Best things to do in Kirianna in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Kirianna is an inland village in the Rethymno region of Crete, set in the hills 4.9 km south of the Skaleta beaches, which begin 11 km east of Rethymno city. Kirianna sits between the beach strip of Rethymno bay and the monastery country around Arkadi. Two monasteries stand within 5 km of the village, 4 gorges within 8 km, and 5 beaches within 9 km.
Chania is the nearest airport to Kirianna. The village suits walkers and drivers who want the Arkadi trails and the Rethymno bay beaches from one base, and it keeps tavernas of its own rather than a hotel strip.
Things to do in and around Kirianna
Things to do around Kirianna start with a monastery 3.4 km away and a gorge trailhead 3.8 km away, and the 6 below run from nearest to furthest.
- Visit Arsaniou Monastery. The monastery stands 3.4 km from Kirianna, the closest of the two religious houses within reach of the village.
- Hike the Arkadi Gorge, a moderate 4.5 km walk of about 2 hours along the eastern bank of a green, rocky ravine, starting 3.8 km from Kirianna just north of Arkadi Monastery. The trail ends near the village of Pikris where the Gypofarago gorge joins it, and it has no fee and no facilities, so walkers carry their own water.
- See Arkadi Monastery. The historic monastery sits above the gorge trailhead, 4.5 km from Kirianna, so the two pair into one outing.
- Walk the Prassano Gorge. The Gorge of Prasses lies 6.3 km from Kirianna and starts south of Prasses village. The hike takes about 3 hours through enormous rocks and some demanding passages, and the gorge opens only from mid-June to mid-October because it doubles as the overflow channel for the Potami dam.
- Browse the pottery at Margarites, a village 7.8 km from Kirianna near the ancient town of Eleftherna, and its ceramic tradition began under Ottoman rule. Margarites has Venetian roots from the sixteenth century and preserved architecture, and the Margarites Gorge is 7.7 km away.
- Drive to Panormo, a former fishing village east along the coast, about 22 km east of Rethymno, around the natural harbour that gives it its Greek name. About 400 people live in Panormo year-round, which keeps it calm.
About the village and its setting
Kirianna is a working inland village rather than a resort, and its position explains what a stay here looks like. The village has a taverna 600 m from the centre and more at Kapsaliana and Mesi, both 1.7 km away. Shops, beach hire and nightlife sit on the coast, 5 km or more north.
The setting is the farmed hill country between Rethymno bay and the Arkadi uplands. Monasteries mark this ground: Arsaniou lies 3.4 km from the village and Arkadi 4.5 km, with the Arkadi Gorge cut into the hillside between them. Three more gorges follow within 8 km, at Prasses, Kaminolakkos and Margarites.
Beaches in and around Kirianna
Kirianna has no beach of its own, and the 5 nearest lie between 4.9 km and 8.1 km north on Rethymno bay. Four are sections of the long organised sandy front, and the fifth is a pebble cove beyond its eastern end.
- Skaleta lies 4.9 km away, a 3 km beachfront that starts 11 km east of Rethymno and closes the bay. Sfakaki comes first and is carefully arranged, Stavromenos follows 1 km on, and the sand narrows until it gives out at Skaleta itself.
- Pigianos Kambos sits 5.2 km away, also called Pigi beach, 8 km east of Rethymno and named “Plane of Pigi” after the fertile fields farmed by the people of Pigi village. It stays quieter than the beaches either side because it is less developed.
- Adelianos Kambos begins 6 km away, a seaside suburb 6 km east of Rethymno, known as Adele Beach after the village that once farmed the plain. The long sandy stretch of Rethymno Gulf begins here, backed by hotels, restaurants and shops.
- Platanes runs 7.3 km away, a long, well-organised sandy beach with shallow light-blue water, sunbeds and lifeguards in season, fronting the Pervolia, Missiria and Platanias suburbs. It forms part of a protected nesting shore for loggerhead sea turtles.
- Spilies stands 8.1 km away between Skaleta and Geropotamos, a small sheltered pebble cove also known as “Tou Maliou to Riaki”, with clear deep water, high cliffs and sea caves that shelter endangered wildlife. The north-facing bay is often wavy, so it suits confident swimmers and snorkellers rather than young children.
Where to eat in Kirianna
Eating at Kirianna means village tavernas, one of them 600 m from the centre and the rest in the settlements within about 3 km.
- Taverna Faragi serves taverna cooking 600 m from the centre.
- Elaia Restaurant stands at Kapsaliana, 1.7 km out.
- Kastro Mesi Tavern sits at Mesi, 1.7 km out.
- O Mikros Antonis lies 3.1 km out.
- Romeo & Juliet serves fusion cooking 3.3 km out.
Getting to Kirianna
Getting to Kirianna means turning inland from the Rethymno bay coast and climbing towards Arkadi. Chania is the nearest airport. A car is the practical way to use the village, because the beaches sit 5 km to 8 km north and the gorge trailheads 4 km to 8 km inland.
Rethymno city lies west along the same coast, with the resorts of the bay in a line between. Skaleta is the nearest at 4.9 km.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kirianna in Crete?
Kirianna lies inland in the Rethymno region, 4.9 km south of the Skaleta beaches on Rethymno bay. Those beaches start 11 km east of Rethymno city, and Arkadi Monastery stands 4.5 km from the village.
Does Kirianna have a beach?
Kirianna is inland and has no beach of its own, but 5 lie within 9 km. Skaleta is the nearest at 4.9 km, and Adelianos Kambos, 6 km away, has the widest choice of hotels, restaurants and shops behind the sand.
Which monasteries are near Kirianna?
Two monasteries stand within 5 km of Kirianna. Arsaniou is 3.4 km from the village and Arkadi 4.5 km, the latter sitting just above the start of the Arkadi Gorge trail.
Can you walk a gorge from Kirianna?
The Arkadi Gorge trailhead is 3.8 km from Kirianna. The walk covers 4.5 km in about 2 hours at moderate difficulty, and 3 more gorges lie within 8 km at Prasses, Kaminolakkos and Margarites.
Which airport is closest to Kirianna?
Chania is the closest airport to Kirianna. The Rethymno region lies between the 2 airports, so Heraklion works as well.
Where Kirianna is
Best things to do in Kirianna in 2024 is located at Kiriánna. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
