The Village of Agia Galiniby Minoa.info / Juhani
Updated 13.03.2014
Agia Galini, a holiday resort on the South coast, is built on a steep slope. In the past it was a harbour of ancient Sivritos, and was not founded until 1884. Nowadays the population is about 1000. The centre of the village is full of shops and the parking area of the harbour is surrounded by taverns. Because of its location, off the main road from Rethymno to Mires, the village is peaceful, and there is no through traffic. On the East and West side there is a beach. Panoramic photo from the tavern to the sea. In the daytime the
village is sleepy, but in the evening, it comes alive with
holidaymakers. Accommodation is provided by a number of two to four star
hotels. There is no regular
service from the harbour, but by taxi ferry it is easy to reach many places on the coast. Panoramic photo from the harbor.
Only the top of the village can be seen when arriving from the east by the main road. Beyond the village are the Paxi Mathia islands (see the uppermost photo). It’s easy to reach Agia Galini by bus, taxi or rental car, from Rethymno it is about 60 km, a 45 minutes drive. To the southeast of Agia Galini is the resort of Matala, well-known for its ‘hippie caves’. From Agia Galini it is easy to visit the ancient town of Gortys and the Minoan excavations in Agia Triada and Faistos.
In the village there are statues of Ikaros and his father Daidalos on a cliff where, according to myth, Ikaros flew away from Crete. Panoramic photo from the harbor parking area to the village.
BOOK A HOTEL in Agia Galini
BOOK A HOTEL in Matala
Minoa.info map of the area
Coordinates to Agia Galini 35 5’45.26N 24 41’17.58E
Agia Galini on Google maps
