With the Souda Bay at its feet, the mountains of Akritori standing guard against the Northern winds and the limestone caps of the White Mountains off to the side, Marathi beach is often shrouded in a quiet lull. Rarely visited by even the slightest breeze, one can appreciate the view of slanting rays of sunlight glancing off the glassy surface of Marathi’s waters. The stone pier acts as a physical boundary between the two beaches of Marathi, identical in the way golden sand carpets the shore before giving way to smooth pebbles and shallow waters.

If you were to walk north away from the beach, you might walk into the scattered rubble and ruins of Minoa. All that remains of the ancient roman city are waist high walls, fixtures that were once houses, military buildings and bath houses. Upon returning, step into one of the many traditional Cretan restaurants and enjoy the sound of the waves lapping the shore. Taste the nutty and mildly tart tones of zucchini and myzithra cheese, as the pastry wrapping the Chaniotiko boureki melts on your tongue. You’d be hard-pressed to find a sweeter getaway than this.