Best things to do in Gournes in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Gournes is a coastal resort village on the north coast of Crete, about 16 km east of Heraklion, sitting between Kokkini Hani and Kato Gouves. Gournes occupies part of a 23-kilometre run of near-continuous beachfront that begins at Vathianos Kambos and ends at Malia. The village keeps a working agricultural plain behind the coast road, where vegetable crops and olive groves still grow, while hotels, tavernas and apartments line the shore side. Two of the busiest visitor attractions in the Heraklion region stand within a kilometre of the village centre, which gives Gournes more to do on a wet or windy day than most resorts of its size.
About Gournes village
Gournes began as a separate village and has since been absorbed into the built-up coast east of Heraklion. Gournes still works the plain behind the shore, where vegetable crops and olive groves grow, while the hotels, apartments and tavernas line the seaward side of the road, so the settlement reads as two halves, farming inland and tourism on the water.
The name carries two explanations. One traces it to the Latin urna, meaning the water troughs once used for livestock, and the other to the Minoan larnakes, the burial urns found in the surrounding area.
Things to do in Gournes
Gournes offers five main activities, listed below in order of how much time they usually take.
- Visit the aquarium. CRETAquarium Thalassokosmos stands less than 1 km from the village centre and holds Mediterranean marine species in walk-through tanks. Allow two to three hours.
- Walk the Agia Anastasia Gorge. The gorge starts inland at Kenourgio Horio, 160 m above sea level, and finishes at Gournes itself, so the walk ends where you are staying. Oleander lines the streambed, and the cavernous chapel of Saint Anastasia near the entrance gives the gorge its name.
- Take children to Dinosauria Park. The park sits beside the aquarium, roughly 900 m from the centre, which makes the two a straightforward half-day pairing.
- Swim at the village beach. Gournes beach runs directly below the resort strip and is described in full further down this page.
- Eat along the seafront. Tavernas, bakeries and grill houses cluster within 1 km of the centre, and several sit directly on the beach road.
Gournes beach
Gournes beach forms one link in the long chain of north-coast beaches running east from Heraklion, and it faces open sea rather than a sheltered bay. Like most beaches on this coast it is exposed to the north wind, so afternoons can turn choppy even when the morning was flat. Small organised stretches with sunbeds and umbrellas alternate with open shingle and sand along the front.
Swimmers who want a calmer morning should arrive early, before the daily northerly builds. Our full write-up of the shoreline, including access points and what each section offers, sits on the Gournes beaches page.
Beaches near Gournes
Four neighbouring beaches lie within a ten-minute drive, and each has a different character.
- Kokkini Hani lies 1.3 km west, a long-established resort whose name means “Kokkinis’s Inn”, after the roadside inn that served travellers here in the early 1900s.
- Kato Gouves sits 2.3 km east, at the foot of Mount Ederi on a valley floor that grew vegetables, olives and cereals before tourism arrived.
- Vathianos Kambos stretches 3.6 km west, a run of linked beaches named after the inland village of Vathia and the seasonal river that reaches the coast here.
- Aposelemis follows 5 km east, where the Aposelemis river meets the sea.
Where to eat in Gournes
Eating options in Gournes concentrate in a tight cluster around the centre and the beach road, all within about a kilometre. The range covers Cretan taverna cooking, grilled meat and bakery food rather than fine dining.
- Ambrosia Taverna serves a Cretan taverna menu, 1 km from the centre.
- Find The Taste By The Sea does seafront cooking, 1 km out.
- Tavern Paximadi is named after the Cretan rusk and stands 1.1 km from the centre.
- Sousami Cretan Bakery sells bread, pies and pastries in the village itself.
- In & Out Grill Pizza covers grilled dishes and pizza, 1 km out.
Getting to Gournes
Reach Gournes from the national road that runs along the north coast, taking the exit signposted for the aquarium. Heraklion airport lies under 10 km west, which makes Gournes one of the closest resorts to the terminal and a common first or last stop on a Crete trip. Hersonissos sits about 10 km east and Heraklion city about 16 km west, so buses along the coast route serve the village through the day.
Drivers heading inland reach the hill villages of the Pediada quickly. The neighbouring resort of Gouves begins 3 km east, and its upper village climbs the slope behind the coast.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Gournes in Crete?
Gournes sits on the north coast of Crete, about 16 km east of Heraklion and roughly 10 km west of Hersonissos. The village falls within the Heraklion region and lies directly on the coastal national road.
How far is Gournes from Heraklion airport?
Heraklion airport is under 10 km west of Gournes, the shortest airport transfer of any resort on this stretch of coast.
What is there to do in Gournes with children?
CRETAquarium Thalassokosmos and Dinosauria Park stand next to each other, under 1 km from the village centre, and together they fill a half day without a car. The beach shelves gradually along most of the resort front, which suits younger swimmers on calm mornings.
Is the sea at Gournes calm?
Mornings are usually calmest. Gournes faces north like the rest of this coastline, so the prevailing northerly wind tends to raise chop through the afternoon, particularly in July and August.
Can you walk a gorge from Gournes?
Yes, the Agia Anastasia Gorge ends at Gournes itself. The route begins inland at Kenourgio Horio at 160 m elevation and follows a streambed lined with oleander down to the coast.
Where Gournes is
Best things to do in Gournes in 2024 is located at Gournes. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
