What to Do in Malia on Crete Island

Written by Greek Boston in About Crete Greece, Greek Travel Guide Comments Off on What to Do in Malia on Crete Island

If you plan to visit Crete, the small northeastern town of Malia is worth some time. This seaside community of just over 3,000 people boasts great beaches, good food, and plenty of entertainment options. Don’t forget to bring your camera because you will love the ruins, the beaches, and the ancient buildings. Here’s more information on what you can do here:

Happy Train Tour

This “train” transports people around the area and offers a fun way to take a tour of the area. Once you have a ticket, you can hop on and off. Take a longer tour to see Malia-Stalis-Hersinossos route or ride out to the mountain villages of Krassi or Mojos. Take the bus if you are in hurry, but try the Happy Train for a leisurely cruise around Malia. Consider this option a great way to survey the area at a leisurely pace.

Malia Harbor

If there is a better example of a quaint harbor and beach on Crete, it isn’t in the guide books. This is a small harbor for tiny fishing boats and pleasure craft, not a commercial port by any stretch. You can sit and watch the boats come and go from a table at a cafe along the waterfront. There is a tiny beach, and numerous dining options and bars nearby. The Harbor can be lively, or noisy, in the high season.

Escape Room

If you love escape games, you can indulge yourself in PanIQ, where a series of increasingly difficult puzzles will test the problem-solving ability of your and your travel buddies. You are from the beach and, of course, the escape rooms are a nice break from the hot summer sun. If you are new to escape rooms, PanIQ offers a great opportunity to try this timed puzzle-solving game.

Malia Minoan Palace

You can reach this sprawling site of Bronze-age ruins by bus from Malia, or by taxi. There is a cafe on site, if you need a break from the heat. Some visitors mention a relative lack of information about the excavations, but there are aerial photos and a model showing what some of the palace complex may have looked like. The site is about 3 kilometers outside of the town, and covers approximately one square kilometer.

Potamos Beach

If the Malia Harbor beach is too small, and it is small, try this larger and livelier beach in sight of the hills. Potamos can be crowded on Sundays, but otherwise there seems to be plenty of space. As a bonus, the beach is close to the Minoan Palace site and tends to be less touristy than the main Malia beach. You may be able to rent cheap parasols or sunbeds at the beach or nearby. Plan to bring a hat and a towel.

Whether you are an active traveler, a history fan, or a couple traveling with children this list contains something fun the history buff, photographer, or beach lover. Take your pick of activities and remember to leave some time for unscheduled exploring.

Categorized in: About Crete Greece, Greek Travel Guide

This post was written by Greek Boston