Sfakaki is a coastal resort on the north coast of Crete, about 11 km east of Rethymno, where the Skaleta beachfront begins. Sfakaki is the first resort east of Pigianos Kambos along the last stretch of Rethymno Bay, and our Skaleta page calls it exceptionally well arranged. The sand along this part of the bay is organised, with patches of pebbles and small rocks, and it runs on east past Stavromenos to Skaleta, where the bay’s beachfront ends.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Sfakaki. The resort makes a quieter base than the suburbs closer to Rethymno, with a monastery 900 m inland, 5 more beaches within 7 km and 2 walkable gorges within 8 km.
Things to do in and around Sfakaki
Six outings lie within 8 km of Sfakaki, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at the resort beach. The sand in front of Sfakaki belongs to the Skaleta beachfront, which starts 11 km east of Rethymno and runs 3 km east from there.
- Visit the Arsani monastery. Arsaniou Monastery stands 900 m from the resort and is the nearest sight inland from the beach.
- Walk east to Stavromenos. The next beach along the front lies 1 km from Sfakaki and takes its name from the settlement behind it.
- Spend a morning at Pigianos Kambos. The neighbouring resort sits 1.7 km west, 8 km east of Rethymno, and is quieter and less developed than Adelianos Kambos further along.
- Hike the Prassano gorge. The gorge of Prasses opens 7.1 km from Sfakaki, south of Prasses village, and takes about 3 hours through huge boulders and a few awkward passages under plane trees. It works as the overflow channel of the Potami dam, so it is passable only from mid-June to mid-October.
- Walk the Arkadi gorge. The route starts 7.9 km away, just north of Arkadi Monastery, and runs 4.5 km along the eastern bank of a green rocky ravine in about 2 hours, ending near Pikris where the Gypofarago gorge joins it. There is no entrance fee and no facilities, so carry your own water.
Sfakaki beach and the beaches near it
Sfakaki beach is part of the continuous sand of Rethymno Bay, which runs about 13 km east from Rethymno harbour to Skaleta. Five more beaches lie within 7 km of the resort, and the closer they lie to Rethymno, the more built-up they are.
- Pigianos Kambos lies 1.7 km west, also called Pigi beach, 8 km east of Rethymno. The name means the plain of Pigi, after the fields worked by the nearby village of Pigi, and the beach stays quieter than the others on this bay.
- Skaleta sits 1.8 km away, the last segment of the bay’s beachfront, where the sand narrows eastward and finally disappears at the end of the Rethymno Gulf.
- Adelianos Kambos is 3.3 km away, also called Adele Beach, a seaside suburb of Rethymno on a flat plain that once grew vegetables for Adele village. Local buses run to it from the city centre.
- Platanes stands 5 km away, 3 to 5 km from Rethymno itself, long and well organised, with shallow light-blue water, sunbeds and lifeguards in season.
- Misiria lies 6.1 km away, part of the sand fronting the Pervolia, Misiria and Platanias suburbs that grew into Rethymno, with dining, drinking and lodging along its length.
Where to eat in Sfakaki
Eating in Sfakaki means resort tavernas and grills, 4 of them within 500 m of the centre.
- Pantelis Restaurant sits 400 m from the centre.
- Rizoti Grill does grilled food and pizza 400 m out.
- Tavern Dimitris serves taverna cooking 400 m out.
- Akti Bar Restaurant is a bar and restaurant 500 m out.
- Thalassi Restaurant lies 700 m from the centre.
- Restaurant Eleven stands 900 m out.
Getting to Sfakaki
Drive to Sfakaki along the coast east of Rethymno, following the bay through the suburbs and resorts that line it. Our beach pages set out the order along that road: Adelianos Kambos 6 km east of Rethymno, Pigianos Kambos 8 km east, and the Skaleta beachfront starting at 11 km, with Sfakaki its first resort. Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport.
Three places off the beach are worth the drive out. Rethymno, about 11 km west along the coast, is the capital of the region and keeps a Renaissance centre of Ottoman and Cretan buildings, with the Loggia, the Neratze and Veli Pasha mosques and the church of Agios Frangiskos inside it. Margarites, the pottery village of western Crete, lies inland, and Panormo sits further east along the same coast.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Sfakaki in Crete?
Sfakaki lies about 11 km east of Rethymno on the north coast of Crete, at the point where the Skaleta beachfront starts. The resort sits at the eastern end of Rethymno Bay, between Pigianos Kambos and Stavromenos.
Does Sfakaki have a beach?
Sfakaki has its own beach, on the Skaleta beachfront at the eastern end of Rethymno Bay. The sand is mostly organised, with pebbles and small rocks in places, and our Skaleta page describes the Sfakaki stretch as exceptionally well arranged.
Which beaches are near Sfakaki?
Five beaches lie within 7 km of Sfakaki. Pigianos Kambos is 1.7 km west, Skaleta 1.8 km east, Adelianos Kambos 3.3 km, Platanes 5 km and Misiria 6.1 km, and all of them belong to the same 13 km run of sand.
Do turtles nest near Sfakaki?
Loggerhead sea turtles nest along the Rethymno Bay shore that Sfakaki sits on. The Platanes and Misiria stretches, 5 km and 6.1 km west, are named on our pages as protected nesting sand, and the Caretta caretta is at risk of extinction.
Can you walk a gorge from Sfakaki?
Two gorges lie within 8 km of Sfakaki. The Prassano gorge, 7.1 km away, takes about 3 hours and opens only from mid-June to mid-October, and the Arkadi gorge, 7.9 km away, is a moderate 4.5 km walk of about 2 hours that pairs with Arkadi Monastery above it.
Which airport is nearest to Sfakaki?
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Sfakaki. Rethymno, about 11 km west along the coast, is the nearest city to the resort.
Sfakaki Map
Uncover Sfakaki is located at Sfakaki. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
