Marathi Beach — Attraction in Municipality of Chania

Marathi Beach – Calm Waters, Golden Sand & Pure Relaxation

Marathi, located on the Akrotiri Peninsula just 30 minutes from Chania, is one of Crete’s most peaceful and family-friendly beaches. Known for its calm, shallow waters, soft golden sand, and beautiful views of Souda Bay, it's perfect for swimming, sunbathing, or simply unwinding in a tranquil setting.

🌊 The sea is almost always calm, even on windy days, thanks to the sheltered bay - making it ideal for families with children or anyone who prefers a more relaxed swim compared to the waveier north coast beaches.

🍽️ The beach is flanked by excellent tavernas serving fresh seafood and traditional Cretan dishes.

🚗 Parking Tips: Free parking is available along the road and near the tavernas, but it can get crowded on weekends and in high season (July–August). Arrive early (before 10 AM) to secure a good spot close to the beach.

🪑 Amenities: The beach is organized with sunbeds and umbrellas available for rent, but there's also plenty of space to lay out a towel if you prefer a more natural vibe. There are showers and changing rooms nearby, and a small convenience kiosk for drinks or snacks.

🏝️ Nearby suggestions:

Take a short drive to Seitan Limania (20 minutes away) for a dramatic contrast with a wild, adventurous beach experience.

Visit Agia Triada and Gouverneto Monasteries on the way to or from Marathi for a taste of Crete’s spiritual and architectural heritage.

Combine with a visit to Loutraki Beach (just 5–10 minutes away) for a second relaxing stop with crystal-clear water and fewer crowds.

Marathi is a must-visit beach on Crete, especially for those looking for comfort, calm water, and a truly relaxing day by the sea. Great for families, couples, and solo...

great and cozy beach! it is recommended to arrived early in the morning to be sure to find sun-beds. All people working at the different structures on the beach or at the tavernas are lovely, smiley and available

This is a very pretty little cove with soft sand. There are parasols and loungers to hire for a very reasonable cost (8 euros per set) and a nice restaurant/snack bar - they did us an early lunch before they were really open, as we had to get to the airport. We arrived early before a flight home (it is only 10 mins from the airport) and it was empty but I have been told that it gets very busy on a weekend with locals - it can be a good beach when it is windy due to it facing the other direction to most of the beaches in the area - it didn't matter to us though as when we visited it was very calm and the sea was like glass. There is a handy shower and we spent a pleasant couple of hours here. We parked right next to the beach for free - continue to drive across the harbour wall and park up near the restaurant. You will need to pay a few euros if it is busy and you have to park in one of the car parks a bit further away from the beach. The only thing stopping it being 5 stars are the flies, there did seem to be quite a lot and they are annoying when you are trying to sunbathe and they keep landing on you! It is only a few minutes from the other beach, Loutraki, so swapping between the two would be easy. Sadly, we didn't have time to...

Beautiful beach, the bluest water I have ever seen! We came on holiday to Crete for 2 weeks, half spent Heraklion end and half Chania end, and this was the nicest beach by far. Nice holiday vibes with the taverns, organised sun loungers, and water sport equipment and boat hire, and sandy beach. There are actually a lot of fish to see in the shallow waters where you swim, so bring a snorkel mask, and you can go out right (towards Souda) from the bay on paddleboards, kayaks, swimming, or coasteering as the limestone rocky coasts brings lots of interest. It's also not as windy here as a lot of exposed north facing beaches of Crete. We did a bit of everything and visited multiple times. We couldn't eat at the taverns because we are vegan and they mostly sold fish and meat, but we did enjoy their coffee and cold drinks, and the parking was made easy as there is a big car park with sun shades that costs 4 euro all day. You can't access this beach easily without driving however, we ended up renting a car for the week which made accessing...