The place

Makrigialos is a famous seaside resort in southeast Crete, Lassithi Prefecture. It is 25 kilometres east of Ierapetra, on the southern coastal road to Sitia.

Guests tell us that the route from Heraklion to Makrigialos is one of the most interesting they have seen in their lives! It is, indeed, a lovely journey through the wonderful Cretan countryside, especially along the most picturesque part after Agios Nikolaos.

Until relatively recently, Makrigialos was an old traditional fishing village. In the past few decades it has been transformed into a busy, organised tourist resort, especially in the summer months. It meets visitors’ every requirement: besides all you need for recreation and entertainment, there are also banks, shops, bakeries, supermarkets, butchers and hairdressers, making it the commercial centre of the surrounding area.

In the centre of the resort, and particularly in the pretty little harbour, you’ll find good food in the many tavernas and restaurants, and all sorts of fun, relaxed or more buzzing, in the small bars set practically on the seashore!

Here visitors can enjoy the Cretan countryside in all its beautiful variety, as Makrigialos is a unique combination of untouched strands and organised beaches, verdant mountains and agricultural cultivation.

Enjoy the amenities of the main organised beach of Makrigialos or discover the dozens of clean, untouched beaches just a few minutes from your apartments. Makrigialos is the ideal holiday resort, both for families, who require more organised areas, and for young people in search of action, watersports and fun.

Explore the beautiful pine-clad mountains in the area and visit the pretty little villages nestling on their slopes, redolent of the unique aroma and forgotten flavours of old Crete.

How to get here

You can come from Heraklion by car, taxi or bus. The distance is 120 kilometres, around 2 hours’ drive. The road as far as Ierapetra is a modern highway; from Ierapetra to Makrygialos is another 25 km of fairly good road. The route runs along the south coast of East Crete, and is well worth it for the amazing view and wonderful scents of the Cretan countryside.

If you’re coming from Sitia, it’s just 30 km along a good road. This route, too, is fascinating, winding through the eastern interior of Sitia Province and passing dozens of pretty villages.