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Sweetwater Beach on Crete

If you like your sunbathing clothing-optional, this may be your beach

By , About.com Guide

sweetwater beach taverna bridge

A bridge leads from the rocks to the taverna at Sweetwater Beach (Gliko Nero), Crete.

deTraci Regula
How sweet it is - a long pebbly beach, dramatic cliffs, access only by sea or a long hike. Sweetwater Beach, named for the fresh water bubbling up from springs just beneath the stony surface, is a favorite for campers and naturists. Known as Gliko Nero in Greek, literally Sweet Water, there is a small cave with a shrine, a favorite area for tired hikers. The beach bareness increases left to right as seen from offshore - closer to the taverna it will be more clothed, while the far end of the beach will tend to be bare. However, at my visit in late May 2003, an unusually wet and cool spring kept most of the clothes on, and the fabled springs were unexpectedly not flowing. But other visits in 2006 and 2007 found the beach uncrowded and unclothed.

The taverna at the west end of the beach is also the docking spot for the boat from Loutro and Chora Sfakia up the coast.

There are no bathroom facilities other than a few rocks near the taverna, and the high cliffs reflecting the sunlight in high summer make this a hot, nearly shadeless though beautiful beach.

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