Mires is located approximately 50km south of Heraklion, in the heart of the fertile Messara Plain. It is the principal administrative and commercial centre of the historic province of Kenourgio and serves many of the villages of central and western Messara. The local economy is based mainly on agriculture, livestock farming, commerce and services.

According to the most widely accepted interpretation, the name Mires derives from the Greek word mires, meaning shares or portions of land. During the Venetian period, plots in the area are believed to have been granted to refugee families from Monemvasia and Nafplio after parts of the Peloponnese were conquered by the Ottomans. A notarial document of 1636 records the settlement under the name Megali Mira.

Mires developed considerably because of its central position in the Messara Plain. Today, the town has numerous shops, restaurants, schools, public services and other essential facilities. Narrow streets and buildings recalling the earlier settlement can still be found in its older quarters.

The Saturday market

Every Saturday, Mires hosts one of the largest and oldest open-air markets in Crete. Producers, merchants and visitors arrive from across the Messara region, making the market an important part of local commercial and social life. Its history reaches back at least to the Ottoman period, when the central location of Mires established the settlement as a meeting and trading point for the surrounding villages.

Excursions from Mires

Mires is a convenient base for exploring southern Crete. Within a short drive are ancient Gortys, the Minoan Palace of Phaestus and the Royal Villa of Agia Triada. Visitors can also explore the villages on the southern slopes of Mount Psiloritis, the landscape of the Asterousia Mountains and the beaches of the Messara region.