Kountoura Selino

Kontoura Selino, better known as Gialos, is an area next to Paleochora (6 km away), on the southwest coast of Crete. Part of the name comes from the Selino fortress in Paleochora, built by the Venetians.

Gialos is a resort area, having only small hotels and houses to rent, a super market and a few restaurants by the sea. There is also a campsite. Other facilities can be found in Paleochora which is relatively big for this part of the island.

Gialos has two large beaches, Grammeno and Alonaki, divided by a small promontory. Both beaches have sand mixed with small pebbles around the shore, and a limited number of sunbeds and parasols but the place never gets crowded, even in July and August. Behind the beach there are lines of greenhouses growing vegetables. The coastal road Gialos and Paleochora passes by a series of smaller pebbly coves separated by sea rocks and suitable for isolation, sunbathing and swimming - these are Plakaki, Karavopetra, Trochalou, Volakas and Kalamia.

highlights: seaside area with pebbly beaches close to Paleochora, village in Chania Region, Crete, Greece