The southeast corner of Crete is still a wonderfully undiscovered corner of the island. It has a unique magic and manages to combine the charm and tradition of yesterday with the comforts necessary for today’s more discerning traveller.
The Cretans are known for their hospitality and this accounts for the large number of repeat visitors in the south eastern region. Both Greeks and foreign guests enjoy travelling to this corner of Crete, to enjoy the beauty and fascination of the location.
Our community
is based around the Makri Yialos prefecture, also spelt Makrigialos and
is evidence of our history. Most of the families live in the area
and have done so for centuries, unlike other areas in Crete and
Greece.
Despite
becoming a popular summer resort, Makriyialos has maintained its
true identity. People come and go in Crete, as they have for centuries,
but the land and people remain the same.
Strong, national culture
and identity have helped carve a warm, hospitable region, open to
change but with its roots firmly planted in the past.
Makriyialos
means 'long beach' and many of the beaches have been awarded the
European Blue Flag for cleanliness, which really speak for itself.
The many faces of its shoreline give the opportunity to enjoy gentle
swimming to diving and octopus fishing.
Food plays an important
role in all Cretans lives and its diet has been internationally heralded as
one of the best in the world and our local olive oil
has won many prestigious awards for its clarity and fruity taste, Sitia Union.
In the winter, people revert to a more agricultural life,
still the biggest industry on the island, (www.pikiliatours.com), so visit our site to understand more about the cretan lifestyle and diet, here in this corner of Crete.
Historically our area has
links with many ages and cultures. No more so than the Minoan and
evidence of this has been discovered at our oldest archaeological
site Minoan country house & some wonderful pictures and historical detail have been detailed here.
For those interested in buying property in Crete there are many leisure pursuits to enjoy fully once you are living on the island. Walking, painting, flowers, ornithology, herbology, archaeology, historical fact finding, war memorials, cooking, dancing, learning Greek, water sports and sun worshipping are some and as the locals have discovered, it takes a lifetime to understand and appreciate your own locality.
Weather also plays an important role here in the south, as our area depends very much on its agricultural history. Click here for a professional weather forecast for the area.
