Makrigialos, Southeast Crete
The ambience of a timeless fishing harbour, the island home of Europe’s most ancient culture
Makrigialos itself means ‘long beach’, named because of its’ long sandy beaches, lapped by crystal clear pure seas.
It has been a traditional fishing harbour since ancient times (Minoan ruins in the town indicate habitation 3,000 years ago) and even today has pretty traditional fishing boats bringing in the daily fresh catch.
Features of Makrigialos
In Makrigialos itself and nearby you will find:
- Excellent daily fish catches, including seabream, red snapper, tuna, swordfish, crayfish, squid and lobster
- Naturally reared organic lamb, chicken, pigs, goats and year round abundant fruit, vegetables and herbs to make dining in the area deliciously good
Places to eat and drink range from quaint kefeneons (old style coffee houses where you can also get local wine and be served tasty titbits), modern coffee shops often with their own bakeries, simple family taverna’s where you will often be asked to come in the kitchen to choose your food, to waterfront taverna’s for fine traditional dining.
- Gentle very warm sea, numerous sandy beaches and pretty coves
- Beautiful sailing and boating environment
- Fascinating deserted islands to explore
- Minoan and Roman ruins
- Ancient monastery
- Vast areas of pristine wilderness with hundreds of kilometres of tracks for walking and hiking
- One of the richest collections of flora in the world and home of animals like mountain hares and martins. Also many species of hawks and eagles, including the huge, rare lammergeir vulture. A naturalists paradise!
- Good selection of shops, supermarkets, bakeries, banks and a post office.
- For medical care, locally a choice of doctors, dentist, pharmacies and about half hour drive to hospitals and many medical specialists (private and state)
Features of Crete
Crete abounds with fascinating realities and myths
- 250km long and average 50km wide with 1,000km of coastline, making it like a country in itself, yet still a Greek island ambience
- Home of the Minoans, Europe’s earliest culture
- A fascinating melting fusion of different old cultures (Africa, mainland Europe, the East are all quite near) where you can see influences in everything from food to people’s hair colour
- Archaeological ruins ranging from grand Minoan palaces, Roman houses, to Venetian waterfronts
- Almost as many beautiful churches as there are people!
- Virtually self-sufficient in food and drink, from daily fresh fish, meat and fruits to seasonal exotics like wild cherries and pears
- Island made wines and a ‘cure-all’ spirit called raki (most villages have their own brew!)
 |
| Multiple architectural influences |
Herb laden countryside, making it one of the world’s greatest aromatic places
- A safe, secure laid back place, free from industry and pollution, conflicts, tensions
- Greek and mostly English speaking
- Ferries and domestic flights to places of interest like Rhodes and Athens and to smaller Greek islands
Getting There
Crete sits in the eastern end of the Mediterranean with mainland Europe to the north and Africa to the south.
Flying time for most northern Europeans is similer to popular destinations like Canary Islands and Turkey. For many areas of Germany and France, Scandinavia and for people in mid-Europe like Switzerland, it is nearer. All important if you want to rent out your property.
The fascinating Greek capital of Athens is only 40 mins flying time, for weekend breaks or global flight connections.
There is a general increase in airline connections. For the British, for example, Easyjet now fly daily direct from Gatwick and Manchester.
Back to homepage >>