Chania Seitan Limania beach

General information

Seitan Limania is located on the east side of the Akrotiri Peninsula. It is a small unorganized beach inside a canyon, surrounded by steep hills and sparse vegetation. The starting point of the beach contains small pebbles, but as you approach the waters, the beach becomes sandy.

Seitan Limania has become a popular destination for locals and tourists, despite its size and location, because of the scenery it provides. However, before the turn of the century, it was known only by a few locals. Once it was discovered, many visitors have been selecting its straight-out-of-a-painting pristine nature and engaging mystique every year!

This beach boasts an interesting backstory. It has witnessed many cultures grow around it, from the Minoans to the Venetians and the Ottomans, with the latter being responsible for its unique name. When Crete was under Ottoman rule, they used the small beach as a naval base and a port, since it was connected to most of the nearby bays and the Sea of Crete. However, the beach features a very strong current, as you venture deeper, and the steep mountainside makes the area very dangerous for naval operations if you are not careful. Therefore, the Ottomans named the area Devil’s Harbor, Seitan meaning "devil" in Turkish, and limani being the Greek word for the harbor.