annotation: in the summer of 2010 we vacationed in Crete (Greece). If you are planning a trip to this wonderful island for the first time, then you may well be wondering how others had a rest and spent the standard 7-10 days on the “seas”.
In this article we tell the chronology of our intense 10-day vacation in the summer of 2010, which combined approximately 50/50% “beaches + swimming” and trips to the sights of the island. A kind of travel diary in addition to our other articles about Crete, maps, photos and reviews! So, a budget holiday in Crete, broken down into pieces.
The entire description is divided into several parts. Here is the first of them, where we will tell you our impressions of Hersonissos and a trip to Malia to the beaches and the Church of St. Mary.
Holidays in Crete: trip planning
Our trip began in Kyiv. We firmly decided that we were flying to Greece on vacation, but where was not yet clear, since we didn’t know either the country or the island of Crete at all, and there was little time, a week, to make all the decisions. To search for a tour, we used the omnipotent and omniscient Internet. All the splendor of available hotels with detailed descriptions, prices and what is included in each tour - all this can be found on the search platforms of various websites. We looked for tours on several web resources, in particular, on otpusk.com (there is a convenient search form, user-friendly interface and a large selection).
Having covered several A4 sheets with all sorts of options, and after consulting with travel agents, the choice fell on the island of Crete. By the way, there were quite a lot of proposals for Crete, perhaps even more than for the Halkidiki peninsula. We were more attached to the living conditions at the hotel. We chose a budget option: 2* IRO Hotel in the city of Hersonissos (northern coast of Crete). The hotel offered HB (half board) meals. For 2 adults for 10 nights they charged about 900 euros. There were still options to go for 1070 euros to a 3* hotel for “all-inclusive”, but we decided to save on the conditions and instead spend the money on excursions and trips around the island. IRO is a typical urban hotel in Hersonissos. The facade faces the roadway, one block from the sea. But the town of Hersonissos itself is bustling and alive around the clock. If you don't want privacy from everyone and everything in a village, then choose something like Hersonissos. There are good beaches and a lot of entertainment here.
Holidays in Crete have begun: Hersonissos, day one
Our plane arrived at night, so we checked into the hotel after dark and, when we approached the sea, we saw absolutely nothing. But in the morning we were amazed by the beauty of the sea, mountains, and nature. Holidays in Crete have begun.
The first day we relaxed on the beach, got to know Hersonissos, walked along the seashore (thus we learned that Hersonissos has many beaches and they are all different). One day for adaptation was very useful.
In order not to overload the story, the topic of holidays in Hersonissos is covered in detail in a separate article on our website (read).
Day two - Malia
Even before the trip, we asked what attractions there were in Crete, we already knew roughly where we wanted to go. On the second day of our vacation, we decided to enjoy a beach holiday again, and the really good beaches (sandy, wide, picturesque) were nearby in the village of Malia.
(beautiful beaches of the village of Malia near Hersonissos, Crete)
To get there (at 8:30), we took the bus from Heraklion through Hersonissos in the morning and got to Malia (for 1.40 euros per person, see the bus schedule in Crete in our materials).
In Malia, ask to stop at your first stop, and we recommend Dolphin Beach, although other beaches are good.
Immediately at the entrance to the beach, guys approached us and offered to rent sunbeds, umbrellas and other attributes of a beach holiday. However, don't rush into this. Walk along the shore, choose a place where you would like to swim, and you can lie down on the sun loungers. They will come to you themselves. But no one came to us that day, i.e. So we saved about 6 euros for two people.
Being on the beach all day is a bit difficult and can lead to burns. For lunch we decided to visit a local attraction marked on tourist maps - St. Mary's Church. We walked for about an hour, i.e. Was the distance determined experimentally? From the entrance to Malia it is approximately 5 km, so you can also arrive by bus.
Only ruins of the church remain, mostly the foundations. Entrance to the territory for one is about 3-4 euros. Closing at 15:00, so hurry up to get there at lunchtime.
We had lunch at a local tavern in Malia, already returning from church. 2 glasses of local draft beer, Greek salad and pizza cost us 17 euros. But I must say that the portions are large, enough to refresh yourself.
(ruins of St. Mary's Church)
A few more hours until 6 pm we went swimming, this time on another beach, and headed back to Hersonissos. Having underestimated the road, we decided to walk, because... the distance was 7 kilometers from Malia. Our goal was to walk along the coast, admire the sea and the curves of the coast. I must say that it was really beautiful, along the way there were luxury hotels, on the territory of which you could also walk freely and take pictures. But the whole journey took us two hours, part of which was on sand. For a more comfortable stay, of course, take the bus.
In the next part we will talk about the trip from Hersonissos to Heraklion with a visit to the Knossos Palace, the Venetian Fortress and sightseeing of the “capital” of Crete (see part 2).
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Read the continuation in the following articles:
- Holidays in Crete: trip report – Part 2 (Heraklion, Knossos)
- Holidays in Crete: trip report – Part 3 (Agios Nikolaos, Spinalonga)
The resort town of Malia (Malia) is located 35 km from Heraklion, the administrative center of the Greek island of Crete. This is a very small town, it is inhabited by a little less than 3,500 people.
Activities available in Malia
In Crete, and even in Greece, Malia is known as one of the most party places - young people and lovers of nightlife come here. It is necessary to immediately make a reservation that these young people are mainly from France, Germany and England, there are almost no Russian speakers. People who come to Malia for the first time and go for a walk in the late afternoon may not only be surprised, but possibly shocked. Local TV channels do not stop showing what is happening in Malia in the evenings, and the residents of Crete are only indignant, but do not take any concrete measures.
As a rule, young people from European countries come here in large groups, relax relatively peacefully and without fights, spend a lot of money - this is one of the most important reasons why they are warmly received in this small city in Greece.
However, Malia has everything to make your vacation unforgettable: clear sea, comfortable beaches, numerous clubs and restaurants, hotels of different stars, souvenir shops, large supermarkets, a variety of entertainment and attractions. Here you can rent any vehicle: bicycle, scooter, motorcycle, car.
Zig Zag The central part of Malia is the center of clubs, bars, discos, and restaurants. The most popular among young people are Camelot Castle, Candy, Appolo, Zig Zag, Malibu Club, Banana Club, Warehouse. Almost all of them are open from 22:00 until the morning, admission is free, you only need to pay for the drinks you order.
In addition to restaurants and clubs, this Greek resort has other entertainment. What can you see in Malia on the island of Crete? For example, you can see an aquarium, visit a water park, or go horseback riding.
The stable closest to Malia is located at: Leoforos Eirinis 26, Stalos, Crete. In addition, it is not only the closest, but also the most inexpensive on the island - a two-hour tour costs 35 € per person.
Amarillis Stable is located in the mountains near the town of Stalis. They keep well-groomed and well-trained horses, short pacers. There are no cafes or taverns on site, and amenities include a toilet.
Amaryllis Stable It is Amaryllis Stable that is offered for horseback riding by employees of many hotels and excursion bureaus in Malia. But you can book a sightseeing tour by writing directly to Amarillis Stable - the owner of the stable, Nicholas, responds very quickly and, if necessary, picks you up from the hotel.
Tourists are offered to take a two-hour trip to the sea or longer trips (5-6 hours) to the mountains, deep into the island of Crete to the lake, to the village of Mochos. The path to the sea is quite monotonous (along an asphalt road along which there are houses and hotels), but everything on the coast is very beautiful. A tour to the mountains is much more interesting, although more tiring and sometimes more dangerous. The terrain dictates its own conditions: sometimes you have to get off the horse and lead it along. During any trip, Nicholas talks in good English about the history of Crete and interesting places along the way.
Nicholas gives advice on how best to handle horses and monitors their behavior. But for beginners riding a horse for the first time, it is still better to be very careful and take a safer trip to the sea first. As for small children, it is better not to take them on horseback riding at all.
There is another important point: you need to find out in advance whether the insurance covers medical expenses for treatment if it becomes necessary after a fall from a horse.
The water park is not in Malia, but in the city of Hersonissos, address: Hersonissos 20, Crete. Many consider the water park to be an excellent alternative to the usual Malia beach on the island of Crete, especially since admission to its territory is free. There are almost always a lot of people here.
The beach here is small, the beach strip is narrow and the sun quickly disappears. But entry into the sea is very convenient: sandy, flat. There are no breakwaters here, so on some days the waves rise as tall as human beings from the very morning and it is impossible to swim.
Music plays all day in the water park, and at 16:00 they organize a foam party - this show is popular with both adults and children.
- The slides are open from 11:00 to 18:00; a ticket for this entire time costs 8 €.
- The pools are free, renting an umbrella costs 2 €, a sunbed costs 3 € (they give you a receipt, so you can leave and then come again). There are 2 playgrounds and 2 areas with swimming pools for children - sunbeds there are free.
The water park has an outdoor stage where DJs perform in the evenings.
Hersonissos boasts another interesting place that can be classified as both entertainment and attractions. We're talking about an aquarium. located at: 7 Filikis Eterias /Hersonissos Port.
This is a very small aquarium that will be interesting for children to visit. The staff there is very friendly, they let you hold a python, turtles, and reptiles. In general, a good mood and many different photos to remember Malia, the island of Crete and Greece are guaranteed.
- Adult ticket costs 8 €, for children – 4 €.
- Entrance for visitors is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:15.
Sights of Malia
Sightseeing lovers will also appreciate this small town in Greece on the island of Crete: Malia, or rather the Old Town, has a lot to offer. For example, the Church of St. Dimitrios, the Venetian Church of St. John, the Church of St. Nektarios. It’s even nice to just walk along the narrow streets of the Old Town, where there are cute houses with beautiful blue doors, shutters on the windows and climbing flowers on the balconies, where there are small taverns with live music.
But still, the most significant attractions of Malia are located in the vicinity of this famous Greek resort.
The ruins of the Mali Palace are located 3 km from the resort - you can easily walk there or take a bus from the center of Malia in just 10 minutes.
Entrance 6 € per person. There is no excursion service provided; tourists walk among the excavations themselves, guided only by diagrams and short captions in English.
This landmark of Greece is notable for the fact that it is in the form in which it was discovered during excavations, that is, without reconstruction. There is no palace as such here, it is mainly the meter-long outlines of ancient large structures and several restored vases the size of a man. Some of the excavations are in the open air, some are under a canopy.
By the way, excavations continue, and who knows what other attractions will be found here.
Vacationers of the Malia resort, among other attractions of the island of Crete, can visit the open-air museum “Lychnostatis”, which is located near the city of Hersonissos (address: Plaka, Hersonissos 700 14).
This attraction is open all days of the week except Saturday from 9:00 to 14:00. It’s best to go to the opening, because by 11:00 a lot of people gather there.
The entrance ticket costs 5 €; for an additional fee you can take an audio guide in Russian.
The Lychnostatis Museum is one of the most colorful and visited attractions in Greece. Its exhibits allow you to learn the customs and peculiarities of life of the inhabitants of Crete, and introduce you to the history of cultural development. The most interesting exhibitions are the reconstruction of a traditional Greek farm, a weaving and pottery workshop, and a distillery production. A small cinema shows a film telling about the history and life of Crete.
There is a garden adjacent to the museum, where you can walk through it and get acquainted with the rich local flora.
Beaches
Can there be a resort town in Greece without a beach? There are many of them in Malia on the island of Crete, all you have to do is choose the most suitable one.
At a distance of 2 km east of the port of Malia, not far from the famous landmark - the ruins of the Malian palace, there is a not too crowded Potamos beach. This is a spacious beach with coarse golden-white sand, good entry into the sea and crystal clear water. At some distance from the shore there is a rocky ridge, against which the waves break - as a result, there is always calm and clean water without algae.
The beach is equipped with everything you need: changing cabins, fresh water showers, dry toilets (sometimes even with paper). For 6 € you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas for the whole day.
There are cafes, several bars, a fruit stand nearby, and in the mornings a van comes with ice cream, drinks and food (gyros, sandwiches).
The beach on the island of Crete that is the best and closest to Malia is Stalis Beach. It stretches along the central part of the settlement of the same name and is 4 km away from the center of Malia.
The beach is long and not too wide with a sandy bottom, although there are some rocks here and there. There is a gentle slope into the sea and very clean water; near the rocks you can find crabs and even large sea turtles.
There are many cafes and restaurants along the beach with delicious food, almost all of them have a children's menu.
By the way, it is in these establishments that you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas for 5-8 €. And in some restaurants (for example, Ocean, Irish Pub) visitors are given them for free: you can order drinks and lie back and sunbathe.
There are also toilets in the cafe; there are none separately on the beach. There are no changing cabins, there are only showers.
Some distance from Malia is Bufos Beach, which belongs to the Sissi resort village.
Its width is 60 m, the water is clean. The beach is pebble, entering the water is pebbles and sand, but a little further the bottom is covered with large stones and rock outcrops. If the wind blows stronger, large waves rise and swimming becomes dangerous. The depth from the shore gradually increases “chest-deep”, then there is a rocky shallow, and then the depth sharply increases to 3-4 m.
On the beach there is a volleyball court, showers, a cafe and a bar, you can rent 2 sun loungers with an umbrella for 7 € for the whole day.
Video: holiday in Malia on Crete.
Accommodation in Malia
The choice of accommodation in the city of Malia on the island of Crete is very large. The hotels of this resort (there are about 100 of them) have different star ratings and offer rooms of various price categories.
Happy Days For example, for 20 € per day you can rent a standard studio room with two single beds at the Happy Days apart-hotel. The hotel is located in the heart of Malia's Old Town, within walking distance of the best clubs and bars.
For 55 € you can stay in a standard double room, for example, in the 3* family hotel Malia Mare.
Royal Heights Resort Apartments, of course, will cost more. So, 200 € costs a suite at the 5* Royal Heights Resort. The room has 1 bedroom with 2 single beds and a living room with a large sofa that can sleep two children up to 12 years old.
It is necessary to take into account: for those who want to relax in peace, it is best to stay on the outskirts of Malia - there is no noise from parties and numerous discos.
Find out PRICES or book any accommodation using this form
When is the best time to come
The weather conditions in Malia are the same as in all resorts of Crete located on the Aegean coast: warm and humid in winter, hot in summer.
The season in Malia, as in many resorts in Greece, begins in April and ends at the end of October. The air temperature can reach +35°C, the water temperature is about +25°C.
The warmest month in Malia is August, when the average daytime temperature is about +29.7°C, and the night temperature is +22.9°C. The sea also warms up the most in August – on average up to + 26.2°C.
In winter in Malia (Crete) it is rainy, but not cold: it never falls below +14°C.
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In the Heraklion region of Crete, three small towns are located in close proximity to each other - Hersonissos, Stalida and Malia. These resort towns are extremely popular, primarily due to their beautiful beaches and modern tourist infrastructure. The active development of tourism in this area has contributed to the fact that Hersonissos, Stalida and Malia are practically connected with each other by a long embankment.
For example, if you simply walk along the sea coast from Stalida to Malia, it will be difficult to determine where one resort town ends and another begins. Perhaps soon the boundaries between the three towns will finally disappear and they will merge into one large tourist center. Be that as it may, today Hersonissos, Stalida and Malia are the best places in Crete for a beach holiday and a fun time.
Hersonissos is located thirty kilometers east of the capital of Crete, Heraklion. Only about three thousand people permanently live in Hersonissos, but during the tourist season the city is literally flooded with vacationers, as a result of which the population increases approximately tenfold. You can get here from Heraklion by taking a tourist bus. The ticket will cost 3.5 euros, and the trip to the resort town will take approximately 30 minutes.
Hersonissos, like many other cities in Crete, has a proud history. It is believed that the local settlement was founded more than three and a half thousand years ago. The city's heyday came during the Roman Empire, when Hersonissos became the island's key port. It was of such great strategic and commercial importance that the city even had its own coin with images of Hercules and the goddess Britomartis.
Despite such an ancient history of Hersonissos, it is almost impossible to find any well-preserved monuments of the past within the city limits today. Of interest are the remains of Roman buildings with mosaic floors and ancient port buildings. Unfortunately, after the liberation of the island from Turkish rule, when Crete was experiencing enormous difficulties, most of the ancient historical monuments were dismantled by local residents as a source of finished building material. Such an unenviable and sad fate befell many monuments of Roman architecture that remained in Hersonissos until the end of the 19th century.
So now people go to Hersonissos not to see historical sights, but to relax comfortably on the sea coast and have a good time in numerous restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Almost the entire main life of the city is concentrated around the main street and the beautiful embankment. Along the main street of Hersonissos there are, in particular, numerous shops, mainly souvenir shops. There are not many brand stores here, however, if you walk around and study the assortment, you can find stylish clothes and shoes, and at a better price than in Russia.
As for souvenir shops, you can buy anything there - from nationally produced ceramics to olive oil and paintings with panoramas of Crete. Also along the main street in Hersonissos there are plenty of jewelry shops where you can buy stunning jewelry with precious and semi-precious stones. The shops themselves in Hersonissos are relatively small, but they attract with their fairly wide assortment. There are only two truly large supermarkets in the city - Select and Spar.
Holidays in Hersonissos include visiting restaurants and Greek taverns, as well as active nightlife. To try national cuisine and local delicacies, it is best to go from the main street to the embankment, where restaurants with terraces are located right next to each other, offering a beautiful view of the sea. Restaurants replace each other during a half-hour walk along the embankment. Here you can choose an establishment to suit every taste.
Fans of vibrant nightlife in Hersonissos should visit the disco bars and nightclubs. Discos start operating from about 10 pm, and admission is free - the owners of such establishments rely solely on the fact that guests will buy drinks. The most famous and fashionable nightclubs of Hersonissos are StatusClub, Amnezia and Matrix.
At almost every step in the city you can find rental points for various vehicles - scooters, motorcycles, bicycles, ATVs and cars. Renting a car will cost approximately 55 euros per day, excluding gasoline costs. The car will allow you to visit the maximum number of attractions and resort places in the Heraklion region. But more interesting is the rental of an ATV - a powerful four-wheeled vehicle with which you can travel along mountain roads or to a nearby beach, enjoying the pleasure and excitement of driving. The cost of renting an ATV per day is from 10 euros. Bicycles are also available for rent.
The beaches of Hersonissos are crowded with vacationers during the tourist season. They are mostly pebble and narrow. Admission to all beaches is free; fees are charged only for the use of sun loungers and umbrellas. Among the city beaches, it is worth highlighting the beautiful sandy Star Beach, located near the water park of the same name. Unlike other local beaches, it is wide and has a smooth entry into the sea. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented for 3 euros. StarBeach has bars and water attractions, and various festive events are often organized. The only drawback is the huge number of vacationers, so it is unlikely that you will be able to find a good place or relax in a calm, secluded atmosphere here.
There is another popular beach near the Creta Maris Hotel, where you can enjoy a variety of water sports. To the east of the central part of the city there are many more picturesque bays with sandy beaches, which, as a rule, are located in front of hotel complexes. The bravest ones can be offered a holiday on the nudist beach, which is located in the area of Cape Sarandaris.
Water activities in Hersonissos are not limited to sea swimming. The city is well known for its excellent water parks - the best in Crete. Star Beach Waterpark is located on the beach in the eastern part of Hersonissos and offers a variety of water attractions for visitors of all ages. Another water park called Aqua Splash is located outside the city limits and can be found on the road to Kastelli. An even more interesting and rich entertainment program is offered here.
Malia
Not far from Hersonissos, on the shores of the Aegean Sea, there is another popular tourist town - Malia. It has gained popularity as a youth resort focused on fun and exciting nightlife. Due to the fact that Malia has a huge number of clubs and discos, this town is often compared to Ibiza and other similar resorts. The rhythm of life in Malia is special: during the day and after lunch there is peace and quiet on the streets, but at night the city comes alive and is filled with musical motifs. Holidays in Malia are recommended specifically for youth groups and all those looking for entertainment and noisy parties.
Once upon a time, on the site of Malia there was a city of the ancient Minoan kingdom. The settlement, located on the coast of a large natural bay, was an important center of navigation and trade during the Minoan civilization. Today this is evidenced only by the ruins of a Minoan palace in the vicinity of the city. It was built in the same era as its more famous brothers - the Palace of Knossos and Phaistos. The palace was considered the residence of Sarpedon, the brother of King Minos. Excavations at this place are still ongoing.
Today, the ruins of the Mali Palace are the city's most important attraction. Many of the finds discovered here are presented in the collection of the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion. Among other attractions of Malia, the Church of Panagia Galatiani, the construction of which dates back to 1400, attracts attention. You can simply feel the atmosphere of the city by walking through the narrow streets of Malia.
However, these days the main attractions of Malia are restaurants, shops, beaches, clubs and discos - everything that allows tourists to enjoy their holiday on the sea coast. There is no promenade as such in Malia, so all entertainment venues and restaurants are located close to the beach. With the onset of darkness, the cheerful, vibrant life of the city begins. The most popular nightclubs in the city, favored by young people, are Malibu Club, Camelot Castle and Banana Club. They are open until dawn, and entry to the establishments is absolutely free.
Many restaurants and Greek taverns located nearby and along the main streets of Malia close well after midnight. The city center can be quite noisy - loud music can be heard from establishments, and the roar of motorcycles and ATVs can be heard. ATV, car and motorcycle rental centers in Malia can be found on almost every corner.
A distinctive feature of the resort town of Malia is its beautiful sandy beaches with developed infrastructure, bars and water activities. They are considered one of the best on the entire coast of Crete. The beaches of Malia have a smooth entrance to the sea and shallow depth, which allows you to comfortably relax here with small children.
Malia's main beach is located in front of the city and is always crowded with holidaymakers during the tourist season. It is a sandy strip more than half a kilometer long, which is surrounded by bars on the land side. The beach is covered with amazing fine sand and has wonderful shallow waters, which will appeal to the youngest vacationers. Various entertainment events are often organized right here on the beach.
Those who prefer a beach holiday in a more relaxed, secluded environment should head east of the city, to the ruins of the famous Mali Palace. Next to it there is an excellent sandy beach, where you will not meet such a large crowd of people. Potamos Beach, located near the central city beach, is distinguished by a comfortable seabed, beautiful sand dunes and comfortable recreation areas.
Between Hersonissos and Malia in the Heraklion region there is another popular resort - Stalida. This town differs from its neighbors in that there are not a large number of entertainment venues and clubs. Stalida is more focused on a relaxing family holiday. It is often chosen as a beach holiday destination by older tourists and couples. It is much calmer here than in neighboring resorts, but the tourist infrastructure with restaurants, taverns and bars is also well developed. The town itself does not have any historical attractions, but due to its favorable location, Stalida is a good starting point for exploring the most interesting sites and architectural monuments of eastern Crete.
Two roads pass through the resort town, one of which cuts through Stalida right in the middle. In the summer season it is closed to vehicular traffic, and it turns into one continuous pedestrian zone where you can walk for your pleasure. But be careful when walking along this street - motorcycles and bicycles are very popular in Stalida. There are several rental points for these vehicles in the town. The second road goes around the city and runs parallel to the national highway. Tourist buses pass by Stalida, taking vacationers to Heraklion.
The heart of Stalida is a beautiful five-kilometer-long promenade. It is around it that most souvenir shops and stores are concentrated, as well as restaurants and Greek taverns offering delicious national cuisine. A huge sandy beach with shallow water stretches along the embankment. There are bars and cafes near the beach, but the pace of life here is much calmer than in Hersonissos or Malia.
The sandy beach stretches along the entire town, and around it restaurants, bars and hotels smoothly merge into each other. There are also small stalls offering all kinds of water activities - from jet ski rides to banana rides. The huge strip of sand is broken only once by a rocky section of the coast. Despite the fact that the beach in Stalida is quite wide, during the tourist season it is almost always crowded with vacationers. In windy weather the sea here is choppy, but strong waves invariably subside on the coast. The local beach is equipped with everything you need - umbrellas and sun loungers, changing cabins, beach volleyball courts and its own rescue service.
