Tersanas: Beaches, Stays, Things to do

Tersanas is a small settlement on the Akrotiri peninsula in the Chania region, about 14 km north-east of Chania. Tersanas sits among the coves of the peninsula, with Maherida beach 700 m away, Kalathas 1.6 km and Stavros 2.8 km. The settlements along this shore are small, so the coast reads as a string of separate bays rather than one resort strip.

Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport. Tersanas works as a quiet base for the Akrotiri beaches and the monastery country behind them: 4 beaches lie within 2.8 km, a monastic gorge walk starts 6.3 km away, and Chania is the nearest city.

Things to do in and around Tersanas

6 outings sit within 9 km of Tersanas, listed below from nearest to furthest.

1. Swim at Maherida, 700 m from Tersanas and 1 km west of Chorafakia village, a small white sand cove with turquoise water in a calm south-west-facing bay closed in by sharp rocks. The beach has no sunbeds, umbrellas or tavernas on it, the shallow water suits swimming and snorkelling, and the cove is family friendly and nudism friendly.
2. Swim out to the island at Kalathas, 1.6 km away and 12 km north-east of Chania, a seaside village in a natural bay with fine sand and shallow clear water, and a small island lies opposite that swimmers reach easily. The beach is organised with umbrellas, water sports, restaurants, hotels, lifeguards and mini markets, and a secluded unorganised sandy bay sits west of the main one beyond the rocky end.
3. See the Zorba mountain at Stavros, 2.8 km away at the far point of Cape Akrotiri, which stands under Vardies, the camel-shaped mountain that was the backdrop for Anthony Quinn’s sirtaki dance in the 1964 film Zorba the Greek. The main beach east of the village lies at the foot of Vardies beside the harbour and forms a protected semi-circular lagoon with white sand.
4. Eat by the water at Agios Onoufrios, 2.8 km away and close to Kounoupidiana, a seaside village whose quiet sandy beach sits in a deep bay with a small port, protected from the winds. Local people come for the landscape and the traditional tavernas, and the beach carries sunbeds, parasols, showers, changing rooms, a lifeguard and 2 volleyball courts.
5. Walk the Avlaki Gorge down to Katholiko Bay. The Avlaki Gorge, 6.3 km from Tersanas, runs 2 km from Gouverneto Monastery to the sea, rates 2 on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, takes about an hour and drops 280 m, staying generally dry. The route passes caves, hermitages and the abandoned Katholiko Monastery, which is why it is also called the Katholiko Gorge.
6. Spend an evening in Chania. The city, about 14 km away, is the capital of the Chania prefecture and one of the oldest cities on Crete, and its old town of winding streets holds Venetian and Turkish monuments. The harbour and the lighthouse are the parts of Chania most visitors head for first.

Beaches near Tersanas

7 beaches lie within 10 km of Tersanas, and they divide between the undeveloped coves of Akrotiri and the organised sand closer to Chania.

• Maherida lies 700 m away, white sand and turquoise water, undeveloped and quiet. Its name comes from the Greek machairi, meaning knife, after the knife-like rocky cape at the northern end of the bay.
• Kalathas sits 1.6 km away, the organised choice, in a bay that is open to the north winds.
• Stavros stands 2.8 km away, one of the village’s 2 beaches, a white sand lagoon beside the harbour. Stavros grew from a fishing hamlet into a busy tourist village.
• Agios Onoufrios runs 2.8 km away, sandy, sheltered and popular with local people, though fuel tanks stand north-west of the beach.
• Katholiko Bay opens 6.7 km away, reached on foot at the end of the gorge walk, and once the port of the Katholiko Monastery.
• Koum Kapi begins 7.6 km away, the café and bar waterfront of the Chania old town.
• Nea Chora is 9.3 km away, on the Chania city shore.

Where to eat near Tersanas

Eating near Tersanas means a handful of tavernas and bars spread across the neighbouring coves, the nearest 800 m from the settlement.

• Amaka stands 800 m away, with breakfast, a pool and a sunset bar.
• Ramblers Restaurant and Bar sits 1 km away.
• Irene’s Tavern lies 1.2 km away.
• Lena Beach Restaurant is 1.8 km away.
• Methexis Restaurant stands 2.4 km away.

Getting to Tersanas

Tersanas stands on the Akrotiri peninsula north-east of Chania, near the villages of Chorafakia and Kounoupidiana. The city lies about 14 km away, and Souda, the port of Chania at the head of Souda Bay about 6.5 km east of the city centre, takes the ferries from Piraeus and the cruise ships.

Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Tersanas. A car is the practical way to use the peninsula, because the coves sit in separate bays and the monasteries and the gorge are further out on the peninsula.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Tersanas in Crete?

Tersanas lies on the Akrotiri peninsula in the Chania region, about 14 km north-east of Chania. Maherida beach lies 700 m from the settlement and the village of Kalathas 1.6 km, with Chorafakia village 1 km east of Maherida.

Which beach is closest to Tersanas?

Maherida is the closest beach to Tersanas, 700 m away. It is a small secluded cove of white sand and turquoise water, set in a calm south-west-facing bay enclosed by sharp rocks.

Is there an organised beach near Tersanas?

Kalathas, 1.6 km from Tersanas, is the organised beach. It has umbrellas, water sports, restaurants, hotels, lifeguards and mini markets, while Maherida has no sunbeds, umbrellas or tavernas at all.

Can you walk a gorge from Tersanas?

The Avlaki Gorge starts 6.3 km from Tersanas, at Gouverneto Monastery. The walk covers 2 km, takes about an hour, drops 280 m through caves and hermitages past the abandoned Katholiko Monastery, and ends at Katholiko Bay.

Why was the Katholiko Monastery abandoned?

Pirate raids drove the monks out, and the Katholiko Monastery was abandoned in the 16th century. The bay below it served as the monastery’s port, where the monks docked and mended their boats.

Which airport is closest to Tersanas?

Chania (CHQ) is the closest airport to Tersanas. Chania city lies about 14 km from the settlement, and Souda, the port that takes the ferries from Piraeus, is about 6.5 km east of that city centre.