Development of the port town of Malia

The town of Malia developed gradually and naturally from the original small fishing villages that were located roughly in the middle of Malia Bay. These villages grew and merged into the important port town of Malia. Malia used to be a popular place for the inhabitants of Heraklion to come and relax.

With the development of tourism on the island, the town responded to the demand of tourists and gradually grew into a large holiday resort. It is said that Malia was the first town in Crete to develop modern tourism in the 20th century. Today, Malia is part of one large area, Hersonissos - Stalida - Malia, which has earned the title of "the largest and busiest resort on the island of Crete". The resort of Malia is the most easterly of them all.

Malia - amenities, tourist services

Malia has a wide variety of accommodation options. If you look at the tour offers of Czech travel agencies, a large percentage of the hotels and apartments on offer are located here or in the wider resort of Chersonisou - Stalida - Malia. Czech tour operators often combine the Stalida and Malia resorts into one, as they are located right next to each other. If you walk along the coast, you won't even know you've crossed from one town to the other, the long sandy beaches stretch further west to Stalida. You can tell that there are two resorts by the signs on the main road.

As well as accommodation, there are various tourist services in the resort. Of course, there are plenty of shops with all kinds of goods, excellent restaurants and taverns, and above all, countless bars and discos that are alive until the early hours of the morning. Live music is a favourite, and some of them also have themed nights. In the evenings, tourists from near and far flock to the coast of Malia Bay, and Malia and Chersonisou are the island's famous nightlife resorts.

The Malia resort is especially popular with English tourists, who nickname it "3s holidays" ("sand, sea and sex"). Still, life in the resort is kept within the boundaries of entertainment and nightlife on the main promenade, there are no riots or even violence. Families with small children also fly to Malia, and they can't get enough of the local sandy beaches and good tourist facilities. If you are looking for a quieter location, choose from the hotels in the eastern part of the resort. Here, the nightlife of the centre doesn't interfere as much and you'll still be close to it.

Malia beach and other nearby beaches

The roughly 2 km long coastline around Malia is covered with beautiful sandy to sandy-pebble beaches, mostly spacious with good tourist facilities. Most of the beaches here offer beach service in the form of sunbeds and umbrellas, beach bars and refreshments. Swimming is very pleasant in this area, the water is usually warm and beautifully clear. You will often see families with children playing in the shallow waters, as well as schools of small colourful fish.

The resort has several beaches, including the famous Malia beach, and there are also small beaches that often belong to specific hotels. The coastal life is in keeping with the character of the resort as a whole, so the beaches here are very lively, with good tourist facilities and water sports on offer.

History and historical monuments

Malia Bay and its surroundings are generally considered to be the first inhabited area in Crete, with the oldest finds from this area dating back to 6,000 BC. Subsequently, demonstrable traces of settlement date from around 3 000 BC, from which the remains of individual settlements or graves have also been preserved.

The most famous historical monument from this era is the Minoan palace of Knossos, which dates back to around 2 000 BC. Knossos was probably the administrative centre of the entire Minoan civilisation, and today it is a vast archaeological site that bears witness to the local Minoan civilisation. It is close to the capital Heraklion.

Near the town of Malia (less than 3 km east), the remains of the third largest Minoan palace, Malia, have been uncovered. The excavations also uncovered several tombs, and in one of them a rare jewel was found with a depiction of two bees carrying a drop of honey. Unfortunately, however, the tombs were looted before archaeological work began and no one knows how many unique items were lost. The archaeological work around Malia continues today, but the archaeological site is open to the public.

In the old buildings of Malia, you can also visit several beautiful churches during your walks through the local narrow streets. The church of St. Nektarios, for example, is well known, as is the church of Panagia Galatiani, which is said to have been built using milk instead of water.

Trips to the surroundings

Malia is strategically located in terms of travel and transport. It is located close to the main road along the north coast, providing good transport links to other resorts on the island. In the centre of Malia there are several car, motorbike and bicycle rental companies that you can use for your trips.

The capital Heraklion is certainly worth a visit, with its massive fortress, famous archaeological museum and the fine Byzantine church of St Titus. As optional excursions, tours of the archaeological sites with the remains of the temple of Knossos are organized. Of course, you can also take advantage of the proximity of a small archaeological site just outside the town with the remains of one of the Minoan Malia palaces (mentioned above).

Nature lovers and walkers will appreciate the surrounding countryside. Just beyond the resort, the hills begin to rise and towards the south-east you will see the Selena (Selena Oros), which forms the northern part of the highest mountains in the area, the Dikti Mountains. An interesting excursion tip is to visit the nearby Lasithi plain, surrounded by the surrounding mountains (we recommend renting a car), which is also close to beautiful monasteries such as the Kera Kardiotissa women's monastery and the Moni Vidianis men's monastery.

From the port of Malia you can also take boat trips to the surrounding coastal towns. Popular excursions include a trip to the Venetian fortress on the small island of Spinalonga near Agios Nikolaos, or a cruise to the north-eastern tip of Crete, where the famous Vai (Palm) Beach is located.

For whom the centre is suitable

We would recommend the Malia holiday resort to those who are going on their holiday mainly to have fun. Malia is a bustling resort with a non-stop nightlife and beautiful beaches, where you will be well looked after at the same time. Above all, you'll enjoy plenty of entertainment, shopping and water fun.

If, on the other hand, you're more interested in peace and quiet and contemplation in the surrounding countryside, try the quieter resorts of Bali, Plakias or Paleochora.

More touristic destinations of Crete

Close resorts: Agia Varvara (Malia), Stalida

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.