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Make a holiday rental apartment or self-catering villa in Makrygialos, Greece your home away from home

The village of Makrygialos lies on the southeastern coast of the Greek island of Crete. Mountains covered in walnut, olive, apple and pear trees make an impressive backdrop to this Greek village. The coastline is etched with sandy beaches at Makrygialos Bay, rocky inlets, secluded coves and long stretches of pebble beaches. With a rich culture heritage, varied landscape and pleasant climate, Makrygialos villas have become a popular Crete tourist destination.

Things to do in Makrygialos, Greece

The village of Makrygialos is a great place to explore on foot. The charming whitewashed houses and narrow streets provide a relaxing setting for Makrygialos self-catering accommodation. Small churches are scattered throughout the area and hint at the strong Orthodox religion and history.

The varied landscape around Makrygialos provides excellent hiking trails, horse riding excursions, rock climbing, paragliding and mountain biking trails. There are three impressive gorges in the area that are ideal for hiking: The Butterfly Gorge, Pefki Gorge and Pervolakia Gorge. The highest peak in the surrounding mountains is Afendis Stavromenos at 1500 metres (4.500 feet). If you are feeling energetic you can hike to the top, or you can go on an adventurous 4X4 Jeep tour. The peak provides unforgettable views of Crete and the surrounding islands. The peak is also home to a small chapel.

You can visit Koufonisi Island and its wonderful beaches. A boat leaves the harbour in the morning and returns in the afternoon. When you get back you can stroll around the harbour and have drinks at Apotheke Café or Olympio Café. Or you can relax at one of the many restaurants and taverns that offer traditional Cretan cuisine, made from local ingredients such as olive oil, cheese, home-made bread, wine and aromatic herbs.

About 7km east of Makrygialos, perched on a steep rock face, is the 15th Century Kapsa Monastery. The north wing of the monastery is built into a cave and is a fascinating place to explore. On the 29th of August each year the monastery celebrates its feast day.

Places to go on holiday in Makrygialos, Greece

Makrygialos villas are wonderful bases from which you can explore all that the island of Crete has to offer. The port city of Heraklion, with its museums displaying ancient archeological finds, is definitely worth a day trip. Here you can explore the city and learn about the history of Crete, go on a scuba diving excursion, or hire a boat and adventure out into the clear blue waters that surround the island.

You can also visit the charming town of Rethymno, which is filled with buildings dating back to the16th century. The arched doorways, narrow stone staircases and winding streets in the old town center attract tourists from all over the island. Rethymno is also home to a large, well-preserved Venetian castle, Fortezza.

Weather in Makrygialos, Greece

The southern coast of Crete enjoys plenty of sunshine and high temperatures year round. The summers are hot and humid with temperatures in the 30s°C, but cool sea breezes called “Meltemi” bring respite from the heat. Winters are mild, however snowfall on the mountain peaks is common between November and May.

Flights to Makrygialos, Greece

Makrygialos is located 120km from the international airport at Heraklion (HER). Budget airlines such as easyJet and Flythomascook provide cheap flights to Crete from various airports in the UK. From the airport at Heraklion guests of Makrygialos villas will need to hire a car or travel by taxi to their Makrygialos accommodation.