km from the Gious Kambos plateau at 750 m down to a year-round spring at 500 m, with waterfalls near its start. Kourtaliotiko is 6.1 km away and Kissos 6.2 km.
How do you get to Preveli beach from Kerames?
Preveli beach lies 4.1 km from Kerames, and most visitors park at Ammoudi and walk the short trail from there. Ammoudi is the westernmost of the Drymiskos beaches, 3.6 km from the village, and the paved road from Preveli ends at it.
Which airport is nearest to Kerames?
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Kerames. Rethymno, 49 km north of the village on our beach pages, is the nearest city on the north coast.
Kerames Map
Uncover Kerames is located at Kerames. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
