Lefkogeia is a village on the south side of the Rethymno region of Crete, roughly 30 km south of Rethymno, and 5 beaches lie within 5 km of it. Lefkogeia stands back from the water, and the paved road down to Ammoudi beach starts in the village. Skinaria lies 3 km south of it, Preveli and its palm lagoon 4 km away, and the Kourtaliotiko gorge opens 2.8 km off.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Lefkogeia. The village works as a base for the eastern half of the Plakias coast, with the beaches, the Preveli monastery and 2 walkable gorges all within about 4 km. Ammoudi and Damnoni sit 5 km east of Plakias on our beach pages and under 3 km from Lefkogeia.
Things to do in and around Lefkogeia
Six outings lie within about 4 km of Lefkogeia, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Ammoudi. The paved road from the village runs straight down to Ammoudi, 2.4 km away, which you can pick out by its green slippery rock. White sand, a rocky seabed and bright green water make it a diving and snorkelling beach, and tamarisk trees give shade behind the sand.
- Snorkel at Skinaria. Skinaria lies 3 km south of Lefkogeia by road and is known for clear water over a rocky, marine-rich seabed. Small freshwater ponds sit on the shore, fed by springs that carry water down from the mountains.
- Visit the Preveli monastery. Preveli Monastery stands 2.6 km from the village, with its museum alongside it.
- Walk the Kourtaliotiko gorge. The gorge opens 2.8 km from Lefkogeia and runs 3 km between the Kouroupa and Koules mountains, with a waterfall, springs that run all year and the chapel of Agios Nikolaos at the foot of the cliffs. A paved road cuts through the canyon, so the viewpoints and the trailhead need no long approach.
- See the Preveli palm lagoon. Preveli beach lies 4 km away where the Megalos Potamos meets the Libyan Sea at the mouth of the Kourtaliotiko gorge. A colony of Theophrastus date palms lines the river banks, one of the few natural palm forests in Europe, and the river runs all year into a long lagoon.
- Hike the Swallows’ Gorge. Chelidonia, 4.1 km from the village, starts at Kenda peak at 881 m, passes Drymiskos village and ends at Drymiskiano Ammoudi beach. The canyon is dry in summer and easy enough to walk without special equipment.
Beaches near Lefkogeia
Five beaches lie between 2.4 km and 4.1 km from Lefkogeia, and they differ more in seabed than in distance.
- Ammoudi lies 2.4 km away, the closest, reached by the paved road from the village. It carries umbrellas, taverns, rooms and a scuba diving centre, which counts as light organisation on this coast.
- Skinaria sits 2.5 km away and 3 km by the road south from the village, secluded, with grey-beige sand mixed with fine pebbles and deep turquoise water. The seabed is mostly rock, though the northern end of the beach is sandy.
- Damnoni opens 2.7 km away, an organised sandy bay with coarse pale sand and clear turquoise water at the mouth of an olive-covered valley. The west end is the busy one, and the east end runs into quieter coves.
- Preveli stands 4 km away, the palm-fringed beach and freshwater lagoon also called Lake Preveli, Phoenix or Finikas. It drew hippie travellers in the 1960s and 1970s and stays one of the island’s signature summer spots.
- Kalypso is 4.1 km away between Plakias and Preveli, a steep-cliffed cove where narrow rock passages drop into deep, calm water. It suits confident swimmers, snorkellers and divers rather than small children, and you reach it on foot through the Kalypso Cretan Village Resort & Spa.
Where to eat in Lefkogeia
Eating around Lefkogeia means village tavernas and beach places, the nearest under 1 km from the centre and the furthest down at Damnoni.
- Cretan Flavors serves Cretan cooking 900 m from the centre.
- Despoina stands 1.1 km from the village.
- The Banana Garden is 1.7 km out.
- Gefyra Taverna Cafe sits 2.1 km out, a taverna and café.
- Ammoudaki Beach Bar lies 2.4 km out, a beach bar.
- Damnoni Taverna opens 2.7 km out, a taverna at Damnoni beach.
Getting to Lefkogeia
Drive to Lefkogeia from Rethymno, which lies roughly 30 km north of the village. Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Lefkogeia. Our beach pages measure this coast from Rethymno at 32 km to Ammoudi, 33 km to Skinaria and 35 km to Damnoni and Preveli.
Two larger settlements sit within 10 km of the village. Plakias, 4.8 km away, is the resort village at the mouth of the Kotsifos valley, with a curved sandy beach called Gialia closed off by Cape Kako Mouri and Cape Stavros. Spili, 9.3 km away, is the mountain village at 430 m that serves as the seat of the Agios Vasileios municipality, and it sits on the way across the island towards the north coast.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Lefkogeia in Crete?
Lefkogeia lies roughly 30 km south of Rethymno, inland from the south coast in the Rethymno region. The village sits inland from the eastern beaches of the Plakias area, with Plakias itself 4.8 km away.
Does Lefkogeia have a beach?
Lefkogeia has no beach in the village itself, but 5 lie within 5 km. Ammoudi, 2.4 km away, is the closest, and a paved road runs to it from the village.
Which beach near Lefkogeia is good for snorkelling?
Skinaria is the snorkelling beach, 3 km south of Lefkogeia, with clear water over a rocky seabed full of marine life. Ammoudi works for it too: the water runs bright green over rock, and a scuba diving centre operates on the beach.
Can you walk a gorge from Lefkogeia?
Two gorges open within 5 km of Lefkogeia. Kourtaliotiko, 2.8 km away, runs 3 km past a waterfall and the chapel of Agios Nikolaos, and the Swallows’ Gorge, 4.1 km away, runs nearly parallel to it and ends at Drymiskiano Ammoudi beach.
How far is Preveli beach from Lefkogeia?
Preveli beach lies 4 km from Lefkogeia, at the point where the Megalos Potamos river leaves the Kourtaliotiko gorge and reaches the Libyan Sea. The monastery of the same name stands 2.6 km from the village, closer than the beach.
Which airport is nearest to Lefkogeia?
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Lefkogeia. Rethymno, roughly 30 km north of the village, is the nearest city on the north coast.
Lefkogeia Map
Discover Lefkogeia is located at Lefkogeia. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
