Νομός: Χανίων
Μέρη κοντινά με Άγιος Αντώνιος
The beach is well organised, it offers accommodation facilities, food and drink and facilities for swimming and sunbathing (sun beds, umbrellas, sea sports etc). After Kolimbari beach you reach Rapaniana beach to east.
Afrata is a small village in Chete by Chania Prefecture, west Crete, by the base of the rocky and barren Rodopou peninsula, 7km north of Kolimbari village. From Afrata a road winds down to the small, gravelly pebbly unknown beach of Afrata. The beach supports a small snack bar. 4km south from Afrata is located the Historical Gonias Monastery
This can be one of the emptiest and quietest beaches in this stretch of coast west of Chania. Tavronitis beach is pebbly and very quiet indeed, a very relaxing place bordered by trees and with several relaxed tavernas by the sea.
A few more facilities and tavernas are found at the neighbouring resort of Kolimbari a quiet calm village with relatively undeveloped, long, open beaches excellent for swimming, cliffs, typical white houses and flowers and a peaceful monastery. There are further relatively low-key resorts with good beaches on this part of the Crete coast like Gerani and Maleme beaches.
Afrata is a picturesque and traditional village village approx. 35 km from Hania town, on the Peninsula of Rodopou, and 5 kilometres from Kolympari or Kolimbari village with its shops, restaurants and a marina.
There are several tavernas and traditional kafenions in the village, and a small rocky and sandy cove with a kantina and recently also sunbeds. Ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving but also for swimming.
The beach, which is sandy and pebbly in places, is an ideal choice, especially when it is not windy. It is very clean and has all the basic touristic amenities nearby. You will find umbrellas, showers and a lifeguard tower. Rapaniana and its surrounding beaches are breeding points for the protected turtle caretta caretta.
The temple of Diktynna was located on the hill to the right (south) of the beach and several objects found there - such as the statue of Diktynna with a hound - are exhibited in the archaeological museum of Chania.
Access is possible only by a 4WD car , as well as by private or rented special motorbikes, since the 23 kilometers unasphalted road, usually being in bad condition, is difficult for conventional vehicles.
The barren peninsula of Rodopou only has a few villages clustered at its base and the rest of it is uninhabited. A paved road goes as far as Afrata village, then becomes a dirt track which heads north.
It is possible to reach the Diktynna Sanctuary (Menies Beach) at the northern end of the peninsula with a 4x4 vehicle. This was the most important religious sanctuary in the region under the Romans
Η αρχαία Δίκτυννα αποτελεί έναν ιδιαίτερο αρχαιολογικό προορισμό στην Κρήτη. Βρίσκεται 45 χιλιόμετρα νοτιοδυτικά από τα Χανιά, στο ανατολικό τμήμα του ακρωτηρίου Σπάθα και 23 χιλιόμετρα από το Κολυμπάρι.
Πρόκειται για το σπουδαιότερο κέντρο λατρείας στη δυτική Κρήτη, κατά την ελληνιστική και τη ρωμαϊκή περίοδο: στο σημείο υπήρχε ναός αφιερωμένος στην Αρτέμιδα Βριτόμαρτι, τη θεά και προστάτιδα του κυνηγιού. Η αρχαία Δίκτυννα ήταν το σημαντικότερο ιερό της θεάς που λατρευόταν και από τις δύο αρχαίες πόλεις της Κρήτης που βρισκόταν σε αέναη διαμάχη: την Κυδωνία στα Χανιά και την Πολυρρήνια στο Καστέλι.
Τα ερείπια του ναού που βλέπει ο επισκέπτης σήμερα στην αρχαία Δίκτυννα είναι του ρωμαϊκού οικοδομήματος, πάνω στο οποίο μάλιστα τον 9ο αιώνα είχε χτιστεί και χριστιανικό μοναστήρι, αφιερωμένο στον Άγιο Γεώργιο. Οι συνεχείς επιδρομές των πειρατών στο σημείο, που είναι παραθαλάσσιο κατέστρεψαν και τα δύο κτήρια.
Μια επίσκεψη στον αρχαιολογικό χώρο της αρχαίας Δίκτυννας, μπορεί να συνδυαστεί με μια βουτιά στην κοντινή απομονωμένη παραλία Μένιες, που αναφέρεται συχνά και ως Δίκτυννα.
