Paleochora is a small town with 1500 inhabitants, which expands in summertime to 10.000 people. It is situated in the Southwestern part of Crete, on a peninsula that bears the same name. The peninsula has beaches on both sides and in the back the steep mountain slopes of the Lefka Ori, the White Mountains. It therefore has a natural protection against the South winds.

“The town is well known by the English tourists, since an Englishman discovered it.”

Unfortunately tourism has changed this town completely.
 
The Paleochora of today exists of a sandy beach, taverns, shops, a pebble beach and tons of unfinished buildings, waiting to be finished in wintertime (or later). After these, new building projects will arise and thus Paleochara will be uninteresting for the coming years.
 
It is a pity, it could have been so nice if the growth of places like these had been structured and guided. In these cases, money does more harm than good!
 
In spite of this, don’t restrain yourself from a visit to this area, it is very green and especially the road from Chania is more than beautiful.