The first villages we come across are Platanias and Gerani, villages with considerable tourist development. Platanias is a small village 10 klm from Hania following the road towards Kasteli. It is situated by the mouth of the homonymous river Platanias (Iardanos River according to Homer). At the river's shore, there are many plane trees (platania) which explains the name of the village. In Venetian inventories Platanias is mentioned by the Venetians as Basilicata and Kastrofilaka as Platanea and Pirgho Platanea. It is possible that there were two different settlements. The village is built amphitheatrically in a high rocky place, with picturesque houses it is very beautiful with narrow streets and houses full of character and small shops that have been renovated with a sensational view of the Cretan Gulf of Akrotiria of Spathas and the small island of Thodorou. Now the town has spread to a great extent, especially towards the sea. Opposite Platanias lies the island of St. Theodori or Thodorou. The Turks mention it as Tourlou-Andasi, and the Venetians as San Theodoro or San Todaro and in a distorted version Turluru and Turlusi. In 1574, during the Venetian occupation, it was decided to fortify it in order to stop the Turks from landing in Platanias. Therefore, they built at the highest peak on the island a multi-angled fortress that they called Turluru, and another multi-angled fortress at a lower level that they called San Theodoro or San Francesco. There used to be a three-aisled chapel of the St Theodori but only its foundations remain today. At present, the island serves as a breeding ground for the Cretan mountain goat. Platanias had been the head quarters of the general Timoleon Vassos in 1897, during the fight of Crete against the Turks.

The wonderful beaches and the considerable tourist development combined with many facilities for visitors make Platanias the most important tourist centre of western Crete.

Platanias