Kalo Chorio Village: Beaches, Stays, Things to do

Kalo Chorio is a village located 25.7 km from Heraklion, Greece, at a height of 320m above sea level. It is situated at the crossroads at km 16.7 on the National Road to Agios Nikolaos and on the road to Gouves-Koxare-Kalo Chorio. The village was previously known as Stravorina, as mentioned in old documents. However, the present name was given in the decade 1830-1840. The village had 298 inhabitants in 1981, which remains the current population.

The Maza hilltop, southeast of the village, is 457 metres high and is believed to have been a town from the 10th to the 8th c. BC. The highest part of the hill was used as a shrine in the Middle-Minoan years, and clay figurines and offerings were found there. The shrine lay quite close to the town and stopped being used in Proto-Geometric years. Archaeologists, including N. Platon, believe that the name Maza comes from pre-Hellenic years and means Mother Earth.

Traces of ancient installations have also been found northeast of the village, by the country road that leads from Kasteli to Hersonissos. Remnants of water tanks by a source that is still in use today have been discovered, which probably belonged to the Hersonissos aqueduct. Parts of the aqueduct are still visible today in Aposelemi valley. Additionally, there is an interesting gorge close to Kalo Chorio, in the valley of Aposselemis river, which is worth seeing for nature lovers.

Things to do in Kalo Chorio

The things to do around Kalo Chorio are archaeological and outdoor rather than organised: a hilltop shrine, a canyon, two monasteries, a Minoan citadel and the coast behind Hersonissos, 6.3 km north. The village sits at 320 metres on the crossroads of the National Road to Agios Nikolaos, so each of these is a short drive. The list runs from the village outwards.

1. Climb the Maza hilltop. The hill rises to 457 metres southeast of the village and held a town from the 10th to the 8th century BC, with a Middle-Minoan shrine on its highest point where clay figurines and offerings were found.
2. Walk into the Aposelemis Gorge. The canyon starts 2.0 km away and is the longest in the northern part of the Heraklion prefecture, running down to the settlement of Agriana near Hersonissos between vertical walls; water sits in it only in parts and mostly after heavy rain, and the route is described on Aposelemis Gorge.
3. Call at Lagou. The village lies 2.9 km away, where members of the cultural centre are restoring the old stone houses to their traditional form and run music and dance evenings and workshops on local crafts and cooking; see Lagou village.
4. Visit the two monasteries. The Monastery of Kera Eleousa stands 3.2 km from the village and the Kallergis Monastery near Kasteli 4.2 km, so the pair make one loop.
5. See the Smari Citadel. The acropolis sits 3.3 km away and has its own page at Smari Citadel (Acropolis Smari).
6. Drop down to the coast. The nearest sand is 6.5 km north at Aposelemis beach, where the river that cuts the gorge reaches the sea beside a pond that draws migratory birds, and the busier, fully organised shore is at Hersonissos beaches the same distance away, with the resort itself covered on Hersonissos.

There is no strip of tavernas in the village, so eating means driving a few kilometres. Within 4.5 km you have Taverna Maris 2.4 km out, Aspalathos Restaurant at Agriana 3.5 km, and Sofas Taverna, Taverna 1930 and The Village Inn all 4.4 km away. Families travelling with children have Acqua Plus 2.6 km from the village.