Best things to do in Petrokefali in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Petrokefali is an inland village in the south of the Heraklion region, about 3 km from the market town of Moires and 3 km from the Minoan palace of Phaistos. The village lies south-west of Heraklion city, in the farming country of the Messara, where olive groves cover the plain that runs behind Crete’s south coast. Petrokefali is small and residential, so what brings people here sits around it rather than in it: a Minoan palace, a monastery, a gorge and a run of beaches on Messara Bay.
Heraklion airport (HER) is the nearest airport, and it lies north-east of the village on the far side of the island. Petrokefali suits a visitor who wants a quiet base in the Messara: the beaches start 7 km away, Phaistos is 3 km off, and the cafés and restaurants of Moires sit about 3 km along the road.
Things to do in and around Petrokefali
Six outings lie within 10 km of Petrokefali, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Visit the Kalyviani Monastery. Kalyviani Monastery stands 1.8 km from the village, near Moires, and it is the closest of these sights.
- Walk around Phaistos. The Minoan palace of Phaistos is the second largest palace of the Minoan civilisation and stands 3 km from Petrokefali. Its harbour lay on the coast at Kommos, which makes the palace and the beach an easy pairing.
- Look around Kamilari. The village of Kamilari, 4.5 km away, has been inhabited since Minoan times and keeps its narrow streets, stone houses and courtyards, with views over the olive groves of the Messara valley and the Libyan sea.
- See Pitsidia. The village of Pitsidia lies 5.8 km away at 80 m above sea level, holds around 700 people and is reckoned the oldest village in this part of Heraklion. Its name is traced to Pisidia in southern Asia Minor.
- Walk the Apolychnos Gorge. The Apolychnos Gorge runs 3 km from near the village of Panagia down to Agios Antonios (Vrelis), 6.6 km from Petrokefali, with the Tourki stream and thick vegetation along the bed.
- Spend a day at Matala. The village of Matala sits 9.5 km away above an enclosed bay facing the Paximadia islands, and it is known for the caves cut into its rock face and for the hippie community of the 1970s.
Beaches in and around Petrokefali
Petrokefali has no beach of its own, and 5 beaches lie between 7 km and 10 km away on the south coast, most of them along the long beachfront of Messara Bay. The Messara beachfront is exposed to the prevailing westerly winds, and the seabed turns rocky in places, so the sea here is not always as easy as the sand suggests.
- Kalamaki is 7.4 km away, a seaside hamlet between Matala and Kokkinos Pirgos with a 2.5 km sandy beach. Sunbeds, eateries, a lifeguard and a playground line the stretch facing the village, and north-west winds raise large waves over a flat rock bed.
- Kommos lies 7.7 km away, the southernmost and remotest part of the Messara beachfront, 2 km north of Matala. The remains of the ancient port of Phaistos lie on the beach, and loggerhead sea turtles nest here.
- Matala beach sits 9.5 km away, the beach of the village itself, set in an enclosed bay where the Messara plain meets the Asteroussia Mountains. It is the most visited beach in the southern part of the Heraklion region.
- Kokkinos Pirgos is 9.8 km away, the port of Timbaki, named after a tower built of red soil at the mouth of the Geropotamos river. A long sandy beach runs south-east from the village towards Kommos, and turtles nest along it in summer.
- Red beach lies 10 km away, red sand 800 m south of Matala, reached on foot over Kastri hill in 15 to 25 minutes or by boat from Matala harbour. It has no road access and no facilities, so it stays quiet even in high season.
Gorges near Petrokefali
Three gorges sit within 13 km of Petrokefali, and the nearest one is also the easiest to reach.
- Apolychnos Gorge is 6.6 km away, a narrow valley of about 3 km through olive-growing country north of Moires. The exit near Agios Antonios sits beside the main road from Moires, which makes it the easiest of the three to reach.
- Agiofarago Gorge lies 12.9 km away, south of the Panagia Odigitria Monastery, with vertical cliffs and caves above a flat streambed that is easy to walk. The route ends at Agiofarago beach, and a climbing area lies just before the sea. The name means Gorge of Saints, after the hermits who settled here.
- Martsalo Gorge is 12.9 km from Petrokefali, the same distance out as Agiofarago.
Where to eat in Petrokefali
Eating around Petrokefali means one café in the village and tavernas within about 3 km, several of them in Moires.
- Petrelaio Cafe is the café in Petrokefali itself, 800 m from the centre.
- Taverna Agios Ioannis sits 2.8 km from the village.
- Lamb House Tavern is 2.8 km out, on the same side as Moires.
- 360 Degrees Restaurant stands in Moires, 3.1 km away.
Getting to Petrokefali
Petrokefali is reached through Moires, the town about 3 km away that the main roads of this part of the Messara pass through. Timbaki lies 7.5 km away and Matala 9.5 km, so the village sits inside the ring of Messara towns rather than out on its edge.
Heraklion city and Heraklion airport lie north-east of Petrokefali, and Rethymno lies north-west. A car is the practical way to get about, because the beaches, the gorges and the Minoan sites are spread across 13 km of plain and coast.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Petrokefali in Crete?
Petrokefali lies in the Messara, in the south of the Heraklion region, about 3 km from Moires. The village sits south-west of Heraklion city and inland from the south coast.
Does Petrokefali have a beach?
Petrokefali is an inland village with no beach of its own, but 5 beaches lie within 10 km. Kalamaki, 7.4 km away, is the closest, and Kommos at 7.7 km is the next.
How far is Petrokefali from Phaistos?
Phaistos stands 3 km from Petrokefali. Kommos beach, 7.7 km away, served as the harbour of the palace.
Can you walk a gorge from Petrokefali?
The Apolychnos Gorge is the nearest walk, 6.6 km from the village. The route covers about 3 km between Panagia and Agios Antonios, and Agiofarago and Martsalo follow at 12.9 km.
Which airport is closest to Petrokefali?
Heraklion (HER) is the closest airport to Petrokefali. It lies north-east of the village, on the opposite coast of the island.
Where Petrokefali is
Best things to do in Petrokefali in 2024 is located at Petrokefalio, Crete, Greece. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
