Maleme

Maleme (Greek: Μάλεμε) is a town and airport 16 km (9.9 mi) to the west of Chania, in North Western Crete, Greece. It is located in Platanias municipality, in Chania prefecture. Maleme has a few large hotels and several pleasant apartments close to the beach and some bars and a discothèque at the western end. Its beach is made of fine pebbles and is popular though often less crowded than the beaches of Gerani, Agia Marina and Platanias. A Late Minoan tholos tomb has been discovered in the vicinity of Maleme. Maleme is best known as a landing site for German paratroopers invading Crete in 1941, at the start of the Battle of Crete (Operation Mercury) during World War II. The paratroopers captured the airstrip, which was located just...