This beach before the seaside settlement of Goudouras and beside a promontory (all of the…
Makrigialos Beach
At the end of the promenade with the tavernas is the start of the long Makrigialos sandy beach that runs all the way into the next village, Analipsi (1km to east).
A one kilometre long beach, with fine gold sand and shallow waters, lies right in front of the town of Makry Gialos. It is accredited with the blue flag and is considered to be one of the safest beaches for swimmers of all experience and children due to its soft and gently shelving.
It is an organised beach with sun-beds, umbrellas and most sea sports facilities. The beach is lined with a good variety of taverns to suit all tastes, the fishing port being the most picturesque part of the village.
If you go to the right part of the beach beside the harbour you will find a beautiful sheltered area with very shallow water suitable for children of all ages, even a 2 year old can walk out quite far in it as usually there is no waves or stones.
The village of Makrigialos has been expanding and growing for the lest few decades and nowadays there are plenty of hotels and other accommodations (apartments, studios, villas) in the area and excellent tavernas, restaurants and kafenions.
Facilities-Additional Info
Distance: Heraklion 120km – Sitia 35km – Ierapetra 25km
Beach type: Sand
Facilities: Accommodation-plenty of choices, Restaurants-plenty of choices, Umbrellas / beds, Sports, Lifeguard, Showers, Blue Flag, Tree shadow
Accessibility: Bus services, Paved road, Handicap friendly
Food-Hotels: Restaurant / Cafe: Yes – Accommodation: Yes
Related Articles
Makrigialos is a very pleasant part of Crete to stay in. Although there is plenty of tourist accommodation in the area, it is away from the concrete jungle of the north coast strip but requires a long transfer from the airport. It has one of the best sandy beaches in eastern Crete and gently shelving water so it’s ideal for the kids. The resort has plenty of bars, shops and restaurants as well as car hire agencies.
Eastern Crete has plenty to do and see although I guess the 4-year old will be happiest on the beach all day. There’s a Minoan villa close to the resort and you are just along the coast from Ierapetra, the most southern town in Europe. It’s a straightforward drive northeast to Siteia from where you can reach the likes of Vai beach and Toplou Monastery in the far east. Zakros ancient site sits on the east coast too. Needless to say, the countryside between is full with rural villages where you can stop for a cheap but authentic lunch for a few euros each.
You would certainly need to rent a car if you stayed in Makrigialos as this would enable you to explore the area at your own pace