Crete – The South Coast – Part 2
The second part of our journey along Crete’s south coast, with a view of the Libyan Sea, takes us to:
Agia Galini
Once a sleepy fishing village, Agia Galini is now a popular seaside resort in the south of the island, as it has not lost its charm despite being developed for tourism. Even from Heraklion airport, it only takes a good hour’s drive on well-maintained roads to reach this inviting coastal village.
Agia Galini is partly located on a hill from which you have a fabolous view of the sea, the bay and the small harbor.
Many restaurants line the beach promenade and the village center. In addition to numerous shopping opportunities, there is a wide range of excursions and activities on offer, too. We love the relaxed atmosphere in the village, although Agia Galini is quite touristy by south coast standards.
Hotel Palazzo Greco
When we are in Agia Galini, we stay at the Hotel Palazzo Greco*, which is located on the edge of the village on the cliffs and it offers an incredibly beautiful view of the bay and the beach.
We love having breakfast on the terrace when the weather is nice, which is usually the case. The buffet is not particularly large, but is lovingly arranged and offers some local specialties as well. In addition, the location of the Palazzo Greco is perfect in our eyes. You can walk to the heart of the village and the harbor on one side and the long beach with bars and restaurants on the other side in just a few minutes.
As our lives revolve a lot around delicious food and a nice atmosphere, we will show you two wonderful restaurant tips near Agia Galini now. Tuck in!
If you like a stroll then the next destinatiion is about a 20-30 Min walk away from Agia Galini. Otherwise, it’s about a 5-minute drive to a very original taverna on Crete’s south coast.
Charlies Place Taverna
Shortly after leaving the village, you have to follow a dusty dirt track off the main road to the left that seems to lead into no man’s land. But far from it, at the end of the road is the cozy tavern, which offers a beautiful view of the mountains. What makes Charlie’s Place so special?
The friendly owner, Charlie, is a very unique one-man show. He cooks, takes orders, serves food and drinks, collects, washes up and basically does everything that’s involved in running a taverna himself… Seriously! Ta-da! Here comes Charly! He always has a friendly smile on his lips and is extremely charming. Many dishes are prepared from home-grown ingredients, everything is fresh and reasonably priced. But watch out – if you’re in a hurry, you’ve come to the wrong place. It’s certainly admirable how he manages it all on his own. Hats off, Charly!
The second gastronomic tip is particularly close to my heart, as this magical place completely captivated us and is one of our absolute favorite places in the world.
Agios Georgios Taverna, our favorite place on Crete’s south coast
The small hippie-style taverna is located on the beach which has the same name and invites you to spend a relaxing day on the terrace. In between, you can jump into the cool water and the children can run and play on the beach.
We have only been there during low season and it was always wonderfully relaxed and restful. The owner Geogios, with his magnificent full beard and sparkling eyes, is a real original and we always feel very welcome and at home in his taverna.
Agios Georgius is a real happy-place where you can forget all your worries and simply linger and enjoy life. All the food that we have tried so far was great, our absolute favorite dish is the shrimp pasta. Not even in Italy does it taste this good! Yuuuum!
And to end the day nicely, but depending on the season, you can watch a divine sunset from there with a drink in your hand. Amen.
And because it is so beautiful, I also have a little video of the taverne her vor you:
Talking about hippy-vibes, the next destination also fits the theme perfectly.
Matala
The world-famous hippy village is located approx. 35 minutes’ drive south of Agia Galini. Legend has it that Zeus, the father of the Greek gods, once rose from the sea in Matala in the form of a bull, together with the princess Europa. Matala is also famous for its hippie caves. It is said that Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan also lived in the caves for a time at the end of the 1960s. Nowadays, some of the caves can be visited for an entrance fee. As I suffer from a fear of heights, I was only moderately enthusiastic about this activity, but I did climb around the caved for a little while.
Of course, Matala is also a great place to sit by the sea and have a good time in one of the many tavernas, cafés and restaurants. As a big fan of bohemian chic, I was naturally delighted with the beautiful beach bar “Boho”, which is located on the edge of the sandy beach in Matala Bay.
If you still haven’t had enough of the hippie and boho beach vibes after your trip to Matala, head to Kommos Beach and visit the
Bunga Bunga!
The beach bar is located at the southern end of the beach, just 10 minutes by car away from Matala. You can hire beach loungers in front of the Bunga Bunga and the beach area is also great for swimming and splashing around. The ambience of the Bunga Bunga is really nice if you don’t expect luxury. My only criticism would be that you can certainly find better value for money in Crete. In my opinion, the food is slightly overpriced and the service was mediocre when we were there. But the beautiful location makes up for a lot.
As all good things come in threes, I’m now adding the third Boho Hippie Beach Bar. At the northern end of Kommos Beach you will find a super relaxed beach bar.
Karibu Snack Bar
A small self-service kiosk with snacks and drinks invites you to linger in the colorful seating area of the garden. Here you can sip a cool drink in the shade when it gets too hot on the beach, or watch the sunset to the sound of relaxing music. Cheers!
Pitsidia, a romantic village in the south of Crete
If you want to see something other than the beach, sea and cool beach bars, you could take a trip to the picturesque village of Pitsidia, which is also not far from Matala. We really enjoyed the stroll through the village. There is a cute little village square, a typical local church and lots of little alleyways, restaurants and a few shops.
Our journey continues south. The next stop is one of the most famous monasteries on Crete’s south coast.
The Odigetria Monastery
In the 14th century, the monastery was built like a fortress in the mass of the Asterousia Mountains; parts of the wall and the old escape tower still exist.
You can visit an old monk’s cell and take a look at the old equipment that was once used in everyday monastery life, such as an old oil mill or tools.
There is an incredibly peaceful atmosphere within the monastery grounds. During our visit, we were largely the only visitors and apart from a few old monks, we hardly met anyone, which added to the peaceful vibes.
But before you set off on your onward journey, you should definitely stop by the small monastery store. There you can stock up on local, partly home-made products such as soaps, creams, honey, olive oil, raki or sweets.
The last excursion on our trip along the south coast of Crete took us a little way back west towards Plakias. There was no way we were going to miss out on a visit to one of Crete’s wonderful palm-lined beaches.
Preveli, probably the most famous beach in the south of Crete
After a short hike from the parking lot along the cliffs, we were rewarded with a gigantic view over the beach and the palm forest above the bay. Tip: Sturdy shoes are recommended for this walk.
Down on the beach, on the edge of the palm forest, you can start your walk through the forest and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. There is also a snack bar on the beach with simple dishes and refreshments. We were out and about quite early in the morning and were able to explore the bay with just a few other tourists, whereas later on – even in the low season – it became much more crowded. It is worth beeing an early bird here!
Little Triopetra, our insider tip on the south coast of Crete
On the way back to Agia Galini, we decided to stop off at Triopetra beach for another dip in the sea and some refreshments. The water here, like almost everywhere on Crete’s south coast, was crystal clear and still pleasantly warm even in October. The Apanemia taverna is beautifully situated right on the beach, not crowded and the food was absolutely delicious. We recommend a visit at Little od Small Triopetra beach, it’s just gorgeous!
Although the whole of Crete is beautiful, we are particularly captivated by the south coast. Because there you can still find a lot of originality and tranquillity. The weather is often better in the south than in the north, and even in the winter months the Libyan Sea can still be warm enough for swimming.
For more Crete tips in the north, please click here! Because we weren’t just traveling along the south coast of Crete.
