The west coast is a very special part of Crete that has not yet been modernized. There are some busy resorts, but there are even more unspoiled villages where the man while away their time in the cafes as they have done for centuries. The beaches are wonderful and comparatively isolated.

The somewhat hair-raising coast road takes you through fertile strips of citrus orchards and olive groves, with hills on one side and the wine-dark Aegean Sea on the other. The min town at the northern end of the west coast is Kastelli Kissamos, the perfect place for those who want a few hotels and eating places available. Kastelli is a town that goes about its own business, not worrying too much about visitors but welcoming them all the same.