The village of Nopigia near Kissamos, the Byzantine church of Agios Pandeleimonas, Crete

map of Crete Nopigia is a small village on the coast in the north west of Crete in the Bay of Kastelli, about 5 kilometres east of the town of Kissamos and at 36 kilometres distance of Chania. It is one of the oldest villages in the area and used to be a centre for wine distribution. Now it is surrounded by farmland. There is a good beach and there is a camping site in this Nopigia. The village used to be the location of an ancient city. In the village are Byzantine churches like the Byzantine church of Agios Pandeleimonas. You can easily reach this church from the highway to Kastelli if you turn south towards Koleni. You will see it at your right hand side. The church has the shape of a cruciform with a dome.

The road to the beach of Nopigia ends in a "T". On the left is a small pebble beach and further westwards is a larger sandy beach with behind it orange tree groves. There is a dirt track leading eastwards. You can go here by car, but it is also nice to make the trip along the rocky coastline on foot. You will pass a nice little taverna, the "Taverna Café Porto Alegre" where you can have a drink or a nice meal. Further to the east the path takes you along a hollow olive tree (up on a hill), a small chapel and plenty of goats, small pebble beaches and rocks where you can sit down to look at the sea.

The beaches at Nopigia near Kissamos are not organized (meaning no parasols or sunbeds, with the exception of one beach) and they are not spectacular. The attraction is the solitude and the opportunity to make a relaxing walk with nice views over the sea to the Gramvousa peninsula and maybe end it with a good meal in the local taverna. You might bump into someone with a fishing rod on a rock. The area is green and it is still the property of the local people. Tourism has not really been developped here. There are olive groves and fields with orange trees and a few houses scattered around. Update 2013: umbrellas and sunbeds around a villa complex.

Nopigia Restaurants - Taverne Café Porto Alegre in Nopigia - unfortunately closed

This is a nice small taverna on the coastline of Nopigia Beach, overlooking the sea. There are banana trees and grape vines in the garden that surrounds the taverna. Not everything on the menu is always available but there is a good variety of choices for a lunch or a dinner. We tried the stuffed zuchini flowers which were delicious. The fried fava balls and the reasonably crispy fried potatos with oregano were also very tasty. They have a good and cheap white house wine. The bread was fresh and in one piece (meaning it had not been on other tables before it reached us). After lunch we received some sort of sweet fried small dough balls in a sauce and a small bottle of chilled raki.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10

Nopigia Restaurants - Taverne Porfira

Tavern at the organised beach of Nopigia. We order several small dishes such as mousaka, spicy cheese dip, courgette balls and tzatziki. The house wine doesn't have much taste, but the tzatziki has plenty of garlic and the mousaka is quite tasty. It is a nice location directly at the sea.
Our verdict: an 8 out of 10

Nopigia Villas - Azure Beach Villas - Nopigia Beach

Just a few metres from Nopigia Beach, Azure Beach is a complex of small villas with 8 shared pools amidst landscaped gardens. The beach bar Ble Lounge serves a selection of drinks and local wines. Tastefully decorated, all bright and air-conditioned villas open to a balcony or rooftop terrace with pool, mountain and Cretan Sea views. Each consists of 1 or 2 bedrooms and fully equipped kitchen with dining area. A flat-screen TV with satellite channels and DVD player is available in the seating area.

Azure Beach Villas is located 5 minutes drive from Kolimbari village. Both the famous beach of Falassarna and the scenic town of Chania can be reached within a 30-minute drive. Free parking and BBQ facilities are provided.
Check availabilities and prices & book the Azure Beach Villas - click here.

Anemon Villas - Nopigia beach, Kissamos on Crete - villas with private pool

Set in the area of Nopigia, in Kissamos, Anemon offers modernly decorated villas with private swimming pools and large furnished terraces overlooking the Cretan countryside. Nopigia Beach is 300 metres away. Anemon Villas consist of 3 en-suite bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and 2 living rooms with fireplace. They are equipped with a flat-screen, satellite TV, DVD player, dishwasher and washing machine. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the complex. The town of Kasteli is 4 km away and offers a wide variety of shops, taverns, cafes and clubs. The golden sandy beaches of Balos and Falasarna are 20 km away. Chania Town is 35 km away and Ioannis Daskalogiannis International Airport is at 45 km. Free on-site parking is available.
Check availabilities and prices & book Anemon Villas in Nopigia Kissamos - click here.

Cormoranos Apartments - Nopigia beach, Kissamos on Crete

The family-run Cormoranos Apartments are set less than 50 metres from the long stretch of sandy beach of Nopigia. They offer a swimming pool and a children's pool. The soundproofed apartments at Cormoranos are surrounded by lush green lawns with exotic palms and colourful splashes of bougainvillaea. Each air-conditioned apartment can accommodate 2, 3 or 4 adults and has a living area and a kitchenette with dining table. Upon request, a traditional breakfast, prepared with Cretan organic products, is served in the comfort of your room. The archaeological museum of Kissamos, as well as the pristine beaches of Balos and Falassarna are located within 15 kilometres from the Cormoranos Apartments. Transfers to and from the airport are available upon request at an extra charge. Free private parking is possible on site.
Check availabilities and prices & book Cormoranos Apartments in Nopigia Kissamos - click here.

© Hans Huisman, https://www.angelfire.com/super2/greece/ 2018