Purple 10: Best Family Beaches in Crete

Warm, shallow waters, baby soft sand and easy access comprise the ingredients of the perfect family friendly beach. Crete has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches on its shores, many of which are quiet, wave-sheltered, sandy and close to hotels and restaurants, making them ideal spots for the little ones.

While travelling with children can be stressful, being ‘in the know’ can make holiday life so much easier. Have a look through our ten best family friendly beaches in Crete, a must-have guide for a stress-free holiday:

Here’s our pick of the best family beaches in Crete…

Golden Beach (Chrissi Akti) is actually two beaches separated by a small hill. The beaches are named so for their soft, golden sand, which glows when the sun hits its surface. Situated in Chania, West Crete, the beaches boast clear, shallow waters that are perfect for children and one even has a small play area so they never get bored – giving you the chance to relax and soak up some Cretan sunshine. Golden Beach can get quite busy during July and August however, particularly at weekends, so make sure you arrive at the beach early to ensure you get a good spot and an umbrella.

Kalyves Beach Kalives (Kalyves) is a beautiful, picturesque village not far from Chania on the west side of Crete. The main beach of the village boasts wonderful clear waters, a central location that’s close to all the amenities you need and clean, golden sand that sweeps around the bay, backed by shady trees and excellent quality eateries. A great beach for families with young children.

Almyrida Beach Almirida (Almyrida) is a friendly fishing village that has become a lovely tourist resort. This small sandy beach has beautiful shallow water that’s perfect for kids. It is well-equipped with all the amenities a family would require for a day at the beach, including umbrellas, beds and nearby shops and restaurants. Again not too far from Chania, the beach benefits from being protected from the Meltema – the northern summer winds.

Rethymno Town Beach Endless Rethymno Town Beach stretches more than 20 kilometres along the sandy shore near Rethymnon, on the north coast of central Crete. The beach offers myriad amenities, including water sports facilities and plenty of great beach bars and tavernas, making it an excellent family friendly beach.

Agia Galini Beach Agia Galini is a popular and picturesque fishing village on the south coast of Crete (almost 60 kilometres south of Rethymnon). Its beach is luxuriously long, boasting crystal clear waters and powdery, white sand that’s perfect for the little ones to build sandcastles with. Everything for the tourist is available here with a wide range of water sports on offer and some tempting tavernas within reach.

Agia Pelagia Beach Agia Pelagia resort lies 16 kilometres west from Heraklion and its main beach is long, golden and sandy. The water there is almost always calm and clear, being well protected from the Meltemi (northern summer winds). In fact, the entire beach is well-organised and offers plenty of amenities – probably why it is renowned as one of the best beaches on the North Coast.

Stalis Beach Stalis (Stalida) is around 30 kilometres east from Heraklion Town, boasting a beach of soft sands and gem-like, turquoise waters. It is perfect for families with children as the beach is extremely clean and the waters shallow, however, the sea can become choppy on windier days.

Almyros Beach Situated in east Crete, just a few kilometres outside Agios Nikolaos, Almyros is a beautiful, long sandy stretch of well-protected beach.  Set within a cosmopolitan and picturesque town, there are heaps of family comforts in the surrounding area. The water is also very shallow and calm, making it well-suited to families with children.

Aghios Panteleimonas Silver Beach (Agios Panteleimonas) is located in Istron, Kalo Horio on Mirabella Bay. Also named Church Beach, it is easily accessible with soft sand and just a few pebbles and has a small, sweet church on the right-hand side of the beach. Shallow waters make it great for children, while its quiet, isolated atmosphere make the perfect spot for parents to relax. A favourite with the locals, this beach is very well-equipped.

Makrigialos Beach Makri, meaning long in Greek, and gialos, meaning shore, gives you an idea of the look of this beautiful beach, situated on the south coast of the Lassithi region. The white, sandy is well protected from winds and the clear and clean shallow waters are ideal for families with small children. All facilities for swimming and sunbathing are available on this well-organised strip of sand, including umbrellas, sun beds and water sports.