Best things to do in Arvi in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Arvi is a coastal village in the Lasithi region of southern Crete, about 26 km west of Ierapetra. Arvi stands on the site of the ancient city of the same name, in a small valley below the Arvi Gorge. Greenhouses fill that valley and the land around it, and most people here work in agriculture rather than tourism. The warm climate of this stretch of the south coast grows bananas, fresh vegetables and olive oil.
Heraklion airport lies 46 km away, so Arvi is a drive from every arrival point rather than a short transfer. Tourism in the village has grown in recent years, mostly on the strength of the beaches along the coast either side of it.
Things to do in and around Arvi
Five outings lie within about 10 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Visit the Agios Antonios monastery. The monastery stands 1.2 km from the village.
- Look up at the Arvi Gorge. The canyon splits Arvion Mount in two directly north of the village, 1.5 km out, and the shrine of Zeus Arveios once stood here. Arvi Gorge is cut from the limestone of Mount Dikti, but a run of waterfalls in succession makes it technical: canyoning equipment and torches are needed to go through it.
- Swim at Sidonia. The beach 4 km away is also called Syndonia, Kato Psari or Psari Forada beach. Sidonia lies 1 km south of Psari Forada village in a ravine cut by a small stream, and fishermen and farmers from Kalami, 9 km north, once settled it.
- Descend the Panagia Keralimeniotissa canyon. The 600 m route 4.2 km from Arvi carries six rappels, the highest of them about 15 m, and a small group gets through it in roughly an hour and a half. Speleological clubs have bolted the canyon, which is also called Kalami I.
- Drive up to Riza. The village 9.4 km away sits at 540 m in the southern Dikti range. Riza has a busy square and a tavern-coffee house built by the local association, where people from across the district meet for coffee and raki, and the traditional Cretan musician Manolis Alexakis comes from here.
About the village and its setting
Arvi is a farming village that took in tourism later, and the greenhouses are the clearest sign of it. The valley grows bananas, vegetables and olives under a climate warm enough for subtropical fruit, and Arvi bananas became known across Greece for their aroma and taste after the country banned banana imports in 1981.
Inland the ground rises fast into the Dikti mountains. Ano Viannos, 8 km away on the southern slopes at 560 m, has kept narrow paved streets, stone houses and old kafeneia, and the churches of Agios Georgios and Agia Pelagia there carry 14th-century wall paintings. Two more canyons cut the same slopes within 9 km, Portela Gorge at 7.3 km and the Holy Apostles Gorge at Lapathos, 8.4 km out, and the coastal village of Myrtos lies 11.9 km east.
Beaches in and around Arvi
Arvi sits on the coast and 4 more beaches lie within 7 km of it, all of them west along the same shore. The pattern repeats: a stream or river reaches the sea through a valley, a small settlement sits behind the sand, and greenhouses fill the ground between.
- Faflagos sits 2.6 km away, a sprawling beach of coarse grey sand broken by quiet inlets, below a small village in the valley of the Blavaris, a river that rises at Kato Symi and usually runs dry in summer. Amenities stop at a few rooms, a canteen and some trees for shade, and the long beach of Latomia lies immediately west.
- Sidonia lies 4 km away in a small valley 1 km south of Psari Forada village, on ground thought to be the ancient town of Sidonia. Tourist development at Psari Forada has stayed modest.
- Armenopetra is 4.8 km away between the Skoutaris river and the village of Monobouka, a mix of small pebbles and sand with blue water. The name means sailing rock, after the large rock standing in the middle of the beach, and greenhouses are most of what stands behind it.
- Keratokambos stands 6.6 km away, a small seaside resort with the settlement of Kastri beside it, fronted by a sandy beach that runs several kilometres in both directions. The organised part adjoins the village east of the harbour and reaches the Keratokambitis river; large pebbles in places suit snorkelling.
Where to eat in Arvi
Eating in Arvi happens in a tight cluster within 300 m of the centre. Tavernas, a pizza café and a snack bar sit side by side.
- Taverna Diktina is in the village, 200 m from the centre.
- Taverna To Kima stands 200 m from the centre.
- Ritrovo Pizza and Cafe serves pizza and coffee, 200 m out.
- En Plo Cafe Snack Bar has snacks and coffee, 200 m out.
- Taverna Koufoyannis sits 4 km along the coast.
Getting to Arvi
Arvi is reached on the south-coast roads of the Viannos district, below the southern slopes of Dikti. Ierapetra lies 25.6 km east, Agios Nikolaos 32.4 km and Hersonissos 36.7 km. Heraklion airport is 46 km away.
A car is close to essential, because the beaches, the canyons and the mountain villages of Ano Viannos and Riza all need short drives on thinly served roads.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Arvi in Crete?
Arvi lies about 26 km west of Ierapetra, on the south coast of Crete in the Lasithi region, in a valley below the Arvi Gorge.
Does Arvi have a beach?
Arvi is a coastal village with a beach, and 4 more lie within 7 km to the west. Faflagos, 2.6 km away, is the nearest of them, and Keratokambos at 6.6 km is the one with an organised resort front.
How far is Arvi from Heraklion airport?
Heraklion airport sits 46 km from Arvi, which makes it the nearest terminal despite the village lying on the opposite coast.
What are Arvi bananas?
Arvi bananas are the fruit grown in the greenhouses of the Arvi valley, known across Greece for their aroma and taste. They gained that reputation after Greece banned banana imports in 1981.
Can you walk the Arvi Gorge?
No: the Arvi Gorge is a technical canyon rather than a walking route. A succession of waterfalls runs through it, so canyoning equipment and torches are needed. The Panagia Keralimeniotissa canyon, 4.2 km away, is technical too, with six rappels in 600 m.
Where Arvi is
Best things to do in Arvi in 2024 is located at Arvi. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
