Makry-Gialos is a famous seaside resort in southeast Crete, in Lassithi Prefecture.
You may know it as
Makrygialos, Makriyialos Makrys Gialos or
Makrigialos, though in recent years the locals have been attempting to establish the name Makry-Gialos, because many people were confusing the village in southern Crete with another of the same name in northern Greece.
If you drive along the road through Makry Gialos from Ierapetra to Sitia, you may not be that impressed. You may think this is just another village not worth stopping for. But if you go a little further east, there is a unique view of the bay of Makry Gialos, revealing all the beauty of the village with its little harbour and large beach.
The name
Makry Gialos (Long Beach) reveals its main advantage, as it is actually a large bay with a beautiful sandy beach over a kilometre long.
What makes Makry Gialos special
Why is Makry Gialos a popular Cretan tourist resort? Because the beaches of Makry Gialos are beautiful, with clear shallow water, it has good food and quite a busy nightlife for its size, and it boasts a very relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, making visitors feel at home as soon as they arrive.
If you have a boat or yacht, you should know that Makry Gialos has a pretty, picturesque harbour, sheltered and safe.
Makry Gialos is a great place for both couples and families. There are not many large hotels, but there is a wide variety of apartments and studios for rent, for travellers in search of peace, quiet and privacy.
In the evening, the local youths gather on the beach road of Makry Gialos to dance the night away in the bars, while families may prefer the quieter little tavernas on the shore, mainly at the east end of the beach.
The best thing about the area (Makry Gialos and Koutsouras) is that it meets the needs of both families, who want more organised facilities, and young people, who are looking for fun, watersports and other activities.
The
beaches of Makry Gialos are among the best in Crete. The good thing is that the sun loungers and beach umbrellas are free of charge, even those right in front of the large hotels.
Makry Gialos Beach
The largest beach at Makry Gialos is that of the same name, which also used to be known locally as “Hani”. Most people just call it “big beach”, because it’s almost a kilometre long.
The beach, which lies in front of the village, has golden sand, very shallow water and a Blue Flag. It is an organised beach with loungers and umbrellas, and all along it are spread the restaurants and cafeterias of Makry Gialos.
Makry Gialos beach
The beach is relatively sheltered from the wind, so you rarely see big waves and most of the watersports facilities are found here.
It is also worth noting that the main beach at Makry Gialos is the shallowest in Lassithi Prefecture, making it ideal for families with small children.
Kalamokania and Katovigli Beaches, west of the harbour
To the west of the harbour is
Kalamokania Beach, where the water is deeper. This beach, too, is sandy, with small pebbles at the end, and is served by the nearby cafés.
Shortly after Kalamokania, in front of the Roman villa, is
Katovigli Beach, a pebble beach providing little shelter from the wind. There are no sun loungers and beach bars, although the harbour with its cafeterias is very close and you can easily get whatever you want from there.
Lagoufa Beach
To the east of the big beach are two smaller ones in front of the large Sunwing and Mikri Poli hotels. These beaches are both called Lagoufa and are a little wider than the western beaches of Makry Gialos.
The beach in front of the “Mikri Poli” Hotel
The beach is sandy with calm, shallow water, as Lagoufa is in a small, picturesque, leeward cove. You can also try waterskiiing, banana boat and other watersports.
The beach in front of the Sunwing Hotel in Makry Gialos
Diaskari and Lagada Beaches
Past Analipsi, on the way to Kapsa Monastery, are another two popular beaches near Makry Gialos, those of Diaskari and Lagada.
Diaskari Beach is quite popular, especially with young people and those who want to avoid the organised beaches. The beach is sandy with small pebbles, but you need to be careful when entering the sea, as there are very slippery slabs of stone in some places.
Lagada Beach
Lagada Beach, 6 km from Makry Gialos, is a large beach which, like Diaskari, is not organised and is best for people who don’t want umbrellas, loungers and beach bars. It is sandy and sheltered, and you can often see nudists there.
Goudouras
Three kilometres after Kapsa Monastery is the
beach at Goudouras, an isolated beach with small pebbles but no umbrellas, loungers or seaside tavernas. What you will certainly find is clear water, as with all the beaches of Makry Gialos.
The tavernas and anything else you may need are to be found in Goudouras village, a relatively short walk away.
How to get to Makry Gialos
Makry Gialos is 38 km south of Sitia and 25 km east of Ierapetra, in the southeast of Lassithi Prefecture. It merges into Koutsouras and Analipsi, the seaside villages to west and east of it.
The road from Ierapetra to Makry Gialos is very good and mostly straight, offering a marvellous view of the various beaches and villages on the way to Makry Gialos.
The road from Sitia to Makry Gialos, on the other hand, winds through the villages of the interior of Lassithi Prefecture, offering a lovely drive through a verdant landscape.
A piece of advice: open your window as you drive from Sitia to Makry Gialos - the area is full of thyme and oleander, the characteristic plant of Lassithi Prefecture. You will be enchanted by the wonderful smell, the scent of Crete itself.
To get to Makry Gialos from Heraklion Airport or port, you need to head towards Agios Nikolaos, then to Ierapetra and on to Makry Gialos. It is 125 km distant, about 2 hours’ drive.
Makry Gialos is 265 km from Chania and 205 km from Rethymno.
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The Cretan town Ierapetra in the prefecture of Lasithi was awarded the Golden Pan-European Prize for the high quality of its beaches. The award was granted by the European Union beaches and coastal areas (EUCC) during a special ceremony in Torres Verdas, Portugal.
