Best things to do in Agaliano in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Agaliano is a village in the Rethymno region of southern Crete, next to Kerames and 7 km from the mountain village of Spili. The village lies south of Rethymno city on the slope above the Libyan Sea, with the first beaches 1.7 km below it. Our page on Kerames, the neighbouring village, places it 49 km south of Rethymno.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Agaliano. The village is also written Agalianos, and it works as a base for a stretch of south coast that stayed undeveloped because the roads down to it are poor: Keramiani Gialia, Akoumiani Gialia and the coves of Drymiskos all lie within 5 km.
Things to do in and around Agaliano
Six outings lie within 7 km of Agaliano, listed here from nearest to furthest.
- Snorkel at Agia Fotini. The small harbour of Agia Fotini, also called Agia Fotia, is 1.9 km from the village and has small pebble beaches ringed by large boulders that suit snorkelling and swimming.
- Drive down to Ligres. Ligres is 2.5 km away at the foot of Siderotas mountain, a wide beach of rough sand with deep water, kept quiet by an access road that puts most people off.
- Hike the Swallows’ Gorge. Chelidonia starts 4 km from Agaliano at the 881 m Kenda peak, passes through Drymiskos village and ends at Drymiskiano Ammoudi beach. It is named after the swallows that gather here each summer, runs dry in high season and needs no special equipment.
- Swim at Preveli. Preveli, 5 km away, is a palm-fringed beach and freshwater lagoon where the Megalos Potamos river meets the Libyan Sea at the mouth of the Kourtaliotiko gorge. A colony of Theophrastus date palms lines the banks, one of the few natural palm forests in Europe.
- Visit the Agio Pnevma monastery. The monastery at Kissos stands 5.2 km from Agaliano.
- Spend a morning in Spili. Spili, 7 km away, is a mountain village at about 430 m on the slopes of Mount Vorizi in the Kedros range, built in tiers of stone houses. It takes its name from the Greek word for cave and is known for its cold running water and shaded square.
About Agaliano and its setting
Agaliano belongs to the southern half of the Rethymno region, in the country between the Kedros mountains and the Libyan Sea. Kerames is its neighbour, and the beaches spread out south of both villages: Keramiani Gialia, named after Kerames, lies north of the Akoumiani Gialia beachfront, which carries Ligres, Triopetra and the Agios Pavlos sandhills. Spili, 7 km inland, is the seat of the Agios Vasileios municipality.
Access is what keeps this coast quiet. A dilapidated asphalt road drops to Keramiani Gialia and ends near the harbour at Agia Fotini, a dirt track carries on from there to the beaches south-east of it, and the coves at Drymiskos stay largely undiscovered because they are harder to reach.
Two gorges cut down through the same hills. The Swallows’ Gorge runs nearly parallel to the Kourtaliotiko, which reaches the sea at Preveli. A separate Agia Fotia gorge lies inland: a lush 1.5 km ravine falling from the Gious Kambos plateau at 750 m to a year-round spring beside the church of Agia Fotini, 1 km east of Spili.
Beaches in and around Agaliano
Agaliano has no beach in the village, but 5 lie within 7 km down the slope, and the nearest is 1.7 km away.
- Pahia Ammos sits 1.7 km away, part of the Keramiani Gialia coast that runs south-east of the Agia Fotini harbour and is reached by a well-kept dirt track.
- Agia Fotini is 1.9 km away, the local port for Kerames, with small pebble beaches among big boulders and the traditional Stavros tavern beside them.
- Ligres lies 2.5 km away, the northern segment of the Akoumiani Gialia beachfront that runs south to the cape of Mellissa. The sand is rough and the sea deep, and a few taverns and rooms sit on its western side at the end of a poorly maintained asphalt road.
- Drymiskos begins 4.6 km away, a 3 km sequence of coves known as Drymiskiani Gialia, broken up by rocks and reefs that make the snorkelling good. Amoudi, the westernmost of them, is where the paved road from Preveli ends and where the short trail to Preveli beach begins.
- Preveli is 5 km away and also called Lake Preveli, Phoenix or Finikas, the most celebrated beach in southern Crete. The Megalos Potamos carries water all year and widens into a lagoon behind the palms.
Where to eat in Agaliano
Eating around Agaliano means driving down to the coast or inland towards Spili, with the nearest tavernas about 2 km from the village.
- Agia Fotia Taverna is 2 km from the village.
- Ligres Beach Taverna stands 2.1 km out, on the beach.
- Cedros Winery and Restaurant sits 4.2 km out.
- Taverne Agamemnon lies 4.8 km out.
- Taverna Apanemia is 5 km out.
Getting to Agaliano
Agaliano is reached from the roads that cross southern Rethymno towards the Libyan Sea. Spili, 7 km inland, is the junction most drivers use, and its position between the north and south coasts is what makes it the standard stop on the way across the island.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to the village, and Rethymno city lies to the north. Agios Pavlos, 6.9 km away on its own cove, has the dunes of Alatsogremni beside it and the rock formations of Apoplystra in between; a car is needed for all of it.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Agaliano in Crete?
Agaliano is a village in the Rethymno region of southern Crete, next to Kerames and 7 km from Spili. It stands south of Rethymno city on the slope above the Libyan Sea.
Does Agaliano have a beach?
Agaliano has no beach in the village, but 5 lie within 7 km. Pahia Ammos is the closest at 1.7 km, followed by the harbour beaches of Agia Fotini at 1.9 km and Ligres at 2.5 km.
How far is Preveli beach from Agaliano?
Preveli beach is 5 km from Agaliano. Its palm forest and lagoon drew hippie travellers in the 1960s and 1970s.
Can you walk a gorge from Agaliano?
The Swallows’ Gorge starts 4 km from Agaliano and is the easiest walk nearby. It drops from Kenda peak through Drymiskos village to the beach at Drymiskiano Ammoudi.
Which airport serves Agaliano?
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport to Agaliano. The village lies in the southern part of the Rethymno region.
Where Agaliano is
Best things to do in Agaliano in 2024 is located at Agalianós. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
