I had a small list of things that I wanted to see while we were in Crete and on the top of that list is Falassarna Beach, one of the 100 most beautiful beaches in the world (according to CNN). It was about an hour drive from our villa outside Chania so we packed up our swimsuits, sunscreen, and beach towels and headed to the west coast of the island.
Rolling hills, beautiful countryside, gorgeous skies
The western coast of crete
This blog post is going to have a bazillion photos, but it still won’t show off the beauty of this place adequately.
Before the kids ran in separate directions I corralled them up to make sure I got at least one shot with all 4 of them in it.
Top 100 for sure
This warm lagoon was perfect for Camille to play in.
This time of year the Mediterranean is warm enough to swim in (75 to 77), but not as warm as the Gulf which feels like a bathtub in the middle of summer.
The kids swam, jumped in the waves, tried to see how far out they could go and still touch the bottom, looked for fish in the crystal clear water, and built sand castles.
Camille ran back and forth between the shore and her lagoon, jumped the baby waves, and dug in the sand.
I discovered the beauty of the European beaches where you rent an umbrella and 2 lounge chairs for around 5 dollars. A way to lie on the beach but not get sand in every crevice and shade whenever I want it. I read my book all day and took breaks to get my feet wet or walk down the shore or watch Camille dig a hole. It was a perfect day.
Reading a chapter or two in the water
Her own private swimming pool
When the tide started to come in, the boys (including Josh) all went body surfing.
The sand along the water’s edge is pink from the red coral that grows in the area. It’s beautiful.
The edge of the beach is tinged with pink all along this area of the coast.
I went in the water too, but mostly just up to my waist. I’m a baby about “cold” water.
More bodysurfing
Jumping waves with Daddy
There was a small beach shack type restaurant nearby so we walked over and ordered Gyros. For around $3 each, we ate flatbread stuffed with sliced pork, fried potatoes, and salad with garlic yogurt dressing. I thought beach food was going to be overpriced and not very good, but I was very wrong. Our meal there was as good as any of the excellent restaurants we ate at throughout our trip.
A little Micah statue at the Gyro place
burying big brother
Carter building a pool for the tiny fish he caught
Camille watching the naked boys running along the shore
Bye, bye Falassarna! We love you!
Definitely top 100
It was our favorite beach of the entire trip. It had the best of it all: gorgeous crystal blue water, pink sand, not too crowded or touristy, a lagoon, and small waves. We’d love to come back and spend a few more days along this coast.