Best things to do in Vlychada in 2024: Activities and Attractions
Vlychada is a small settlement on the north coast of Crete, in the Rethymno region, 1.7 km from the resort village of Bali. Vlychada shares this piece of coastline with Bali, whose bay holds 4 sandy coves, and the Talean mountains rise inland behind it. The national road between Heraklion and Rethymno runs alongside Bali, so the settlement is easy to reach from either direction and easy to leave for a day inland.
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport, east along that same national road. Bali, 1.7 km away, stands halfway between Rethymno town and Heraklion, which makes this a practical base for reaching both ends of the island as well as the coast in between.
Things to do in and around Vlychada
Six outings lie within about 6 km of Vlychada, listed below from nearest to furthest.
- Visit Attali Monastery. The monastery sits 1.0 km away at Bali, and it belongs to the village’s history rather than to its beach front. Visitors to Bali pair the monastery with the coves.
- Swim in the coves at Bali. Livadi, Varkotopos, Limani and Karavostasis sit 1.6 km away along one shoreline, each in its own sandy cove with clear greenish water. The bay faces west, so the 4 beaches of Bali stay calm, and you can walk between them and pick one.
- Walk down to Agios Nikolaos beach. The cove lies 2.3 km away in a green creek, named after the Byzantine two-nave church of Saint Nicholas. Limestone rocks with small caves ring the semicircular bay, the seabed is rocky, and north winds often push litter ashore.
- Snorkel at Katevati and Glaros. The two small beaches sit 4.4 km away on a peninsula in the Charakas area, half a kilometre east of the Panagia Charakiani church. Katevati has large pebbles, a rocky bottom that suits fishing and snorkelling and a view south to the Talean mountains, and it is unregulated, so bring what you need.
- Find the three coves at Propatoumenos. The area 5.4 km away lies between the coast of Panagia Charakiani and Kefali hill, where archaeological remains have been found. Its name means “the area that can be walked”, after the old trail to the ancient town of Astali, and three remote pebbly beaches line the shore.
- Take the path to Kalo Horafi. A 200 m unpaved path leaves the main road at the Chnaris tavern, 6.1 km away, and drops to a west-facing pebble beach. Kalo Horafi was the site of the 317 Agii Pateres Pelekida monastery, and a newer chapel now stands where the cells were.
About the village and its setting
Vlychada is a coastal settlement in the Rethymno region, tied closely to Bali next door. Bali itself is a fishing village turned resort, built around a series of small bays, and it falls in the province of Mylopotamos. Bali’s bay faces west, which is why the water in its coves stays calmer than on the open stretches of the north coast.
Behind the coast the ground rises quickly into the Talean range, cut by green ravines that reach the sea at small pebble coves. The wider area is rich in unexcavated Minoan settlements, and a trail once ran from Propatoumenos to the ancient town of Astali near Bali. The hill village of Apladiana, 6.0 km away at 260 m on the flank of Kouloukona in the Tallaios range, was founded by the Aplada family in 1368 and has 175 residents, with cafes, taverns and rooms of its own.
Inland the country changes again. The villages of Margarites, Orthe and Eleftherna sit among a run of small parallel gorges carved into white-yellow marly limestone from the Upper Miocene, 8 to 10 million years ago, where horizontally branched cypresses grow. The gorges around Margarites drain north into the Geropotamos river, and Margarites itself is known across Crete for its pottery.
Where to eat in Vlychada
Eating here means the tavernas, cafes and beach bars of the Bali shoreline, with one snack bar in Vlychada itself.
- Traditional Snack Bar O Katis sits 100 m away, the closest place to eat.
- Taverna Livadi serves taverna cooking, 900 m away.
- Taverna Golden Sun is 900 m away on the same stretch.
- Isla Food & Coffee sells food and coffee, 900 m away.
- Caldera Seaside Restaurant serves meals by the sea, 1.7 km away.
Getting to Vlychada
Vlychada is reached from the national road that links Heraklion with Rethymno, which runs alongside this coast and passes the Bali exits. The resort of Bali is the landmark to aim for, since Vlychada sits 1.7 km from it on the same bay.
Heraklion airport (HER) lies east along that road and Rethymno west, with Bali placed halfway between the two cities. Neighbouring Panormo, 8.5 km away, is the next coastal village of any size, and a car makes the difference here, because the coves at Glaros, Propatoumenos and Kalo Horafi all sit off short side roads and rough paths.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Vlychada in Crete?
Vlychada sits on the north coast of Crete in the Rethymno region, 1.7 km from the resort village of Bali. Bali stands halfway between Rethymno town and Heraklion, so the settlement falls near the midpoint of the north coast.
Does Vlychada have a beach?
The swimming here is at Bali, whose 4 coves start 1.6 km away. Livadi, Varkotopos, Limani and Karavostasis each sit in their own sandy cove on a west-facing bay, which keeps the sea calm enough for families.
Which airport is nearest to Vlychada?
Heraklion (HER) is the nearest airport to Vlychada, reached along the national road that runs east past Bali towards the city.
What is there to see near Vlychada besides beaches?
Attali Monastery, 1.0 km away above Bali, is the nearest thing to visit. Further out, the Kefali hill at Propatoumenos has produced archaeological remains, the pottery village of Margarites lies inland among its parallel gorges, and Apladiana keeps its 14th-century village core 6.0 km away.
How far is Vlychada from Bali?
Vlychada sits 1.7 km from Bali village, and the first of the Bali coves is 1.6 km away. The tavernas, cafes and beach bars of the resort run from 900 m to 1.7 km out, while the coves beyond them at Agios Nikolaos, Propatoumenos and Kalo Horafi stay undeveloped.
Where Vlychada is
Best things to do in Vlychada in 2024 is located at Vlychada. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
