Agia Fotia - resort characteristics and facilities

Agia Fotia is a picturesque Greek village built on the slopes of a small rocky bay. It lies in a quiet area off the south coast of Crete, between the villages of Ferma and Achlia, about 12 km east of the popular tourist resort of Ierapetra. The village is located in the eastern part of the island of Crete, which falls under the regional unit of Lassithi.

Agia Fotia gets its name from the local church of Aghia Foteini, which stands down in the bay near the beach. In fact, apart from this church, there are only a few tavernas in the village. Just above the beach, you'll see one nice taverna, operating a few sunbeds and umbrellas on the beach and providing a few rooms for rent. And in the hills above there are two more family-run guesthouses with tavernas. If all the apartments are occupied, you can try to walk through the resort to the road that passes through, and there should be a few more tavernas and guesthouses operating here.

Beaches and nature around Agia Fotia

The coast of Agia Fotia bay is gentle, covered with a mixture of sand and pebbles and well protected from the unpleasant northern winds. It's not too surprising that Agia Fotia is one of the most beautiful beaches on the southern coast of Crete. In fact, it is the reason why a whole "resort" has grown up here.

A nice tip for a hike is the Mylonas Gorge (or also St. John's Gorge), you will find it in the maps more as "Mylonas Falls". The gorge starts near the village of Saint John, at an altitude of about 500 m, and descends gradually through the surrounding countryside to the coast, to Kakia Skala beach. Unfortunately, it is not possible to walk through the entire length of the gorge, as you will encounter an obstacle in the form of high waterfalls. However, you can go to the Mylonas Falls themselves, which lie less than 7 km inland from the resort. There are two trails leading up to the falls (which are about 300 m above sea level), starting at Kakia Skala beach. The first trail starts at a pine forest and much of the way passes by an old concrete ditch that used to carry water down to Koutsounari. The second trail follows the riverbed and, especially in winter, is very challenging. The falls themselves are about 20 metres high and form a small pond with crystal clear and very refreshing water.

And nature lovers will be doubly pleased, because not far from the resort (less than 20 km east of Agia Fotia and just a few kilometres from Koutsouras) is another interesting natural area - the Valley of Butterflies. The first 2 km of the gorge are relatively easy to walk through and you can go for a pleasant walk through the beautiful nature, which will be enriched by the various species of butterflies that live here. Deeper down, however, the rocks start to rise and the terrain becomes much more challenging. Depending on how far you go, you may see several small streams and small waterfalls.

Who is the centre suitable for?

The resort is located in an area dotted with small and traditional Greek villages and Agia Fotia is no exception in this respect, so we recommend it mainly to those tourists who come on their holiday to relax and recharge their batteries from the surrounding beautiful nature.

If you prefer entertainment and a lively nightlife, look more among the resorts on the north coast of the island.

More touristic destinations of Crete

Close resorts: Achlia, Ferma, Koutsounari

Most favourite resorts of Crete: Adelianos Kampos, Agia Marina, Agios Nikolaos, Heraklion (Iraklion), Hersonissos, Chania, Ierapetra, Kalamaki (Matala), Malia, Platanias (Chania), Rethymno, Stalis

Resorts, beaches, sights or trips - clearly listed on the map of Crete.