Kissamos exudes an unpolished, almost gritty, air compared to other north-coast towns. This is not a place given entirely over to tourism. There are two beaches in town, separated by a waterfront promenade: the sandy Mavros Molos in the west and the pebbly Telonio beach to the east.

The largest town and capital of Kissamos province, it is referred to interchangeably as either Kissamos or Kastelli (though the official name is the former).