Chrissi
What makes Chrissi Island unique and everything you need to know before visiting it!
Chrysi (Chrisi or Chrissi) is a tiny island located just below the eastern part of Crete, in the Lasithi region, opposite the small town of Hierapetra. The island is uninhabited; might have been inhabited thousands years ago, literally, as they have traced human presence on the island that dates to the Minoan period. Thus, until recently it remained mostly untouched by humans. The last decade has brought thousands of tourists attracted to its breathtaking scenery!
The Chrissi Island on Google Maps
Chrissi island can be reached with a ferry from Hierapetra in 45 minutes and the ticket costs around €25 both ways, per person. The ferries operate daily from the beginning of May to mid October and they arrive at a little port called To Mati tou Vougiou that lies on the southern side of the island. You take the ferry in the morning and return with the same ferry in the afternoon. Most ferries visiting Chrissi don’t have their first route before 10.00 a.m.. You can park your car for free at Hierapetra Port.
Chrissi doesn’t have any rooms to let or any sort of infrastructure, electricity or a water supply system, so people visit it as a day-trip. As most of you know, Greece is not one of the most organized countries in the world thus a few years ago people were “allowed” to free camp there. It was not officially permitted, but the authorities did not actively pursue anyone who did. I’m so jealous of friends who did seize the opportunity back then and spent some days living on this paradise-looking island! Ι reckon that in the summers there will still be some people secretly free-camping on one of the island’s more secluded beaches.
Chrissi and the Cedar Forest
In Chrissi you can see one of Europe’s rare cedar forests! Some of these cedar trees are more than 300 years old! The island is also home to some other very rare endemic plants and animal species – 120 different species of birds – and therefore has been included in Natura 2000, a European program that protects the continent’s most valuable and rare species. The sand is filled with the smallest sea-shells you’ve ever seen and the island’s water attracts the Caretta-Caretta sea-turtles which have frequently been spotted swimming around the island. Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucky enough to see one, but I hope I will the next time I’m on Chrissi!
What can you visit — Points of Interest in Chrissi Island
The island has many beaches, but the most beautiful and thus most popular is Golden Beach which lies on the island’s northern side. On Golden Beach there’s a bar that serves cocktails and plays loud house music, and a canteen that prepares sandwiches and Greek souvlaki-gyros. Besides these two, there’s also a restaurant on the island’s southern side, close to where the ferry arrives. On Chrissi there is also a small lighthouse, a house and a 13th century chapel towards the island’s north-western part. The chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas can be found on the way to Chatzivolaka. Although the island is not inhabited, there are three people registered as permanent inhabitants but, as I’ve been told by locals, only one who stays on the island during winter. A woman I met in Hierapetra told me that when she visited the island many years ago, she and her friends ran into a guy that had “built” a shelter in a rather isolated location on Chrissi. She also said that he was very kind and invited her and her friends to try some fresh fish that he had spear-caught himself.
Even though most tourists only visit Golden Beach, it is also nice to stroll around the island. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into a castaway, like this woman from Hierapetra, and get invited to some fresh fish! If you don’t get as lucky, you can visit the lighthouse and the chapel of Saint Nicholas. Next to the lighthouse there are also some ancient ruins and three graves that were built during the Roman period. Practically speaking, if you visit the island during the hot summer months, it’ll be challenging to walk around the island under the strong sun. Another good tip that some Hierapetra locals told me and that I’d like to share is that when there’s north wind, it’s better to visit the island’s other beautiful beaches (not Golden beach). Specifically, they recommended Vages Bay which is located on the island’s south-east portion and Kataprosopo Bay, which is on the east.
You can have a stroll around the island and visit the different things mentioned above, or you can also do what 99% of the people who visit Chrissi do: spend the whole day relaxing on Golden Beach!
Go to the Golden Beach tab, to learn more!
Spend the day on the famous and exotic Golden Beach
Once you arrive at the little port, there will be signs that indicate the direction of Golden Beach. Even if you don’t see the signs, everyone will walk towards Golden Beach so it’s impossible to get lost. It’s approximately a ten minute walk and you’ll pass through the cedar forest. The pathway is sandy, though in some parts they have laid some wooden planks to facilitate walking.
Golden Beach on Google Maps
Golden Beach — Practical Information
The beach is organized. It has some umbrellas and sunbeds that cost €10 for a pair (of sunbeds and an umbrella) for the whole day. Of course you’re free to lie on the beach with your towel and bring your own umbrella if you want to save the money. On the other hand, if you want to be certain about securing an umbrella, you should take the ferry early – 10.00 a.m. and once you get off, you should outwalk some of your fellow passengers. There’s plenty of umbrellas, but it also depends on how busy it’ll be the day you visit the island. During summer, it’s a very bad idea to be under the sun for the whole day as there isn’t much natural shade, i.e. from trees, close to the sea.
Eat in Golden Beach of Chrysi
There’s a beach bar, and if you sit next to it you might find the music quite loud. They serve drinks and cocktails and the atmosphere is quite upbeat. There’s also a canteen that sells sandwiches, cheese pies, coffees, beverages, souvlaki-gyro and of course bottles of water. So there’s no need to bring your own water, food etc.
Drink in Golden Beach of Chrysi
Golden Beach; Turquoise Water and Seashell Sand
The beach is breathtaking! It has turquoise, crystal clear water and the sand is white and fine, filled with innumerable tiny seashells. Locals told me that the beach’s name, Golden, refers to the golden colour that the seashells give to the beach during sunrise and sunset. I was there during sunset and it didn’t look golden, but I’m not sure how it would look at sunrise. Around the beach there are cedar trees which make the whole scenery really exotic! Even though I’ve never been, judging from pictures on the web, it really looks like a beach in the Caribbean!
When I visited there were a couple of showers located on the little port of Tou Vougiou to Mati (this sounds like a complicated name for a port in Greek too!), but they were out of order. On Golden Beach there are only some chemical toilets, so you’d better not need to go for the second one while you’re there!
Here is a Map of Chrissi that I really like from the official website www.Chrissi.gr
Chrissi Island Map
