Best things to do in Pombia in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Pombia is a village on the Messara plain in the south of the Heraklion region of Crete, about 8 km inland from the Libyan Sea. Pombia sits among the farmland and greenhouses of the Messara, with the Asterousia Mountains rising between the village and the south coast. The beaches below those mountains are reached through narrow valleys rather than along a coast road, which keeps them quiet even in August.
Matala, Kamilari and the archaeological sites of the Messara all sit within about 11 km, and the market town of Moires lies 5 km north with the shops, cafés and services a self-catering stay needs. This is inland Crete rather than a resort: the village works as a base for the south coast, not as a seafront address.
Things to do in and around Pombia
Five outings lie within about 12 km of the village, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Visit the Apezanes monastery. The monastery stands 4 km away at Antiskari, in the hills at the head of the valley that runs down to the coast.
- Walk the Apolychnos Gorge. The gorge lies 8 km north, a few kilometres above Moires among olive groves. It is a narrow valley following a river, and the Tourki stream running through it carries water from a valley west of Makres village down to the Geropotamos.
- Drive over to Kamilari. The village, 7.4 km west, looks out over the olive groves of the Messara and the Libyan Sea. People have lived there since Minoan times, and the neighbouring community of Metohi was home to Epimenidis, counted among the seven wise men of the ancient world.
- Walk down the Agiofarago Gorge to the sea. The route starts 11.7 km away below the Panagia Odigitria monastery, where two streams meet near the chapel of Saint Kiriaki. The course is gentle for a Cretan gorge and finishes at Agiofarago beach.
- Spend a day at Matala. The village with the carved caves in its cliff sits 10.7 km west, and is the closest thing to a resort within reach of Pombia.
About Pombia and the villages around it
Pombia belongs to the farming Messara rather than to the tourist coast, and the villages around it share that character. Pombia has a café in the centre and the wider run of shops and tavernas 4 to 5 km away around Moires, where the plain’s market traffic concentrates.
Three neighbours are worth knowing if you are choosing where to stay. The oldest settlement in this part of Crete is Pitsidia, 7.8 km west at 80 m above sea level, with about 700 residents and a history reaching back to the Byzantine period. West again lies Kamilari, and north-east the town of Agioi Deka stands 10.1 km away on the ruins of ancient Gortyn.
Beaches in and around Pombia
Pombia has no beach of its own, and 5 lie roughly 8 km south beyond the Asterousia Mountains. Each is reached down its own valley, so they sit close together on the map but need separate drives.
- Psili Ammos lies 7.9 km away and is the longest beach in this part of the coast, secluded and east of Platia Peramata. Tree shade is scarce, though large white rocks called Asproharaki shelter the eastern end.
- Platia Peramata sits 7.9 km away at the mouth of a fertile valley cutting through the Asterousia. The valley starts at Antiskari, and its warm soil grows early tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers under glass.
- Krigi is 7.9 km away, reached by following a stream down past the small settlement of Krigioi. Fine pebbles and clear water, with a run of miniature beaches continuing east towards Platia Peramata.
- Maha stands 8.2 km away, about 1 km east of Chrysostomos. The first beach serves as a harbour and is rocky and unorganised, with rooms and a tavern nearby, and a dirt track east leads to a second, better one.
- Chrisostomos lies 8.6 km away, a hamlet with a few tavernas, a mini market and rooms, named after the crumbling church of Saint John Chrisostomos at its eastern edge. It stands on the site of ancient Lassea, which Saint Paul visited.
Where to eat near Pombia
Eating here means the village café and then the cluster of places around Moires, 4 to 5 km north.
- Cafe Lithino stands in Pombia itself, 200 m from the centre.
- Kanelades Cinnamon Man sits 4.2 km away.
- Fast Coffee Moires pours coffee 4.5 km north.
- Aron Aron and Balantes are both 4.6 km away in Moires.
Getting to Pombia
Drive south across the island from Heraklion towards Moires, then continue a few kilometres to the village. The road crosses the interior rather than following a coast, so the journey takes longer than the map distance suggests, and a car is close to essential once you are here.
From Pombia the south coast opens up in several directions. Matala lies 10.7 km west, Timpaki 11.3 km north-west, and the beaches below the Asterousia run south through the valleys.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Pombia in Crete?
Pombia lies on the Messara plain in the south of the Heraklion region, about 8 km inland from the Libyan Sea and roughly 5 km south of the market town of Moires.
Does Pombia have a beach?
Pombia is inland and has no beach, but 5 lie about 8 km south. Psili Ammos is the longest of them, while Chrisostomos is the one with tavernas, a mini market and rooms.
Can you walk a gorge from Pombia?
Two gorges lie within 12 km. Apolychnos, 8 km north above Moires, follows a river through olive groves, and Agiofarago, 11.7 km away, runs gently down to its own beach below the Panagia Odigitria monastery.
Is Pombia a good base for the Messara?
Pombia suits travellers with a car who want village prices near the south coast. Moires covers shopping and services 5 km north, Matala and Kamilari sit within 11 km, and the quiet Asterousia beaches are a short drive south.
What is near Pombia for a day out?
Agioi Deka, 10.1 km away, stands on the ruins of ancient Gortyn, and Matala’s cliff caves lie 10.7 km west. Closer in, the Apezanes monastery at Antiskari is 4 km from the village.
Where Pombia is
Best things to do in Pombia in 2024 is located at Pómbia. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
