Best things to do in Galia village in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Galia is a village in the Heraklion region of southern Crete, 6.8 km from the town of Zaros and south-west of Heraklion city. The Apolychnos gorge runs 1.9 km from the village, and the Messara plain towns of Agioi Deka and Timpaki lie 8.5 km and 9.2 km away. Galia sits in olive country: the ground around the gorge is thick with groves, and the farms of the plain below grow vines, olives and vegetables.
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport to Galia. The village has no hotel strip, so it works as a quiet address for the Messara: the ancient city of Gortyn, the lake and gorge at Zaros, and 2 walking ravines all lie within 10 km.
Things to do in and around Galia
Five outings lie within reach of Galia, listed here from nearest to furthest.
- Walk the Apolychnos Gorge. Apolychnos is 1.9 km from Galia and is a narrow valley about 3 km long, running from near the village of Panagia down to the settlement of Agios Antonios, also called Vrelis. The Tourki stream carries water through it from a valley west of Makres village into the Geropotamos river, and the exit end is the easy one to join because it sits beside the main road from Mires.
- Spend a day at Zaros. Zaros stands 6.8 km away at 340 m, holds 3,400 residents and is known for Lake Votomos, for water mills that have run since the 16th century, and for spring water bottled by Votomos SA. Cafés sit beside the lake and the tavern I Limni serves fresh trout.
- See Gortyn at Agioi Deka. The small town 8.5 km from Galia is built on the ruins of the ancient city of Gortyn, where the Holy Ten Martyrs were put to death. It has 820 residents, lives on vines and olives, and the oldest olive grove in Crete stands in the area.
- Hike the Rouvas Gorge. Rouvas lies 9.9 km away between the Ambelakia and Samari peaks, and 2.7 km of its 4 km length has been laid out by the Forest Service for hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing and wildlife watching. It is named after the St Nicholas monastery near its exit at Zaros.
- Drive down to the south coast. Kokkinos Pirgos, the port of Timbaki, fronts a long sandy beach that runs south-east towards Kommos and is a nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles in summer.
About Galia and its setting
Galia is a farming village on the inland side of the Messara, between the Zaros hill country and the plain. The Apolychnos gorge cuts through olive groves 1.9 km away, a few kilometres north of the town of Mires, and the main road from Mires passes its exit. That road is the everyday route for the village.
The towns around Galia each do something different. Zaros, 6.8 km away, lives on olive oil, sultanas, vegetables and spring water, and holds archaeological sites and monasteries as well as its lake. Agioi Deka, 8.5 km out on the plain, farms vines and olives on the site of ancient Gortyn. Timpaki at 9.2 km, Kamilari at 8.6 km and Pitsidia at 10.5 km carry the accommodation and the services of the western Messara.
Galia itself keeps no beach and no resort front. The nearest coast is the south shore at Kokkinos Pirgos, whose own page places it 67 km west of Heraklion near the town of Tymbaki; the beach there is long and sandy and the village behind it has hotels, eating places and cafés. Walkers with more time have 2 further gorges in the district, Agios Charalambos and Tripiti.
Where to eat in Galia
Eating around Galia starts with a tavern 1.8 km from the village and continues in the cluster of grill houses and cafés about 3 km away.
- Apolychnos Tavern sits 1.8 km from the village, named after the gorge.
- Kalathakia Grill House lies 2.9 km out.
- Frangiadis Skewer Shop is 2.9 km out.
- Pizza Ammos in the City stands 2.9 km out.
- Cafe Across sits 2.9 km out, a kafeneion.
Getting to Galia
Galia is reached from the main road out of Mires, which runs past the exit of the Apolychnos gorge 1.9 km from the village. Zaros lies 6.8 km in one direction and the plain towns of Agioi Deka, Kamilari and Timpaki between 8.5 km and 9.2 km in the other.
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport to the village. Everything on this page sits between 1.9 km and about 12 km away on roads that link the Messara villages to one another, so a car is the practical way to use Galia as a base.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Galia village in Crete?
Galia is a village in the Heraklion region, 6.8 km from Zaros and south-west of Heraklion city. It stands on the inland edge of the Messara, near the plain towns of Agioi Deka and Timpaki.
Does Galia have a beach?
No, Galia is an inland village with no beach of its own. The nearest coast is the south shore at Kokkinos Pirgos, where a long sandy beach runs south-east towards Kommos.
Can you walk a gorge from Galia?
Yes, the Apolychnos gorge lies 1.9 km from Galia. It runs roughly 3 km from near Panagia village down to Agios Antonios, and the Rouvas gorge, 9.9 km away, is the longer walk with 2.7 km of prepared path.
What is there to see near Galia?
The ruins of ancient Gortyn at Agioi Deka, 8.5 km away, are the main archaeological draw near Galia. Zaros, 6.8 km out, adds Lake Votomos, monasteries and water mills that have worked since the 16th century.
Which airport serves Galia?
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport to Galia. The village lies south-west of Heraklion city, on the far side of the island from the north-coast resorts.
Where Galia village is
Best things to do in Galia village in 2024 is located at Galia village. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
