Preveli Monastery
The monastery of Preveli is the cliff-top building you see before you drop down to the palm beach: a working monastery with a view of the Libyan Sea, a small museum, and a real part in the story of the Battle of Crete. It is 45 minutes from Rethymno, free of the lagoon crowds, and the usual first stop on a south-coast day because the light on the courtyard is better in the morning.
At a glance
- Drive from Rethymno
- About 45 minutes, through Kourtaliotiko Gorge
- Known for
- Cliff-top views and sheltering Allied soldiers in 1941
- Time needed
- 30 to 45 minutes for the monastery itself
- Dress
- Shoulders and knees covered inside the church
- Beach
- Preveli palm beach is a separate stop below the monastery
The building
There are two monastic sites: Kato Preveli by the river, largely ruined, and Piso Preveli on the cliff, which is the one you visit. The present church and courtyard date from the nineteenth century rebuild after an Ottoman destruction. The view from the terrace is the one on the postcards — sea, gorge mouth, and the palm forest as a dark green smear below.
The history
The monks sheltered Allied soldiers after the 1941 airborne invasion and helped get them off the island by submarine from the beach below. That is why British and Australian visitors still come, and why there is a memorial on the approach. The museum holds vestments, weapons and the usual Cretan monastic mix of liturgy and resistance.
Practicalities
Admission is paid on site and is not included in the tour price; carry cash. Shoulders and knees covered. About 45 minutes from Rethymno via the Kourtaliotiko Gorge. Thirty to forty-five minutes is enough for the courtyard, the church and the view. The palm beach is a further descent — a separate stop, with its own parking and a walk or boat depending on how you do it. Closed on some religious days; check if you are self-driving at Easter.
Good to know
Is Preveli Monastery the same as Preveli Beach?+
No. The monastery sits on the cliff. The palm forest and lagoon are below, a separate stop with their own access. Most south-coast days from Rethymno do both.
Why is Preveli Monastery important?+
It sheltered Allied soldiers after the Battle of Crete in 1941 and helped evacuate them from the beach below. It also stood in earlier Cretan resistance under Ottoman rule.
Is there an entrance fee?+
Yes, paid at the gate and not included in our tour price. Carry cash. The amount changes; it is a few euros.
How long do we spend there?+
Half an hour to forty-five minutes is enough for the courtyard, the church, the small museum and the sea view. The beach is extra time.
Visit Preveli Monastery with us
NatureSouth Crete Highlights
5.0· 62 reviewsSpili's lion fountains, the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, Preveli Monastery and the palm-forest lagoon in one unhurried day.
- 5h
- small group · max 8
- Most days
From €200
Book this tour
NatureSpring Wildflowers & Orchids of Crete
5.0· 58 reviewsSeven days of orchid plateaus, gorges and mountain flora, based in Spili
- 7 days
- small group · max 14
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Book this tourRead more about Preveli Monastery
- 12 Best Day Trips from RethymnoRethymno is the best day-trip base in Crete because it sits in the middle of the north coast. Within 45 minutes you can reach Lake Kournas and the Argyroupoli springs, the pottery village of Margarites with Arkadi Monastery, and the south coast at Preveli and Triopetra. Within 90 minutes you reach Imbros Gorge and Knossos with the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. Beyond that, at two hours or a little more, lie Aradaina Gorge, the Samaria trailhead at Omalos, the 2,453 m summit of Pachnes, and the pink lagoon at Elafonisi. Every one of the twelve below is a return trip in a single day.
- How Many Days Do You Need in Crete?Seven days is the minimum for a proper Crete holiday and ten is where the island stops feeling like a series of long drives. Three days is a city break confined to one base; five days adds one gorge and one beach day; seven covers western and central Crete from a single hotel, including Samaria or Imbros, Knossos and the south coast; ten lets you split your stay and add Spinalonga, Elounda and the Lasithi plateau; fourteen is a full island loop taking in Vai, Kato Zakros and the roadless south-west villages of Loutro and Agia Roumeli. The island is 260 km end to end, so the constraint is always driving time, not opening hours.
