The beautiful seaside village with hardly any tourists has Greece’s ‘best’ beach

Hora Sfakion has a reputation on the Greek island of Crete as a small, charming village that sees hardly any tourists compared to other beach destinations in the country.

The sleepy seaside spot in the southwest of Crete is a perfect spot to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle. It is home to around 475 people, and features a main harbourfront of tavernas, two mini-markets, a butcher, and a bakery to fulfil all your culinary needs.

Tourists to the village vary between beach-hoppers based in other Crete towns, more adventurous hikers and independent travellers seeking authenticity. There is a quiet local beach immediately west of the village, Vrissi, which was named one of Greece’s best by CN Traveller this year. There are also several other beaches nearby, including a 20-minute walk along the coastal footpath to reach Ilingas Beach with a taverna.

CN Traveller advised visitors to Crete to jump on a local boat for a tour of Crete’s finest beaches instead of travelling by the often bumpy road. The two best beaches on Greek’s largest island named by the travel site were Elafonissi, a magical peak sand beach and the Hora Sfakion beach with its bright-blue waters.

While some only briefly stop by to see the gorgeous beach, Hóra Sfakíon has several tourist accommodations for visitors to stay in.

Most of the local economy in the tiny village is based on tourism, as well as historic industries like fishing, olive-oil production, and shepherding. 

Visitors are urged to sample the iconic Sfakion pie with goat cheese and honey. It is a staple of the area, and hard to find anywhere else on the island.

The harbour village, although tiny by population, is the capital of the remote and mountainous region of Sfakiá,

It is 74km south of Chania, a main entry point for tourists to Crete.

The local population has known for their hospitality and welcoming attitude towards tourists. They are also a proud people, with a historical reputation of fending off invaders. In the past, they fought off the Venetians and the Turks, while in the last century, Hora Sfakion staged a dramatic resistance in the Second World War during the Battle of Crete.