Castle and Beach in Fragkokastello - Crete

Castle and Beach in Fragkokastello - Crete

Crete, Greece

Frangokastello is a small village located at the South of Crete. Concretely, it’s 1h 15' from Rethymno and 1h 30' from Chania by car. The roads are good, so you can make it even with a Fiat Punto.

One of the highlights is the Venetian castle next to the beach. It was built in 1371 and nowadays it undergoes restoration (2023) so the inside can’t be visited.

The beach is made of dark sand. The entrance in the water might be tricky since there is a short but wide area with stones. After it, the bottom is sandy. The drop off is very slow and the water is crystal clear, however you won't find much underwater life unless you swim around the reef. The rock formations of it are worth mentioning.

The wind is often strong, which might be unpleasant. There is no natural shade but in the tavern next to the beach. It also offers a set of two sunbeds and one umbrella for 6€. Additionally, You will find showers and toilets. Despite these facilities, the beach is not very touristy, although there can be waves of tourists coming from organized day trips from bigger cities. This is not very common though.

In May and June, early in the morning and if the weather conditions are ideal, you might see strange shadows going from Agios Charalambos church to the beach. Locals say it’s created by the diffraction of the sunlight on the dew. They call it the Ghosts Drasoulites (Shadow - dew).

The highlights are the Venetian castle and the rock formations of the reef.