Best things to do in Achlada in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Achlada is a village in the Malevizi area west of Heraklion, on the hills above the north coast of Crete, roughly 20 km from the city. Achlada gives its name to the district that holds Parasfougario beach, and the resorts of Agia Pelagia and Ligaria lie under 3.5 km away on the coast below. The village itself sits back from the sea among the slopes, so the beaches, the monastery and two gorge walks all involve a short drive down or along.
This is a quieter address than the coast road, within easy reach of Heraklion and its airport but without the seafront crowds. Five beaches lie within about 3 km, and the cluster of tavernas around Agia Pelagia covers most evenings.
Things to do in and around Achlada
Five outings sit within about 8 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Swim at Agia Pelagia, where the sheltered sandy bay lies 2.7 km away, with Cape Souda blocking the summer meltemi so the water stays calm and clear for most of the season.
- Visit the Savvathiana monastery. The monastery near Rogdia stands 2.6 km from the village, in the hills rather than on the coast.
- Walk down the Spiliotissa gorge, which starts 3.8 km away at the old Koukos watermill on the Rogdia-Achlada road and drops to the 10-metre Rechtra waterfall, reached by a steep section with fixed ropes. It opens out at Paliokastro.
- Find the Santorinios canyon, a short gorge 4.2 km off near the Agios Panteleimonas monastery at Fodele, carrying water from Marathos village and the western slopes of Platani into the Fodelianos river. Thick vegetation keeps it largely unexplored.
- Walk the Almiros gorge. The easiest of the three, 7.9 km away, is the nearest canyon to Heraklion and suits a short family outing.
About Achlada and the coast below it
Achlada belongs to Malevizi, the farming and hill country immediately west of Heraklion, and it functions as a village rather than a resort. Achlada has a small ecotourism hotel on its edge and takes its everyday services from the settlements around it, which is what makes the neighbouring coast worth knowing.
Two coastal neighbours carry the rooms and the tavernas. Agia Pelagia, 2.7 km away, wraps around an amphitheatric bay where rock outcrops almost close off the water, and it grew from a fishing settlement into a low-key resort. Ligaria, 3.3 km off and also spelled Lygaria, began as summer houses built by Heraklion families and now has small tavernas, hotels and cafés along its beach; its name comes from the Greek for the willow.
Inland the picture changes again. The village of Fodele lies 3.5 km away in its river valley, and Marathos stands 5.7 km off on the higher ground.
Beaches near Achlada
Five beaches lie within 3.2 km, all in the same sheltered run of coast and all needing a short drive down from the village.
- Agia Pelagia runs 2.7 km away, several hundred metres of sand with patches of small pebbles, narrow at the edges where the sunbeds take up much of the room.
- Kladissos lies 2.9 km away north-west of the resort, fine gravel and calm green water, with the hotel that covers Cape Souda providing umbrellas, deck chairs, bars, showers and changing rooms.
- Psaromoura sits 3 km away and 500 m north of Agia Pelagia, a pebble beach facing east and sheltered from the north-west wind. Nothing stands on the beach itself, but facilities are a short walk off, and local people use it more than visitors do.
- Ligaria begins 3.2 km away inside its own bay, coarse sand and clear turquoise water, well organised with sunbeds, umbrellas and water sports, and closed off from the north-westerlies.
- Parasfougario stands 3.2 km away in the Achlada district itself, on a steep slope between Ligaria and Agia Pelagia. Reaching it means a 20 to 25 minute swim from either neighbour, or a set of stairs from a house above.
Where to eat near Achlada
Eating means dropping down to Agia Pelagia, where the choice concentrates about 2.5 km from the village.
- Marea and Anemos Cocktail Bar & Restaurant sit 2.5 km away on the bay.
- Symposium and Bostani stand 2.6 km away.
- Bloom Cocktail Bar and Food lies 2.6 km from the village.
Getting to Achlada
Leave the north-coast national road at the Agia Pelagia exit and climb the short road into the hills. The village sits above the coast rather than on it, so the last stretch is a few minutes of winding road once you leave the main route.
Heraklion and its airport lie east along the same national road, which makes arrival straightforward, and the drive west towards Rethymno passes the turning. A car is worth having here, because the beaches, the monastery and the gorges are spread across several kilometres of hillside.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Achlada in Crete?
Achlada lies in the Malevizi area west of Heraklion, on the hills above the north coast, with Agia Pelagia 2.7 km below it and the city about 20 km east.
Does Achlada have a beach?
Achlada sits inland, but 5 beaches lie within 3.2 km, and one of them, Parasfougario, falls inside the Achlada district itself. Agia Pelagia and Ligaria are the two with full facilities.
Which beach near Achlada is the calmest?
Agia Pelagia and Ligaria both sit in bays shielded from the north-west wind. Cape Souda blocks the summer meltemi at Agia Pelagia, and Ligaria’s cove closes off the same weather, so both stay calm when the coast further east turns choppy.
How do you reach Parasfougario beach?
By a 20 to 25 minute swim from Ligaria or Agia Pelagia. The beach lies on a steep slope between the two, and the only land route is a set of stairs leading down from a house above it.
Can you walk a gorge from Achlada?
Three canyons lie within 8 km. Spiliotissa, 3.8 km away, drops to a 10-metre waterfall on a rope-assisted descent; Santorinios at Fodele is short but overgrown; and the Almiros gorge, 7.9 km off, is the easy one.
Where Achlada is
Best things to do in Achlada in 2024 is located at Achlada. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
