Best things to do in Moires town in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Moires is a town in the Messara plain, the wide farming lowland that fills the southern part of the Heraklion region. Olive groves run out from the town on every side, and the plain lives on agriculture rather than on tourism. The country around Moires holds a gorge a few kilometres north, ancient sites among the neighbouring villages, and the long beachfront of Messara Bay on the Libyan Sea.
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport, and the drive reaches Moires from the north coast. Our page for Agioi Deka, the neighbouring town 7.9 km away, puts that village 43 km from Heraklion town. A car is worth having once you arrive, because the beaches, the gorges and the villages sit a few kilometres apart on country roads.
Things to do in and around Moires
Six outings lie within about 12 km of the town, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Walk the Apolychnos Gorge. The gorge runs a few kilometres north of Moires through country thick with olive groves, and its 3 km course starts near the village of Panagia and ends at the settlement of Agios Antonios (Vrelis). The exit at Agios Antonios sits beside the main road out of the town, which makes this gorge one of the easier ones to reach.
- Wander Kamilari. The village 7.8 km away has been lived in since the Minoan era and keeps its narrow streets, stone houses and courtyards, with views over the Messara olive groves and the Libyan Sea. The community of Metohi beside Kamilari was once home to Epimenidis, one of the seven wise men of the ancient world.
- See ancient Gortyn at Agioi Deka. The town 7.9 km away is built on the ruins of ancient Gortyn, where the Holy Ten Martyrs were killed, and 820 people live there now. Vines and olives are the main crops, and the surrounding area holds the oldest olive grove in Crete.
- Drive through Pitsidia to Kommos. The village 9.3 km away sits close to Kommos beach, and the turning for the beach is signposted near Pitsidia on the road towards Matala.
- Hike the Rouvas Gorge. The gorge lies between the Ambelakia and Samari peaks and spans 4 km, of which the Forest Service has developed 2.7 km for hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing and wildlife watching. Its exit reaches Zaros, 9.3 km from Moires, beside the Saint Nicholas monastery that gives the gorge one of its names.
- Spend a day on Messara Bay. Kalamaki and Kommos are the two closest beaches we cover, and both are described further down this page.
About the town and its setting
Moires is a working town rather than a resort, and that shapes what a stay here looks like. Cafés, grill houses, bakeries and shops cluster within 300 m of the centre, enough to cover a self-catering week without a drive. No seafront is within walking distance, so the town suits travellers who want the Messara at close range and do not mind driving to the sea.
The setting is farmland, and the oldest olive grove in Crete grows in the country around Agioi Deka. Each village on the plain holds something different: Kamilari has kept its traditional architecture, Zaros stands at the mouth of the Rouvas Gorge, and Timpaki lies 9.9 km out. Two further gorges, Tripiti and Trafoulas, need a longer drive.
Beaches in and around Moires
Moires has no beach of its own, because the town stands inland on the plain. The two closest beaches we cover belong to the Messara Bay beachfront on the Libyan Sea.
- Kalamaki is a seaside hamlet between Matala and Kokkinos Pirgos, 65 km south-west of Heraklion. Its beach runs 2.5 km along the Messara Bay coastline in front of the village, and the sand hides a flat rock bed under the water. Northwest winds usually raise large waves here, and the rocky seabed can make getting in awkward. The village end carries sunbeds, umbrellas, eateries, a lifeguard and water sports.
- Kommos forms the southernmost and remotest section of the same beachfront, 66 km south-west of Heraklion and 2 km north of Matala. Kommos once served as the port of Phaestus, and the remains of that ancient port are still visible on the beach. Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) nest here, the seabed turns rocky in places, and the beachfront takes the prevailing westerly winds.
Where to eat in Moires
Eating in Moires means grill houses, pizza and town cafés, all within a few hundred metres of the centre.
- Kalathakia Grill House serves grilled food in the centre of the town.
- Cafe Across is a kafeneio in the centre.
- Pizza Ammos In The City does pizza 100 m from the centre.
- Frangiadis Skewer Shop grills skewers 100 m out.
- Enter Cafe pours coffee 200 m from the centre.
- Ianos Cafe Bistro combines café and bistro food 300 m out.
Getting to Moires
Moires stands on the main road that crosses the Messara plain, reached from Heraklion on the north coast. Heraklion airport is the nearest airport, and most visitors pick up a car there, since the plain spreads its sights over ten or so kilometres.
Neighbouring towns are close enough for short hops: Kamilari 7.8 km out, Agioi Deka 7.9 km, Pitsidia and Zaros 9.3 km each, Timpaki 9.9 km. The road towards Matala carries on past Pitsidia to Kommos and the southern end of Messara Bay.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Moires in Crete?
Moires lies in the Messara plain, in the southern part of the Heraklion region. The town sits inland among olive groves, with the Libyan Sea coast of Messara Bay beyond the villages to its south.
Does Moires have a beach?
Moires has no beach, because the town stands inland on the plain. Kalamaki and Kommos are the two closest beaches we cover, both on the Messara Bay beachfront and both a drive away.
Which gorge is closest to Moires?
The Apolychnos Gorge is the closest, a few kilometres north of the town. It runs roughly 3 km from Panagia to Agios Antonios, and the exit there is next to the main road from Moires.
Which airport serves Moires?
Heraklion airport (HER) is the nearest airport to Moires. Our Agioi Deka page puts that neighbouring town, 7.9 km from Moires, 43 km from Heraklion town.
What can you do around Moires on a day out?
A day out from Moires usually pairs a village with a gorge or a beach. Agioi Deka and the ruins of ancient Gortyn sit 7.9 km away, Kamilari 7.8 km, and the Messara Bay beaches lie beyond Pitsidia on the road to Matala.
Where Moires town is
Best things to do in Moires town in 2024 is located at Moires town. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
