Yialos is a small settlement on the southwest coast of Crete, in the Koundoura area of the Chania region, 5.2 km west of the town of Paleochora. Yialos sits 300 m from Koundoura beach, the quiet 700 m strand that our beach page places 88 km south of Chania city. Greenhouse crops grow on the warm coastal flat behind the shore here, and the settlement has neither a resort front nor a harbour of its own.
Chania is the nearest airport. Yialos works as a quiet base for the beaches and gorges of the Selino coast, with Paleochora close enough for restaurants, a museum and the boats that leave from its harbour.
Things to do in Yialos
Things to do in Yialos start on the beach 300 m away and reach as far as a gorge 8.8 km east, and the 6 below run from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Koundoura beach. The beach lies 300 m from Yialos and runs for 700 m, with no facilities on the sand itself and few swimmers, which makes it a place for solitude rather than for a day out with services.
- Walk out onto the Grammeno peninsula. The headland stands 1.1 km away at the mouth of the Pelekaniotis river, on the route that links Paleochora with Koundoura. Its eastern side carries the pebble beach known as Alonaki, Votsalo or Gialos, and the sheltered sandy cove of Chouma faces west from the other side of the peninsula.
- Hike the Pelekaniotis Gorge. The river that cuts it carries the highest water flow in Selino and gave the Paleochora municipality its name, Pelekanos. Water runs through the year and ends in a green valley at Macherota, birds of prey nest in the cliffs, and the exit of the gorge is reached by a dirt road that starts at Grammeno beach and follows the west bank, 1.9 km from Yialos.
- Follow the coves towards Paleochora. A chain of small bays begins 1.5 km west of Paleochora and runs 2.5 km west to Cape Grammenos, 2.4 km from Yialos, with clear water and pebbles in each. Kalamia, 700 m west of Paleochora, is named after the reeds that grow there, and Psilos Volakas, or Tall Rock, takes its name from the rock that shields that cove from southern winds.
- Spend a day in Paleochora. The town lies 5.2 km east on a narrow peninsula between two bays, which gives it 2 beaches within a short walk of the centre, and it keeps a Venetian castle and a harbour with day trips by boat. The Museum of Akrites sits 5.1 km from Yialos on the same side of town.
- Hike the Anydri Gorge. The canyon starts at Anidri village east of Paleochora, 8.8 km from Yialos, and winds about 3 km between high cliffs down to Gialiskari beach. The walk follows a stream that usually dries up in summer and the route has little tree cover, so a hat and sunscreen matter here.
Beaches near Yialos
Five beaches lie within 5 km of Yialos, and they differ mainly in how much shelter and how many facilities each one has.
- Koundoura, also called Agia Kyriaki, lies 300 m away, a secluded 700 m beach 7 km west of Paleochora and 0.5 km west of the Grammeno peninsula. There are no amenities on the sand, and the nearest restaurants, camping and rooms are at Grammeno.
- Grammeno sits 1.1 km away, where a 500 m pebble beach of fine and coarse stones runs east from the peninsula with clear water and umbrellas on its western part. The beach is open to waves, while Chouma bay on the western side of the headland is sandy and well sheltered.
- Karavopetra coves lie 2.4 km away, a complex of adjacent miniature bays with clear water and pebbles. The Paleochora to Koundoura road runs alongside them, so the coves stay in view from the road.
- Krios is 2.4 km away on the eastern side of Krios Cape, about 1 km of fine pebbles and coarse sand split into 3 bays. The middle bay has parking, a canteen and umbrellas, the eastern bay is rocky and exposed to southern winds, and a cove hidden behind a large rock sits 2 minutes’ walk west.
- Viena, or Krios Lake, lies 4.1 km away on the European E4 footpath between Paleochora and Elafonissi, 20 to 30 minutes from Krios beach. Rocks enclose the mostly rocky shore into a small bay that local people call a lake, and the only shade comes from a single tamarisk tree.
Where to eat near Yialos
Eating near Yialos means 3 places within about a kilometre and a wider choice in Paleochora, 5 km east.
- Magic Taste Paleochora Kountoura stands 400 m from Yialos, the closest kitchen to the settlement.
- Grammeno Camping Bar and Restaurant is 1 km away at the campsite by the peninsula.
- Ammos Beach Bar Cafe sits 1.1 km away on the Grammeno shore.
- Zephyros Beach Restaurant is 5 km away in Paleochora.
- Atoli Cafe Restaurant stands 5 km away in Paleochora.
Getting to Yialos
Getting to Yialos means driving the coast road west out of Paleochora towards Koundoura. Yialos sits 5.2 km along it, and the beaches on either side are reached by car from the same road. Chania is the nearest airport to this corner of the island.
Paleochora is the town that supplies the area, roughly 77 km from Chania city. Its harbour runs day trips by boat, and the E4 footpath towards Elafonissi passes the beaches west of Yialos.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Yialos in Crete?
Yialos lies on the southwest coast of the Chania region, 5.2 km west of Paleochora in the Koundoura area. Koundoura beach is 300 m away and the Grammeno peninsula 1.1 km.
Does Yialos have a beach?
Koundoura beach lies 300 m from Yialos and runs for 700 m. The beach has no facilities on the sand, and swimmers are few because it is little known, so the nearest restaurants, camping and rooms are at Grammeno, 1.1 km away.
How far is Yialos from Paleochora?
Paleochora lies 5.2 km east of Yialos. The town sits on a narrow peninsula between 2 bays and holds the restaurants, the Venetian castle, the Museum of Akrites and the boat departures for this stretch of coast.
Which airport is closest to Yialos?
Chania is the closest airport to Yialos. The settlement sits on the south coast of the Chania region, so the drive crosses the island from north to south.
Gialos Map
Discover Gialos is located at Yialós. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
