Piskopianó
Piskopiano is a traditional village just inland from the Hersonissos resort in the Heraklion region, 1.2 km south of Hersonissos and 22 km east of Heraklion. Piskopiano is one of three old villages that sit alongside the resort centre, together with Koutouloufari and Old Hersonissos, and the three of them show a quieter side of Cretan life than the seafront below. The village has no coast of its own, so its tavernas, bars and cafés cluster around the centre rather than along a beach road.
Heraklion airport lies about 19 km west, which puts the village within a short transfer of arrival. Piskopiano works as a place to sleep and eat within walking reach of a large resort, with the beaches, shops and nightlife of Hersonissos 1.2 km away.
Things to do in Piskopiano
Five outings sit within about 5 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- See the rural life museum. The Parlamas Museum of Rural Life stands 0.1 km from the village centre, close enough to reach on foot from anywhere in Piskopiano.
- Spend a day in the resort. The centre of Hersonissos is 1.2 km north and holds beaches, tavernas, shops, children’s video game arcades and a nightlife that runs every evening, from discos and beach bars to Irish pubs and cafés.
- Swim in the sheltered coves. The Sarandaris coves, also called Limanakia, run from Cape Sarandaris to Hersonissos harbour 2.6 km away, and the cape shields them from the strong north-west winds.
- Visit the folklore museum east of the port. The coves along the Drapanos shoreline start 2 km from Hersonissos port, 2.5 km from the village, and the Lychnostatis Folklore Museum stands beside them.
- Walk the Aposelemis gorge. The canyon is the longest in the northern part of the Heraklion prefecture and ends at the settlement of Agriana near Hersonissos, 4.2 km from Piskopiano.
About the village and its setting
Piskopiano is one of the three traditional villages that sit behind the Hersonissos resort centre, and that pairing shapes the whole place. Koutouloufari and Old Hersonissos are the other two, and all three keep a village layout while the built-up coast handles the hotels and the beach clubs.
Everyday life in the village happens within a few hundred metres. Tavernas, bars and cafés sit in the centre or within 0.4 km of it, and the museum of rural life is 0.1 km from the middle of it. Hersonissos itself is officially called Limenas Chersonisou and counts as one of the island’s most popular holiday bases, so the village sits beside a lot of activity without carrying it.
Beaches near Piskopiano
Piskopiano has no beach of its own, and 5 stretches of coast lie within 5 km. The seas around Hersonissos are calmer than most of the north coast, where the prevailing northern winds usually decide what swimming is like.
- Hersonissos is 1.2 km away, where the quietest sand lies west of the port behind Cape Sarandaris and the busiest beaches lie east of it.
- Drapanos sits 2.5 km away, a run of coves reaching to Drapanos Cape that takes in Star Beach as well as small sandy and pebbly coves further east, some of them cooled by freshwater springs in the sea.
- The Sarandaris coves lie 2.6 km away, calm water under Cape Sarandaris, with a concrete dock for diving near the St George Sarandaris chapel and a rocky seabed that suits snorkelling.
- Anissaras lies 3.5 km away, small sandy beaches in front of large hotels, with rocky seabeds that draw snorkellers and regular waves to watch for.
- Analipsi stands 4.5 km away, named after the Ascension of Christ church, set in a fertile valley of olive groves and less touristy than the resorts around it.
Where to eat in Piskopiano
Eating and drinking in Piskopiano means a tight cluster of tavernas, bars and cafés in and around the village centre, all inside half a kilometre.
- Kostas Tavern Meze is a taverna serving meze in the village centre.
- Nostos Bar is a bar in the centre of the village.
- Realm Bar Piskopiano is a second bar, also in the centre.
- Aposperída stands 0.1 km from the centre.
- Rouga Tou Mpaoula sits 0.3 km from the centre.
- L’Arco Bites and Spirits serves small plates and drinks, 0.4 km out.
Getting to Piskopiano
Piskopiano is reached from Hersonissos, the coastal resort 1.2 km north, and most visitors turn inland there. Heraklion airport sits about 19 km west, and Heraklion city 22 km west, so transfers from either are short.
Agios Nikolaos lies 33 km south-east for a day trip in the other direction. The resort of Stalis is 4.2 km away, built along a single coastal road with no central square, and its name comes from the Greek verb stalizo, a place of rest, after the shepherds who once stopped there.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Piskopiano in Crete?
Piskopiano lies 1.2 km south of Hersonissos and about 22 km east of Heraklion, inland from the north coast in the Heraklion region.
Does Piskopiano have a beach?
Piskopiano has no beach of its own, but 5 lie within 5 km. The Hersonissos beaches are the closest at 1.2 km, and the Sarandaris coves 2.6 km away stay calmer because Cape Sarandaris blocks the north-west wind.
How far is Piskopiano from Heraklion airport?
Heraklion airport is about 19 km west of Piskopiano, a shorter run than the 22 km into Heraklion city itself.
Is Piskopiano quieter than Hersonissos?
Piskopiano is one of three traditional villages that show a quieter side of Cretan life than the resort centre, alongside Koutouloufari and Old Hersonissos. The nightlife, the arcades and the beach bars stay down on the coast, 1.2 km away.
What is there to do in Piskopiano?
The museum of rural life, 0.1 km from the centre, is the one sight inside the village. Everything else sits within 5 km: the Hersonissos beaches, the Sarandaris and Drapanos coves with the Lychnostatis Folklore Museum beside them, and the Aposelemis gorge 4.2 km away.
Location
Piskopianó is located at Piskopianó, in the Heraklion region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
