Milonas Waterfall and Gorge
The Gorge of Mylonas or Agios Ioannis is located 18km east of Ierapetra. It starts near the village Agios Ioannis, at an altitude of 500m, and ends at the beach of Kakia Skala.
Makrigialos Town
Makrigialos is one of the best-known seaside resorts in southeastern Crete, located approximately 58 km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 23 km east of Ierapetra.
It lies in the province of Sitia, within the area of the community of Agios Stefanos, on a sheltered section of the South Cretan Sea. The settlement stretches along a long sandy beach, from which its name derives, and has a picturesque harbour with fishing boats and small vessels.
Modern Makrigialos essentially consists of two neighbouring settlements, Makrigialos around the harbour and Analipsi farther east, which have now merged. From a small and isolated coastal settlement in the 1950s, when the local road network was still very limited, it gradually developed into the principal tourist resort of southeastern Crete.
Accommodation, tavernas, restaurants, cafés and shops can be found along the seafront. The long beach of Makrigialos has fine sand and usually calm, shallow water, as it is protected from the northern winds. This makes it especially popular with families.
A short distance from the settlement is the exit of the lush Pefki Gorge. The gorge begins south of the traditional village of Pefki and ends near the settlement of Aspros Potamos, approximately 2 km north of Makrigialos. The route passes through pine trees, impressive rock formations and old watermills.
The area is also of considerable archaeological interest. At Plakakia, west of the settlement, archaeologists have excavated a Minoan country house dating from the Neopalatial period. Its arrangement includes architectural elements resembling those of the Minoan palaces.
Above the present harbour, at Katovigli, lie the remains of the Roman villa of Makrigialos, excavated in 1977. The luxurious complex developed around an elongated courtyard and contained dozens of rooms, baths, marble surfaces and mosaic floors.
Makrigialos is also a convenient starting point for exploring the beaches of southeastern Crete, the traditional mountain villages of the province of Sitia, Orino Gorge and the Monastery of Kapsa.
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Makrigialos beach
Being initially a humble harbor with no roads in the ‘50s, Makrigialos has faced strong growth and has become the largest tourist destination in the region. It actually consists of two settlements, Makrigialos and Analipsi, which are now united.
Agia Fotia beach at Ierapetra
Agia Fotia, one of the favorite beaches of all Cretans, is located 45km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 12km east of Ierapetra. It is a small bay formed at the mouth of a small stream that descends from the surrounding mountains. The settlement takes its name after the local Church of Agia Fotini (or Agia Fotia). The area is hidden in plane trees and tamarisks, while the bay is surrounded by high mountains and cliffs that create a magic scenery.
Pefki Gorge
The Gorge of Pefki (Pefki means Pines) is one of the most beautiful small gorges of Crete, with amazing rock formations shaped by the natural forces and with lush vegetation. The length of the gorge is 4.5 km and the elevation difference of the entering point and the exit reaches 300 meters.The gorge starts south of the village Pefki and ends in Aspros Potamos dorp, 2km north of Makrigialos.
Lagoufa beach at Analipsis
Lagoufa is located right after the east end of Makrigialos main beach, around 59km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 24km east of Ierapetra. It consists of two adjacent protected coves, which are formed near the big hotels of Makrigialos.
Orino Gorge
Nearby the lush green and full of water springs Orino village we meet one of the most steep rivers of Crete. Its springs are located high on the plateau Abelia on the slopes of Thripti and Papouri mounts. They shortly form a river which crosses the village square and enters the rugged canyon of Orino.
Kalamokanias beach
Kalamokanias is located 57km southeast of Agios Nikolaos and 22km east of Ierapetra, on the west side of Makrigialos settlement. It is located on the west side of the hill that rises behind the harbor area. It takes its name after the migratory bird stilt (Himantopus himantopus) that has red legs and body reminding of a miniature stork and stops in the local streams.
Makrigialos Roman Villa
The fertile valley and the sheltered harbor of Makrigialos was an ideal location for its habitation throughout the ages. One of the relics of the past is the Roman villa which was unearthed at Katovigli position in 1977, above the current port of Makrigialos, by the archaeologist N. Papadakis. Earlier, looted graves and a headstone of the 4th century AD were found on site.
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