Hersonissos, Avdou, Koutouloufari, Piskopiano, Malia, Stalida

Hersonissos, the nightlife paradise of Crete

Life is not only trekking and secluded beaches, it certainly is night life too. If this is the reason for your visit to the island then head right away to Hersonissos, Malia, Rethymnon, Chania or Agios Nikolaos.

Hersonissos is the night-life paradise of Crete. There are hundreds of bars, big hotels and nice restaurants. There are also nice beaches, especially “limanakia”, a number of very small bays located to the east of “Creta Maris” Hotel. Don’t forget to pay a visit to “Lychnostatis” Cretan Museum, as well as the waterparks of “Aqua Splash” and Star Beach (view photos here).

(click here to see photos of Hersonissos nightlife)

(click here to visit Kio’s pages about Hersonissos, Crete)

If you like nightlife but also need some moments of relaxation then the nearby (1 km) villages of Koutouloufari, Piskopiano and Ano Hersonissos are excellent choices. These are traditional villages with the advantage of being close to Iraclion, Knossos and Hersonissos. For us living in Iraclion, Hersonissos is too noisy and over-crowded but Koutouloufari is an excellent choice for spending an evening.

If you spend some time in Malia take a walk in the narrow streets of the old village; turn right at the church at the main road and walk around. There are some nice tavernas there. This part of the town is completely different from the road leading to the beach, where most bars are.

Between Hersonissos and Malia there is another place called Stalida. There is a scenic route from Stalida to Mohos village. The road is full of curves but the views are panoramic, especially at sunset. From Mohos the road continues to Lassithi Plateau and Diktaion Antro, which according to the mythology was the birthplace of Zeus.

If you like horse-riding then visit the village of Avdou (Mr. Fragakis, tel 0897-24867, 0944- 588406), where some old houses still exist. If you are hungry after a day on a horse then there is a taverna with very tasty food, right at the entrance of the village.

Agios Nikolaos is a pretty town by the sea with its own picturesque lake. Try to locate the cafe right above the lake; the view is great. There is also a scenic route from Agios Nikolaos to Elounda and Plaka, as well as boat trips to Spinalonga island. This is a very small island with a Venetian fortress; it was used as a leper colony until 1950.