Best things to do in Pitsidia village in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Pitsidia is a village in the southwest of Heraklion, about 65 km from the city and a short way inland from the bay of Messara. The village sits 80 m above sea level and is home to around 700 people. Pitsidia is considered the oldest village in the region, and its history reaches back to the Byzantine era. The nearest beach, Kommos, lies 2 km away, and Matala is 3.8 km off.
Heraklion airport (HER) is the nearest airport, 51.1 km away in a straight line, and the road across the island runs longer than that figure. Pitsidia works as a village base for the beaches of Messara Bay, for the ancient sites beside them, and for the gorges of the Asterousia Mountains.
Things to do in and around Pitsidia
Six outings lie within about 10 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- See the ancient port of Kommos. The site lies 1.9 km from the village. Ancient Kommos served as the port of Phaestus, and its remains can still be seen on the beach.
- Swim at Kommos beach. The sand starts 2 km from Pitsidia and forms the southernmost and remotest section of the Messara Bay beachfront. Kommos is signposted off the Matala road, and loggerhead sea turtles nest along it.
- Walk around Kamilari. The neighbouring village is 2.2 km away and looks out over the olive groves of the Messara valley and the Libyan sea. Kamilari has been inhabited since the Minoan era and keeps its narrow streets, stone houses and courtyards.
- Visit Matala. The town 3.8 km away is known for the caves carved into its rock face and for the hippie culture of the 1970s. Matala beach lies on an enclosed bay with the Paximadia islands on the horizon, and the town served as the port of Phaestus and later of Gortyn.
- Walk over Kastri hill to Red Beach. The red-sand cove lies 4.4 km from Pitsidia and 800 m south of Matala, with no road to it. Red Beach is reached on a marked trail over Kastri hill in 15 to 25 minutes.
- Hike the Agiofarago gorge. The walk is 9.2 km from the village and follows a flat stream bed between vertical cliffs full of caves. Agiofarago means Gorge of Saints, after the hermits who settled it, and it ends at Agiofarago beach with a climbing field just before the sea.
Beaches in and around Pitsidia
Pitsidia has no beach of its own, and the 5 nearest lie between 2 km and 6.7 km away. The whole Messara beachfront is exposed to the prevailing westerly winds.
- Kommos lies 2 km away, the last and remotest stretch of Messara Bay, with the ruins of the ancient port on the sand, a rocky seabed in places and a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles.
- Kalamaki sits 2.6 km away, a seaside hamlet between Matala and Kokkinos Pirgos whose 2.5 km of sand carries sunbeds, umbrellas, a lifeguard, a playground and water sports in front of the village, with flat rock under the sand and waves raised by northwest winds.
- Matala is 3.8 km away, the widely known beach of southern Heraklion, set in an enclosed bay below the rock-carved caves where the Messara plain meets the Asterousia Mountains.
- Red Beach lies 4.4 km away, rust-red sand against a blue-green sea, unorganised and without road access, so it stays quiet even in high season.
- Gournia fjord sits 6.7 km away, 5 narrow rocky bays cut into soft white limestone in the Asterousia Mountains, reached on a strenuous and shadeless walk that suits fit hikers only.
About Pitsidia and its setting
Pitsidia is a working village rather than a beach resort. The name is thought to come from Pisidia, a region of southern Asia Minor, because the soldiers of Nikiforos Fokas, commander of the Byzantine army, are believed to have settled here, an account recorded by S. Spanakis. Our fuller history of the settlement sits on the Pitsidia village page.
The country around the village is the Messara plain, backed to the south by the Asterousia Mountains. Two walking gorges drain that range towards the sea within about 10 km: Agiofarago, and the 2 km Martsalo gorge, which passes the early Christian church of Panagia Martsaliani with its rock-cut hermit cells before reaching Martsalo beach.
Where to eat in Pitsidia
Eating in Pitsidia happens in the village itself, where restaurants and cafés stand within a few hundred metres of the centre. More lie about 2 km out.
- Bougainvillea Restaurant is 200 m from the centre.
- Kings Coffee And More serves coffee and food, 200 m out.
- Panorama Café stands 600 m from the centre.
- Slow Drop Mindful Coffee Culture sells coffee, 2.1 km away.
- Aleko’s Fish Taverne Vrachos is a fish taverna, 2.3 km away.
Getting to Pitsidia
Drive south across the island from Heraklion, about 65 km, and Pitsidia sits on the road that continues to Matala. Heraklion airport is the closest terminal at 51.1 km in a straight line, so the road transfer takes longer than the map distance suggests.
A car suits this corner of Crete, because the beaches, the gorges and the ancient sites are spread over 10 km of country roads. The neighbouring village of Kamilari, 2.2 km away, is close enough to walk or cycle to.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Pitsidia in Crete?
Pitsidia lies about 65 km southwest of Heraklion, inland from the bay of Messara on the south side of the island. The village stands at 80 m above sea level.
Does Pitsidia have a beach?
Pitsidia has no beach of its own, but 4 lie within 4.4 km. Kommos is the closest at 2 km, followed by Kalamaki at 2.6 km, Matala at 3.8 km and Red Beach at 4.4 km.
How far is Pitsidia from Matala?
Matala is 3.8 km from Pitsidia, on the coast southwest of the village. Kommos beach lies between the two, 2 km north of Matala.
How do you get to Red Beach from Pitsidia?
Drive to Matala, then walk the marked trail over Kastri hill, which takes 15 to 25 minutes each way. Red Beach has no road access, and the alternative is a boat from Matala harbour.
What is Pitsidia known for?
Pitsidia is considered the oldest village in its region, with a history running back to the Byzantine era and a name thought to derive from Pisidia in southern Asia Minor. Its position near the bay of Messara is the other draw, 2 km from Kommos and 3.8 km from Matala.
Where Pitsidia village is
Best things to do in Pitsidia village in 2024 is located at Pitsidia village. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
