Kali Limenes, located 75km southwest of Heraklion, is situated in the Asterousia Mountains and is the largest seaside village in the region. To get there, one must take the narrow road from the village Pompia in Messara Plane, passing through the village of Pigaidakia. Along the way, there is a dirt road from the Monastery of Odigitria that can be combined with a visit to Agiofarago beach. This coastal area is renowned for its oil tanks, operated by SEKA and located opposite the village, on the island of Mikronisi. The Vardinoyannis family, one of the richest in Europe, started this business in 1961 and, although the landscape is affected by visual pollution, the sea remains clean.
Kali Limenes is an ideal destination for swimming all year-round, as the sea is usually calm. On weekends, its beaches are crowded by thousands of people, despite the tiring journey. Makria Ammos (i.e. Long Sandy Beach) is the first beach encountered when coming from Pigaidakia. It is a long beach with grayish pebbles and dark deep waters and is sometimes known as “Tamarisks” or “Trees” due to the numerous tamarisk trees offering shade to visitors. Nudists also frequent this beach, especially on its eastern side. Moving west, there is the village of Kali Limenes, with the small harbor and Psili Ammos (i.e. Fine Sandy Beach), a beach with fine sand and ideal for children.
On the west of Kali Limenes, there is a chapel dedicated to St. Paul, built on the site of a 1700 church, and a small cave where Apostle Paul is said to have lived for two years. West of the chapel, one can visit the beach of Stena. In the east of Kali Limenes, a 2km road leads to the beach of Karavovrysi, a beautiful beach with coarse sand and no shade from trees.
