Polychna
Archaeological site in the Municipality of Platanias, on the island of Crete. Ancient town in Chania, Crete. The nearest town is Plataniás, 3.8 km away in a straight line. The nearest airport is Chania International Airport (CHQ), 23.8 km away, and the nearest ferry port is Chania, 11.8 km away; both distances are in a straight line. In Plataniás the weather is most comfortable for walking and sightseeing in May, June and September, and the sea reaches 22 °C from May to September.
About
The description is Wikidata's (CC0, 8 Oct 2026). We copy no text from Wikipedia; the links go to its articles.
Ancient town in Chania, Crete.
Αρχαία πόλη στα Χανιά.
Getting there
Distances are straight lines from the point Wikidata gives. The real route is longer, and our data holds no timetables, opening hours or ticket prices; check them with the site's operator.
| Kind | Name | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest settlement | Plataniás | 3.8 km |
| Airport | Chania International Airport (CHQ) | 23.8 km |
| Ferry port | Chania | 11.8 km |
Official travel information
Routes and connections can change by season. Confirm times and service directly with the operator before travelling.
When to go
This section is about Plataniás, the nearest settlement, not about the archaeological site itself.
- Jan12°15°
- Feb12°16°
- Mar13°17°
- Apr15°19°
- May19°22°comfortable weather, warm sea
- Jun23°25°comfortable weather, warm sea
- Jul26°26°warm sea
- Aug26°25°warm sea
- Sep24°23°comfortable weather, warm sea
- Oct20°20°
- Nov17°18°
- Dec13°16°
- Top figure: air, bottom: sea
- Comfortable weather for walking
- Sea 22 °C or warmer
The weather is most comfortable for walking and sightseeing in May, June and September (average temperature around 22 °C, little rain).
The sea is 22 °C or warmer from May to September (up to 25.6 °C).
Monthly rain reaches 80 mm or more from November to February.
Day length is 9 h 45 min at the winter solstice (07:29 to 17:14) and 14 h 34 min at the summer solstice (06:08 to 20:42), Greek time.
- Mean temperature °C
- Rain (mm, right axis)
- Sea °C
- Sea 22 °C or warmer
| Month | Mean temp. °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | Daylight h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11.5 | 98 | 15.4 | 10.0 |
| Feb | 11.5 | 89 | 15.6 | 10.9 |
| Mar | 13.0 | 51 | 16.5 | 11.9 |
| Apr | 15.3 | 27 | 18.7 | 13.1 |
| May (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 19.1 | 17 | 22.2 | 14.0 |
| Jun (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 23.2 | 5 | 24.8 | 14.6 |
| Jul (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 25.9 | 3 | 25.6 | 14.3 |
| Aug (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 26.2 | 5 | 24.6 | 13.5 |
| Sep (sea 22 °C or warmer) | 23.7 | 21 | 22.7 | 12.4 |
| Oct | 20.2 | 57 | 20.4 | 11.3 |
| Nov | 16.7 | 83 | 17.9 | 10.3 |
| Dec | 13.3 | 103 | 16.0 | 9.8 |
Temperature and rain: NASA POWER (MERRA-2), period 2001–2020, model cell about 15 km away. The temperatures are monthly averages from a regional model. Sea: NOAA OISST v2.1, period 1991–2020, nearest cell about 13 km away (0.25 degree grid). Daylight: calculated for the 15th of each month. These are regional model values and typical conditions, not a forecast.
Beaches nearby
Official bathing-water sites in a straight line from the sight, without crossing water, with the 2024 season classification (EEA). It is the EU's classification by season, not a reading on the day.
| Beach | Latest class | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Gerani – Platanias | Excellent | 4.0 km |
| Limanaki Platania | Excellent | 4.2 km |
| Agia Marina Beach 3 | Excellent | 4.4 km |
| Agia Marina Beach 1 | Excellent | 5.0 km |
| Máleme Beach | Excellent | 5.3 km |
| Agia Marina Beach 2 | Excellent | 5.4 km |
How the numbers were counted
The sight has a page because it has a Wikipedia article and a description in Wikidata. Sights that are part of a larger site with a page are listed on that site's page. The list is cut at the 1,500 covered by the most Wikipedia language editions, then those with a heritage designation. The name, description, period and altitude are Wikidata's (8 Oct 2026) and we have not checked them.
Distances are straight lines. Something is "across the water" when it is on another island, or on the mainland while the sight is on an island (or the reverse); a bay that cuts into the coast does not count, and such options are left out. Island outlines, settlements and municipal boundaries are from OpenStreetMap.
Places nearby
Pages of this site, in a straight line and on the same side of the water, nearest first.
Towns and villages
Beaches
- Gerani – PlataniasExcellent, 4.0 km
- Limanaki PlataniaExcellent, 4.2 km
- Agia Marina Beach 3Excellent, 4.4 km
Sights
- CeraeaArchaeological site, 10.7 km
- Nautical Museum of CreteMuseum, 11.6 km
- Chania LighthouseLighthouse, 11.8 km
Nearest airport
- Chania International AirportCHQ, 23.8 km
Nearest ferry port
- Port of Souda, Crete16.3 km
See also
- Creteisland
- Municipality of Plataniasmunicipality
- Chaniaregional unit
- Creteregion
- Archaeological sites on Crete109
- Archaeological sites on the island of Crete107
- All sightslist
- Archaeological siteslist
- Airports and portslist
- All islandslist
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, with the date each was updated.
- Monthly climate normalsNASA POWER, MERRA-2 meteorological model · 2001–2020 climatology period returned by NASA POWER · Date:
- Sea temperature (NOAA OISST)NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / Physical Sciences Laboratory · OISST v2.1 monthly long-term mean climatology, 1991-2020 period · Date:
- Everyday places, tourism, transport and natureOpenStreetMap contributors, via the Overpass API · Live database at the time of the query · Date:
- AirportsFraport Greece; the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (ΥΠΑ/HCAA); Wikipedia (cross-checked for IATA/ICAO codes and coordinates) · Checked 24 September 2026 · Date:
- Designated bathing waters (locations)Ministry for Environment and Energy: YPEN geoportal · Current bathing season register · Date:
- Bathing water quality classificationEuropean Environment Agency: WISE Bathing Water Directive database · Latest assessed season in the EEA database; every season from 2011 is kept as a per-beach history · Date:
- Sights: name, description, heritage designation, links (Wikidata)Wikidata contributors, CC0 · Date:
Page updated .