Kissamos (or Kastelli) is a small town located in the beautiful gulf of Kissamos.  Famed for its wine and olive oil, it has a true Cretan character. There are good restaurants frequented by the locals and a handful of bars, and the long beach of sand and pebble stretches around the bay. There is a public bus service to Chania, and from the harbour, a regular ferryboat service to Gythion in the Peloponnese and to the island of Kythira. From Kiassmos you can visit the west coast beaches, among them Falassarna which also boasts an archaeological site, the Gramvoussa isles (pirate isles), the beautiful Gorge of Topolia and the lagoon at Balos.

Kissamos is surrounded by a beautiful landscape and has about 3.000 inhabitants. It is not a crowded tourist resort as its development is based mostly around wine and oil produce, and agricultural products.

The name Kissamos is pre-Hellenic in origin and is the name of an ancient community that existed here. Ancient Kissamos was a marine and commercial centre and it was one of Polyrinia's, whose history can be traced back to the stone age, ports. The town flourished during the Roman period and continued to prosper during the early Byzantine era when it was an Episcopal seat.

Kissamos was always a well fortified city as, due to its wealth and location, it was often under attack. Parts of the wall which the Venetians built are still standing inside the city. The Venetian fortress, Castelo, was a particular feature of the city and thus the city was named after it - Kastelli. As many towns in Crete have the name Kastelli, it was named Kastelli Kissamou.

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