Looking to explore a few Paleochora beaches? This small town in southwestern Crete offers visitors at least forty different beaches, so you’re sure to find something you love. Some are petite, some are grand; some are rocky, some have sand; some are right off the road, and some require an hour-long hike on a dusty trail. Here are five of the beaches we sampled in a single day to help you narrow down the options.

Paleochora Beach Hopping

Our very favorite beach was Paralia Psilos, which is a small rocky cove just a few kilometers west of town.

The beach is made of small pebbles, and there are two rows of umbrellas and a tiny taverna. We liked how quiet and cozy it felt.

For entertainment, you can watch — or dare to try, with great caution — the age-old Greek sport of rock-jumping.

Our next stop was the western end of Grammeno Beach —a long stretch that had plenty of amenities but felt surprisingly underpopulated. This is a great spot if you like your beaches sandy and quiet.

The point of visiting Grammeno was, for us, as a way to get to the aptly-named Wild Beach. To access Wild Beach, you first walk for a brief stretch on Grammeno Beach, and you then hike over sand dunes dotted with oleander, juniper, and scrub.

That trek will bring you to my other contender for best beach of the day.

Wild Beach is rocky, and the swimming is rough, but wow, is it stunning. And we had it entirely to ourselves.

Another miniscule, rocky gem of a beach is Methexis, at the northeast tip of town.

When we went, the swimming was rough, but it was fun to watch the waves crash on the rocks.

The fifth beach we visited was Pachia Ammos, which runs nearly the entire length of the west side of Paleochora.

This is a popular beach, chock-a-block with umbrellas and people, probably because (1) it’s close to town, (2) it’s sandy, and (3) the water is gentle and good for kids. If you’re in search of a more traditional beach, this is definitely your best bet.

Lunch in Paleochora

There’s something for everyone at Paleochora — I highly recommend exploring these beach options and more. It’s also worth heading into town …

… and having lunch at Aristea’s Kitchen.

The stuffed zucchini flowers, Cretan salad, kalitsounia (stuffed with greens), and bread were all excellent. And it’s good to be back in a place with retsina on almost every menu!

Getting to Paleochora (With Goats En Route)

To get to and from Paleochora, we wound down, down, down a long mountain from Omalos. The road winds through tiny villages, past stunning vistas and miniature churches.

En route, you pass hundreds of goats (some of them standing right in the road).

I have no idea why, but I’ll never tire of seeing scenes like this:

If you’re hiking the Samaria Gorge, Paleochora makes an easy add-on. And if you’re planning to visit more of Crete, make sure to read my post on the island’s geography, scale, and travel realities.