Best things to do in Maroulas in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Maroulas is a village in the Rethymno region of Crete, 6.5 km east of Rethymno city. The village stands back from the sea, so the coast is a short drive rather than a walk. 5 beaches lie between 3.1 km and 4.4 km away, all of them on Rethymno Bay, and 4 gorges sit within 8 km. Four tavernas stand inside the village itself, within 400 m of its centre.
Chania airport (CHQ) is the closest airport, 41.7 km away in a straight line, with Chania city 51.7 km west and Heraklion 53.9 km east. Maroulas works as an inland base for the sandy shore of Rethymno Bay, for the walking ravines in the hills nearby, and for day trips into the old city of Rethymno.
Things to do in and around Maroulas
Five outings lie within about 8 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Visit the monastery 2 km away. The monastery of Saint Anastasia the Roman is the closest sight to the village that is not a taverna.
- Hike the Prasses gorge. The entrance lies 2.5 km from Maroulas, and the walk takes about three hours over large rocks and a few demanding passages. The Prassano gorge, as it is also known, runs through the rocky hills of Gargana under plane trees, and it is passable only from mid-June to mid-October because it carries the overflow from the Potami dam.
- Swim at Adelianos Kambos. The nearest beach to Maroulas sits 3.1 km away, and the long sandy stretch of Rethymno Gulf begins here and continues to Skaleta. Adelianos Kambos is a seaside suburb of Rethymno with hotels, tavernas and shops along the front.
- Walk the Mili gorge. The signed trail is 2.5 km long, takes about 2.5 hours and is rated 1 of 10 for difficulty, which makes it the gentlest of the walks near the village. Mili gorge starts 4.2 km from Maroulas, carries a shaded stream all year, and passes old watermills, spring-fed pools and rock-cut churches beside the abandoned mill village of Mili.
- Spend a day in Rethymno. The capital of the region lies 6.5 km west. Rethymno keeps a Renaissance old town where Ottoman and Cretan architecture meet, with the Loggia, the Neratze Mosque and the Church of Agios Frangiskos within walking distance of each other.
About Maroulas and its setting
Maroulas is a village rather than a resort, and that shapes what a stay here looks like. The settlement holds 4 tavernas within 400 m of its centre, and 8 more eating places lie between 1.8 km and 2.9 km out.
The plain between the village and the coast was farmland before tourism reached it. Residents of Adele grew vegetables on the flat ground that is now the suburb of Adelianos Kambos, and the fields behind the next beach along belong to the inhabitants of Pigi, which is why that stretch is called Pigianos Kambos, the Plane of Pigi.
The hills south of the coast road carry most of the walking. Two further ravines join the Prasses and Mili gorges within reach of the village: Kaminolakkos gorge lies 5 km away, and Arkadi gorge is 7.7 km out.
Beaches in and around Maroulas
Maroulas has no beach of its own, and the 5 nearest lie between 3.1 km and 4.4 km away. All of them sit on Rethymno Bay, whose sand runs about 13 km east from Rethymno harbour to Skaleta, and loggerhead sea turtles nest along that shore.
- Adelianos Kambos lies 3.1 km away, also called Adele Beach, a seaside suburb of Rethymno on a flat plain that has been absorbed into the city, with buses running to it from the city centre.
- Platanes sits 3.4 km away, a long, organised, sandy beach with shallow light-blue water, sunbeds and lifeguards in season, on a protected nesting shore for loggerhead turtles.
- Pigianos Kambos is 3.8 km away, also known as Pigi beach, quieter and less developed than Adelianos Kambos.
- Misiria stands 4.0 km away, one of the trio of former villages, with Pervolia and Platanias, that grew into Rethymno’s urban district.
- Pervolia follows at 4.4 km, the same continuous sand, lined with food, drink and lodging.
Where to eat in and around Maroulas
Eating around Maroulas means village tavernas first, with grill houses and cafés in the countryside beyond. 12 places are listed within 3 km of the centre.
- Taverna Mylopetra is in Maroulas itself.
- Taverna Katerina stands 100 m from the centre.
- Taverna-Biofarm Armos sits 400 m out.
- Taverna Fantastiko is 400 m out as well.
- Paprika, The Grill Experience lies 1.8 km away.
- Restaurant and Taverna Kellari stands 2.9 km away.
Getting to Maroulas
Reach Maroulas by road from Rethymno, which lies 6.5 km west of the village. Chania airport is the nearer of the two airports, 41.7 km away in a straight line, and Heraklion serves the other end of the island 53.9 km east. Cretan roads wind, so each of these figures runs longer behind the wheel.
A car is the practical way to use the village, because the beaches, the gorges and the monastery all sit between 2 km and 8 km away. Buses run regularly from the centre of Rethymno to Adelianos Kambos, 3.1 km from the village, so the coast is reachable from the city end of the journey.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Maroulas in Crete?
Maroulas lies 6.5 km east of Rethymno city, inland from the coast in the Rethymno region of western Crete. Heraklion sits 53.9 km east and Chania 51.7 km west.
Does Maroulas have a beach?
Maroulas has no beach of its own, but 5 lie within 4.4 km. Adelianos Kambos, 3.1 km away, is the closest and the easiest to reach, and the sand there runs east without a break as far as Skaleta.
How far is Maroulas from the airport?
Chania airport is 41.7 km from Maroulas in a straight line, which makes it the nearer of the two airports. Heraklion lies 53.9 km east of the village, and the road distance to either is longer than the map figure.
Can you walk a gorge from Maroulas?
Four gorges sit within 8 km of the village. Prasses is the closest at 2.5 km, Mili follows at 4.2 km, Kaminolakkos at 5 km and Arkadi at 7.7 km.
Which gorge near Maroulas is the easiest walk?
Mili gorge is rated 1 of 10 for difficulty, with a signed trail 2.5 km long that takes about 2.5 hours. Prasses runs to about three hours over large rocks and opens only from mid-June to mid-October.
Where Maroulas is
Best things to do in Maroulas in 2024 is located at Maroulás. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
