Holidays in Georgioupolis

Practical information on Georgioupolis

Georgioupolis has become a popular destination for holidays in Crete, welcoming thousands of Greek and European tourists each year. Many people have come here, fallen in love with the place and returned for holidays in Georgioupolis every summer.

Until a few years ago, the resort was mostly popular with Greek and Scandinavian tourists, but in the last few seasons the number of Russian tourists coming to Georgioupolis on holiday has increased dramatically, which is why you’ll see many restaurants providing menus in Russian as well as English.

Around the main square of Georgioupolis you’ll see cashpoints, foreign currency exchanges, many tourist bureaux organising excursions in Chania Prefecture and the rest of Crete, and car and bike hire businesses.

The resort has a large number of minimarkets and tourist shops selling everything from souvenirs to beach towels, swimsuits and anything you can imagine. Jewellery, ornaments made of shells and other marine products are also on sale in Georgioupolis.

If you have rented an apartment in Georgioupolis and want to cook or make breakfast for yourself, some bakeries open very early in the morning – unlike in other tourist resorts – and there are also grocers, butchers and other food shops.

In Georgioupolis there is also a cheese shop selling many varieties of Greek and Cretan cheese as well as other traditional Cretan products. There are many shepherds in the Apokoronas area and the cheese produced here is excellent. If you find some, you must definitely try it.

For those without a car or other means of transport, the bus stop is on the main road, a couple of minutes’ walk from the main square, where you can buy bus tickets for the intercity (KTEL) buses running towards either Chania or Rethymno and Heraklion.

Hotels in Georgioupolis

You will find many hotels in Georgioupolis, at mostly reasonable prices.

At the east end of the village is a large hotel comprising about 8 buildings along the beach and inside the resort. The locals say it offers good services and is usually booked by foreign visitors.

If you prefer something quieter and more self-sufficient, there are rooms and apartments for rent with a kitchenette, meaning you can both be independent and enjoy a much cheaper holiday in Georgioupolis.

Generally you won’t have any problems finding somewhere to stay, but if you’re planning to come in July or August it’s best to book ahead to avoid any unpleasant surprises. The locals tell us that Georgioupolis is swamped with tourists every August.

Restaurants in Georgioupolis

You will find many restaurants in Georgioupolis along the beach road, offering Greek and international cuisine along with a lovely view. Most of these are open from morning to late at night.

Another place for restaurants and tavernas in Georgioupolis is the main square. If you would like something more traditional, take a walk around the narrow village streets. There are several pretty tavernas offering less touristy food with local dishes and products, which you will surely appreciate.

Also, don’t forget that Lake Kournas is just a few kilometres away.

There are several tavernas by the lake, with traditional Cretan cooking and a lovely view of the only natural lake in Crete.

Café-Bars in Georgioupolis

If you’d like to enjoy a coffee or a drink by the sea, try the beach road cafeterias, bars and pubs.

These are open from morning to late at night, supplying everything from good breakfasts and freshly-squeezed fruit juice to spirits, dancing and fun in the evenings.

In the square, you can enjoy your coffee or something stronger in the shade of the tall eucalyptus trees.

What to do in Georgioupolis

Georgioupolis is a place to relax and enjoy yourself. Even though it’s bustling with tourists, it is a quiet area as a whole, which is definitely something to take advantage of if you want a break.

Georgioupolis beach is lovely, the sea is clean, and you can enjoy endless hours of swimming and sunbathing as long as it’s not blowing. The restaurants, tavernas and canteens near the beach are at hand if you suddenly feel thirsty or peckish.

Georgioupolis is at the mouth of the River Almyros. When you visit the area, you’ll find many tourist bureaux offering walking excursions and hiking in the valley of the Almyros, which is pretty and picturesque, especially near Vrysses. More active types can go hiking or rent a bicycle for a ride to Exopolis, a hilly area a few kilometres from Georgioupolis.

You can also visit Diktamos Gorge, a green and shady gorge which is quite accessible, although there are some places which might present non-gorge-walkers with some difficulty! The gorge features a combination of craggy rocks and spreading plane trees, with some lovely picnic spots. The walk ends at Katochori village.

You can visit the traditional village of Vamos, about 10 km from Georgioupolis. Vamos is one of the most attractive and scenic villages in the area, set on a hillside in the Apokoronas area.

Gavalochori village, about 8 km from Georgioupolis, is particularly interesting if you like to see a bit of history and archaeology. There are impressive Roman tombs and Venetian arches in the area, which also boasts a fascinating folk museum and many scattered Byzantine-era wells.

Lake Kournas and Kournas village are 4 and 8 km from Georgioupolis respectively. Lake Kournas is beautiful, and it’s well worth spending a morning there, swimming or riding a pedalo on the lake. At lunchtime you can try local dishes in the little tavernas lining the lake, or head to the pretty, traditional village of Kournas.

The road to Sfakia and southern Crete starts at the neighbouring village of Vrysses, with its springs and impressive ancient Greco-Roman bridge, known as the “Elliniki Kamara”.

From Georgioupolis you can easily visit both Rethymno and Chania, if you want to see two of the loveliest towns in Greece. They are about half an hour’s drive or bus ride away, in opposite directions.