Info about Paleochora

Paleochora, with its 2,000 residents plus all the visitors, is a true gem on the southern coast of Crete.

The visitors include foreigners who have homes in Paleochora or Andri, as well as all the other tourists who come and rent privately or through a travel agency.

Paleochora is located at the southernmost tip of Crete, on a peninsula with the sea on three sides. On one side, facing the White Mountains, lies the stony beach, and on the other side, facing Konduras, there is the large, beautiful sandy beach—one of Crete's best beaches, wide and very child-friendly.

It’s easy to get to Paleochora by bus, with daily departures from the Chania bus station. Paleochora is about 90 km away, and the scenic drive takes about 2 hours through the mountains.

During the summer season, there is a wide variety of restaurants, including Spanish, English, Small Garden (run by a Dutch couple), and numerous Greek tavernas offering authentic Greek food, along with a couple of good seafood restaurants. Dining out in Paleochora is less expensive than in Chania, and the food is of very good quality. Paleochora has its own unique charm and spirit, where you can enjoy everyday life by the harbor or in the small streets.

In the summer, the main street is closed to traffic at 7:00 PM, and tavernas, cafes, and restaurants move their tables out onto the street, allowing you to sit down and enjoy the evening and nightlife at a relaxed pace. There is a nightclub that operates during the high season, about 1 km outside the town, diagonally across from the campsite. In August, there are many guests and tourists in town, as it’s holiday season for the Greeks, and Paleochora is one of their favorite vacation destinations.

One of the best places to eat is the cafe in the old school in Anidri, just 5 km outside Paleochora. During the summer, the cafe is popular among Greeks who drive all the way from Chania, and in the winter, it is frequented by both the residents of Paleochora and the more or less permanent residents of Anidri.

Shopping in Paleochora is convenient, with two large supermarkets and several smaller shops, along with a couple of small grocery stores. There are several bakeries in the town, one of which is known for its variety of breads and excellent taste, such as their olive bread or rich dark bread, not to mention their fantastic chocolate chip muffins. In winter, homemade chocolate pieces with fruit are sold, and a good "mountain tea" is served, which is only available during this season. There are no dedicated souvenir shops, but various everyday art and clothing stores.

Life is still lived outdoors during the winter; you just put on a sweater and sit in the sun. Many houses here still don't have a proper heating source in the winter. The most common solution is to set up a temporary stove or wood stove and run a chimney pipe out of a window. When spring arrives, the stove is taken out and stored until next winter. The newest houses have oil heaters/radiators, others rent or have purchased an electric heater that rotates back and forth, and many use their air conditioning to heat their rooms. The heating season typically lasts only 2-3 months.

In winter, hiking in the area is a pleasant activity, as everything is lush and green, with wild French anemones and flowers covering large areas. The last deciduous trees barely shed their last leaves before new green shoots start to emerge.

The area is well-documented for hiking. An English couple—Bob and Lynne Tait—have published two informative books: Ten Walks Around Paleochora and More Walks from Paleochora.

A simple but lovely hike from Paleochora is to walk along the country road past the campsite, up to Andri, and enjoy lunch at the cafe with a glass of retsina. Afterward, continue down through the gorge to Anidri beach, and after a swim in the clear water, you can follow the beach back to the town.