Best things to do in Malathiros in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Malathiros is a village in the west of the Chania region, 3.4 km from Topolia and 600 m from the Mesavlia-Deliana Gorge. The village lies south-east of Kissamos, inland from Kissamos Bay, in the corner of Crete where four gorges run within 5 km of one another. Malathiros is a farming village, and olive oil is the trade you meet first here, with a mill and an estate both within 5 km.
Chania (CHQ) is the nearest airport, and it lies east of the village. Malathiros is a walking base rather than a beach base: three gorges start within 4 km, the beaches of Kissamos Bay sit at the end of the valley, and Topolia with its cave and its own gorge is 3.4 km away.
Things to do in and around Malathiros
Six outings lie within 5 km of Malathiros, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Walk the Mesavlia-Deliana Gorge. The Mesavlia-Deliana Gorge starts 600 m from the village and runs 5 km from Mesavlia to Deliana. A dirt road beside the riverbed makes it an easy hour on foot, and the vegetation is at its thickest in spring when the water is high. The cavernous chapel of Saint Paraskevi stands near the Mesavlia end.
- Hike the Chalase Gorge. The Chalase Gorge, also called Porofarago, passes 1.1 km from Malathiros on its four-hour route from Sassalos to Makronas. The landslide that gives the gorge its name and the lack of a marked path make the upper half hard going.
- Look around Topolia. The village of Topolia sits 3.4 km away at 307 m on the road to Elafonissi, with its gorge below it to the east and Kissamos Bay in view to the west.
- Walk the Topolia Gorge. The Topolia Gorge lies 3.5 km from Malathiros and carries the Elafonissi road through its narrowest stretch between Katsomatados and Topolia.
- Visit the olive oil factory and art workshop. The olive oil factory and art workshop stands 3.9 km from the village, and the Biolea Astrikas Estate follows at 4.3 km.
- Climb to the Agia Sofia Cave. The Agia Sofia Cave sits 4.1 km away, above the main road at the point where the Topolia Gorge narrows.
About Malathiros and its setting
Malathiros sits in the middle of a network of gorges, and that is the plainest way to describe the village. The Chalase Gorge passes near it at roughly the halfway point of the walk, and this is where the trail gives up being a path and becomes a dirt road that follows the riverbed on to Makronas, so the village marks the change from hard going to easy walking.
Water shapes the rest of the setting. The river that runs down from Mount Anavos passes through the Mesavlia-Deliana Gorge beside the village, then through the Roka Gorge 5 km away, and reaches the sea at Nopigia beach on Kissamos Bay. Olive groves fill the land in between, which is why an oil mill and an organic estate both sit within 5 km of a village this size.
Beaches in and around Malathiros
Malathiros has no beach of its own, and the nearest sand lies on Kissamos Bay, down the valley the river takes. The 5 beaches below all sit on the same shoreline east of Kissamos town, which stays sandy and shallow at its western end and turns rocky towards the east.
- Drapanias lies 8.4 km away, a 2 km sandy stretch 5 km east of Kissamos, named after the village 1 km inland. Restaurants, cafés and rooms line the shore, and the eastern end is called Kokkino Metohi.
- Nopigia sits 8.6 km away, the beach where the river from the gorges meets the sea, 6 km east of Kissamos. Its western half is sandy and its eastern half pebbly and rocky, with umbrellas, showers and restaurants near the sand.
- Korfalonas is 8.8 km away, a long sandy beach with shallow water 4.5 km east of Kissamos, between Livadia and Drapanias. Umbrellas, showers, taverns and hotels stand close by, though the beach itself stays quiet.
- Telonio stands 9.8 km away, the town beach at Kissamos, running about 1 km east from the seaside pedestrian road to the stadium. It mixes pebbles and sand and is usually left unorganised.
- Choni begins 10.2 km away, a rugged coast 2 km east of Nopigia, reached on an unpaved road past the Orthodox Academy towards the Panagia church. Small rocky coves, clear water and sparse shade suit calm days rather than windy ones.
Where to eat in Malathiros
Eating around Malathiros means tavernas within about 4 km, several of them at Topolia on the gorge road.
- To Faragi Tavern stands 2.7 km from the village, the closest of them.
- Oenohoos is 3.4 km away, at Topolia.
- Chara’s Tavern & Coffee sits 3.6 km out.
Getting to Malathiros
Malathiros is reached on the inland roads of the Kissamos district, with Topolia 3.4 km away on the main route between the coast and Elafonissi. The town of Kissamos, the capital of Kissamos County and the nearest place with a ferry port, lies north of the village.
Chania and its airport lie east, and Rethymno is further east again. A car is needed here, because the gorge entrances, the oil mill and the beaches all sit at different points around the village.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Malathiros in Crete?
Malathiros lies in the west of the Chania region, 3.4 km from Topolia and south-east of Kissamos. The village sits inland from Kissamos Bay, among the gorges of the Kissamos district.
Does Malathiros have a beach?
Malathiros is an inland village with no beach of its own, and the nearest beaches lie on Kissamos Bay. Drapanias, 8.4 km away, is the closest, and Nopigia at 8.6 km is where the river from the gorges above the village reaches the sea.
Which gorges can you walk from Malathiros?
Four gorges lie within 5 km of Malathiros. The Mesavlia-Deliana Gorge starts 600 m away and takes about an hour, the Chalase Gorge passes 1.1 km off on a four-hour route, the Topolia Gorge is 3.5 km away and the Roka Gorge 5 km.
Is the Mesavlia-Deliana Gorge easy to walk?
The Mesavlia-Deliana Gorge is a straightforward walk of about an hour. A dirt road runs beside the riverbed for the 5 km between Mesavlia and Deliana, and spring brings the most water and the thickest greenery.
Which airport is closest to Malathiros?
Chania (CHQ) is the closest airport to Malathiros. It lies east of the village, past Chania city on the north coast.
Where Malathiros is
Best things to do in Malathiros in 2024 is located at Maláthiros. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
