About the Municipality

Mohos and Krasi

Mohos is located on the hills above Stalis, approximately 37 km east of Heraklion, while Krasi is located 8 km past Mochos, on the way to Lassithi Plateau.

A motorbike trip over the mountains

It's 9 am Saturday morning and Haris' black Honda Transalp motorbike is ready for another run in Crete. We load the cameras and the maps and put our helmets and jackets on. Haris starts the engine and we set off.

Five minutes later we make a short stop in order to buy a few rolls of film. It's 9:15 and Iraklion is being left behind as we take the road to Hersonissos. It's a fine, warm day, so warm that we doubt if this trip was the right choice; perhaps going to the sea would have been a better idea...

Fifteen minutes later we notice a policeman on the right side of the road signalling us to pull over. These meetings with the traffic police are never really pleasant and it proves true for one more time. According to the traffic radar our speed had 104 Km/hour instead of the allowed maximum speed of 70 km/hour! The part of the road that we were travelling on is so straight that it was easy for us to forget the speed limit. It seems that we were not the only ones who had forgotten about the limit as, one after another, more cars are pulled over to learn about their violation of the speed limit. After a short lecture and a fine, we are back on the road trying not to allow this incident to spoil our good mood.

A few minutes later we enjoy a panoramic view of the Hersonissos area. It does look crowded with all these hotels and other buildings but it still looks nice from up here (the new road that bypasses Gouves and Hersonissos). Soon Hersonissos and Stalis are left behind and we turn right to Mohos. It's a road full of curves that ascends on the steep hill above Stalis. The view is getting better and better and it's always a pleasure to drive here, especially late in the evening.

We take a break at the central square of Mohos for some photos of this picturesque little town. Mohos preserves some of its traditional style and it's quite pleasant to spend some time here if you happen to be in the vicinity of Hersonissos, Stalis or Malia. Keep in mind that a traditional Cretan night is arranged for every Wednesday night.

We keep driving past Mohos and we make one or two stops to enjoy the view of the Avdou valley beneath us. Avdou is a small town and many preserved traditional houses can be found if you wander around the narrow streets off the main road.. There are several nice kafeneia (cafes) but my particular favorite will always be Mrs. Erofilli's because of her delicious omelet with fried potatoes (the Cretan omelet).

We follow the sign to Krasi and soon we enter the pretty village. We drive all the way to the main square of the village, there where the huge "platanos" (plane or sycamore) tree is.

"It probably is more than 1000 years old", says Mr. Alexakis who has chosen a spot by the old aqueduct in order to sell his bottled raki. We couldn't wait until our coffee was served before taking the opportunity to sample the raki. The tree is really huge and its cool shadow is a real joy especially in such a warm day. Some tourists appear occasionally; they draw some fresh water from the old aqueduct, look at the tree with amazement and take plenty of photos. There are several kafeneia (cafes) in the village as well as some tavernas; Krasi is famous for the tasty grilled meat that is served here.

Thirty minutes later, one roll of film and some information about the paths in this area we put our helmets back on and drive to Lasithi Plateau. As we drive out of town the old rhyme above the spring is still in my mind:

"Thinking, Knowledge and Beauty met together many years ago in the many leaves of the plane-tree in Krasi. Humanity, Prosperity, Justice and Freedom were moving like wild branches inside those leaves"

How to get to Malia

Get to Malia by Bus:

 There are frequent buses between Heraklion and Malia.

Get to Malia by Car:

 To get to Malia by car, take the National Road east, towards Hersonissos and Agios Nikolaos. Malia is 30-40 minutes’ drive away.

To visit the Malia archaeological site, leave the town heading towards Agios Nikolaos. About 2-3 kilometres from Malia, turn left. The road leading to the Palace of Malia continues down to the sea and the beach. Bear the beach in mind if you get a bit hot touring the archaeological site and want a swim to cool off. You can then continue along the same road back into Malia.

Practical information about Malia

In Malia you will find many apartments and studios for rent, both in coastal Malia and in the narrow streets of the old town.

There are tavernas and restaurants on every corner of every street, of all types and prices for every taste.

There are also lots of car rental places in Malia.

There are even more on the beach road from Malia to Stalis, in Stalis itself and of course in Hersonissos, 8 kilometres to the west.

Most cashpoint machines (ATM) are located in the newer part of Malia. Make sure you have got money before the weekend, because the machines are not always refilled then. Most of the banks and the post office are situated on the main road.

There are two bigger supermarkets, one on the Malia Beach Road and the other one behind the church of Agios Nektarios. Mini markets are situated everywhere in and around Malia.

Public transport is very good in general. A bus service takes you from and to the archeological site of Malia, passing along the beaches of Malia (east) and Stalis (west). Other bus services run along the main street of Malia in both directions. Bus stops are marked with a blue sign, under which timetables are posted.

The taxi rank is in front of Agios Nektarios church.

Malia beach road, the newer Malia

On the north side of the main road is the newer part of Malia, mainly consisting of hotels, apartment, restaurants and bars. Dimokratias Street, running north from the church of Agios Nektarios to the shore, is better known as the Malia Beach Road.

What you see here is a complete different image of Malia compared to the old town. Filled with clubs, bars, cafes, English and Irish pubs and fast food joints, serving anything from souvlaki to pizzas,

What to do in Malia

Visit the old town of Malia behind the large church of Agios Nektarios. In the late afternoon you can stroll through the narrow streets, admire the old houses that remain and sit down for a meal at one of the restaurants bedecked with flowers and greenery. Some of these play live music.

Walk along the beach road to shop, have a coffee, eat or enjoy the nightlife.

At the crossroads you can turn left to go to Stalis. Stalis and Malia were once quite far apart, but now the road between them is full of shops, restaurants, tavernas, cafés and bars, so they seem to have joined into a large agglomeration. The road follows the coast and there are various beaches along it. Go and discover them!

Near the end of the Malia beach road, turn right (east) instead of left (west to Stalis). This road will take you out of Malia to the beautiful sandy beaches nearby, and then to the archaeological site of Malia. The road is lined with restaurants, minimarkets and car rental shops.
About halfway along is a sign to Malia Harbour, a tiny harbour with a half-built marina. The only thing worth seeing here is a little church among the pine trees with a view of the sea.

If you want to be a bit more active you can always visit the Malia Slides, a small waterpark, the Malia Soccer Centre, the Kartland or the Crazy Golf, an 18-hole mini golf course.

From Malia there is a road up to the picturesque village of Krassi with its stream and fountain, huge plane tree and delicious food. The road continues past Krassi to the Monastery of Panagia Kera and the Lassithi Plateau with the Dikteon Cave, one of the two caves on Crete vying for the title of the birthplace of Zeus.

Stalida

Situated in one of the most beautiful areas with its sandy beaches on the north coast, Malia and Stalida offers the ideal starting point by its central geographical location (30km to the airport and the capitol of the island, Heraklion), to discover the whole island.

Stalida offers a wide range of accommodations in all kind of categories.

From simple accommodation up to luxurious hotel suites there surely can be found something in all price categories.

Most accommodations and bigger resorts are nearby the beach. Many of them provide own pools and partly offer entertainment programs and sport facilities. But also on the hill opposite the sea, different kinds of accommodations from pension to apartment resorts can be found. From here there is a splendid panoramic view over the whole bay. The mostly “free view“, no matter from which resort you enjoy it, is guaranteed by the local building regulation which is not permitting to spoil landscape by multi-storey, skyscraper like concrete buildings. In any case it is worth paying attention to the garden architecture of most resorts.

Food and Drink in Stalida

Many nutrition experts praise the “Cretan cuisine” (Cretan-Diet, a standard concept in professional circles) and you definitely should not miss it. In the numerous taverns and restaurants offering national and international cuisine you surely will find dishes for everyone’s taste.

Typical for this region are, according to the season, the different vegetables. Lamb meat, whether in the oven or grilled, could melt in one’s mouth. Did you ever try goat meat? - Pastry filled with cheese or spinach, not to mention the variety of delicious fresh fruit. Have a good glass of Cretan wine (produced in many areas on Crete), enjoy the sunset at the seaside and let dangle your soul.