Best things to do in Agia Varvara village in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Agia Varvara is a mountain village in the Heraklion region of Crete, standing at 580 m at the highest point of the road between the Messara plain and the Malevizi region. Agia Varvara sits south-west of Heraklion city, on the main north-south axis of the island. The village is known for the fruit and vegetables grown in the soil around it, and its height keeps it cooler than the coast through the hottest months.
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport to Agia Varvara. The village has no beach and no coastline of its own, so what fills a day here is walking: 4 gorges open within 10 km, an ancient site lies 3.5 km away, and a distillery, an olive museum and a run of village tavernas sit inside the same radius.
Things to do in and around Agia Varvara
Six outings lie within 10 km of Agia Varvara, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Visit the Zargianakis distillery. The distillery stands 2.3 km from the village and is the closest attraction to it.
- See ancient Rizinia. The archaeological site of Rizinia lies 3.5 km away, closer to the village than any of the gorges.
- Walk the Agios Charalambos gorge. The gorge lies 4.8 km from Agia Varvara, south of Ano Asites village, and takes its name from the church built under a rock near its entrance. The walk starts at the Agios Charalambos chapel, set inside a large rock shelter, and drops along the river past a series of ponds. Water fills the bed until mid-spring, and walkers then have to keep to the walls instead of the streambed.
- Tour the Open Museum of Olives. The museum sits 5.2 km from the village and covers the crop that shapes the farmland around it.
- Hike the Agios Antonios gorge. Agios Antonios opens 7 km away, west of Ano Asites, where the same river that formed the Agios Charalambos gorge cuts a deep canyon. The descent begins near the Byzantine church of St Anthony, which has a drinking water spring, and the path runs under plane trees as part of the European E4 route before ending at Kerasia village near the Faneromeni church.
- Reach the Rouvas gorge. Rouvas, also called Gafaris, lies 9.1 km from Agia Varvara and is the furthest of the 4 gorges within reach of the village.
About Agia Varvara village
Agia Varvara village stands where the north-south road reaches its highest ground, 580 m above the sea. Agia Varvara looks out over the Malevizi region from that height, and its cool air draws people up from the coast in the hottest weeks of summer. Fruit and vegetables grown in the fertile soil around the village are what it is known for.
The village’s place on the island’s main axis put it in the path of fighting through its history. Mathiou Kapitakis, known too as Mathioudakis, was one of its fighters, serving alongside Karaiskakis and dying at Faliro. Rooms are listed on our separate Agia Varvara village page, which carries 7 hotels and villas in and around the settlement.
Where to eat in Agia Varvara
Eating around Agia Varvara means village tavernas, cafés and a wood-oven bakery, with the nearest 400 m from the centre and the furthest 5.4 km out.
- Dia Kriton – Savouidakis sits 400 m from the centre, the closest option to the village.
- G&P Cafe Bar is a café bar, 2.8 km out.
- Xylouris Wood Oven Bakery runs a wood-oven bakery, 2.9 km out.
- Magkas All Day Cafe stands 3 km out, another café.
- Digenis Lake Tavern cooks taverna food, 3.4 km out.
- The Platanos of the Group is a village kafeneio, 5.4 km out.
Getting to Agia Varvara
Drive to Agia Varvara on the road that links the Messara plain with the Malevizi region, the main north-south route across this part of Crete. The village occupies the highest point of that road, 580 m above the sea. Heraklion city lies north-east of Agia Varvara, and Heraklion airport (HER) is the closest airport to it.
One more town sits within 10 km of the village. Zaros lies 9 km from Agia Varvara, and the two gorges that share a river both open around Ano Asites, 4.8 km and 7 km out.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Agia Varvara in Crete?
Agia Varvara stands at 580 m, at the highest point of the road between the Messara plain and the Malevizi region, in the Heraklion region south-west of Heraklion city. The village sits on the island’s main north-south axis rather than on any coast.
What is there to do in Agia Varvara?
Four gorges, an ancient site, a distillery and an olive museum all lie within 10 km of Agia Varvara. The Agios Charalambos gorge, 4.8 km out, is the closest walk, and ancient Rizinia, 3.5 km out, is the closest archaeological site.
Does Agia Varvara have a beach?
Agia Varvara has no beach. The village stands inland at 580 m, and the outings around it are gorge walks, an archaeological site and village tavernas rather than swimming.
Which gorges can you walk from Agia Varvara?
Four gorges lie within 10 km of Agia Varvara. Agios Charalambos is 4.8 km away, Agios Antonios 7 km, Venerato 7.1 km and Rouvas 9.1 km, and the first two share the same river.
Why do people visit Agia Varvara in summer?
Agia Varvara stays cooler than the coast because it sits at 580 m. The village looks out over the Malevizi region from that height, and people come up from the coast in the hottest weeks of summer.
Which airport is nearest to Agia Varvara?
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport to Agia Varvara. The village lies south-west of Heraklion city, at the highest point of the road between the Messara plain and the Malevizi region.
Where Agia Varvara village is
Best things to do in Agia Varvara village in 2024 is located at Agia Varvara town. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
