| THE VILLAGE AND THE BEACH OF GEORGIOUPOLI / GEORGIOUPOLIS ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE |
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Georgioupoli lies on the northern coast of Crete, about 35km away from Chania and 20 km from Rethimnon. It is a coastal village with a very large beach. There are several roads leading from the coastal highway to Georgioupoli and one of them is over a 4 kilometers long road leading through some very pretty scenery to the bay of Almiros. You drive through a green landscape with lots of trees and some houses, and there are nice views of the mountains. A part of the drive is graced with large eucalyptus trees on both sides of the road.
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Georgioupoli is built on the delta of the river Almiros, which floats in from lake Kournas, the only sweet water lake in Crete. It used to be a swamp area until the late 19th century, and the place was avoided because of fear of malaria. lots of trees were planted to help dry out the swamp (plane trees that collect a lot of water) and a couple of bridges were made to cross the river (which divides the beach in two). Now there are plenty of hotels and pensions, a nice village square with taverns, some souvenir shops and supermarkets, and two churches. One of them is a cute little white church that is set on a pier in the water, the Agios Nikolaos church. You can walk to this church and burn a candle if you like. The sand beach stretches on for ever and ever (it's 10 kilometers long). Some parts have beach chairs, other parts don't, but the whole stretch is good. There's plenty of space and sand for everybody. Compared to some other villages on the north coast of Crete it's rather quiet and relaxed. It's a secretly hidden gem on the heavily build on this part of the coastline. |
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You will not see high rise buildings or heavy traffic in Georgioupoli. You might bump into the miniature tourist tram though, which takes you on a tour of the area. But don't worry: it's not going very fast. Most of the guest appeared to be well educated English people between the ages of 30 and 60, and not the noisy kind. There's a hotel on the beach with special facilities for disabled people as well. |
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The history of Georgioupoli or Georgioupolis. Georgioupoli is situated on the Almiros plain and used to be te site of one of the ancient ports of Lappa (now: Argiroupolis). There are no remains of the original site left. The current village started life with the name Armyroupoli but was renamed in honour of Prince George, the High Commissioner of Crete. Today the village of Georgioupoli has around 600 inhabitants that live mainly from tourism. Extra info about Georgioupoli + picture with thanks to Nel Steenbergen. We have visited Georgioupoli three times and in spite of the village being so touristic we enjoyed the beach very much. If you walk way past the touristic part of the beach you will bump into a small naturel (naturists) part. |
| Dolphin Taverna - Georgioupoli |
Club sandwiches, pancakes, crêpes, salads, pizza's, omelettes, grilled food with French fries, ice cream and pastry are a few things that are on the menu here at this taverna on the main square in Georgioupoli. The cappuccino comes in large cups and it is strong and good. The crêpes are very richly filled, tasty and cheap! Apparently the restaurant was taken over by next door Tito's Restaurant and turned into one larger taverne. Our verdict: a 9 out of 10 |
| Summertime Snackbar - Georgioupoli |
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Situated at the beach of Georgioupoli. They serve breakfasts, coffee, omelettes, club sandwiches, pizzas, pastas and all sorts of snacks. The cappuccinos are super, the best, and the come with a glass of cold water. The French fries are crunchy, the service is good and very friendly and it is totally inexpensive. Maybe the best we have tried in Georgioupoli so far (and we have tried many more tavernas and restaurants in this village). Also a nice view of the sea and beautiful, stylish and comfortable furniture. Our verdict: a 9+ out of 10 |
| Tito's Café - Georgioupoli |
Tito's Café is situated on the central square in Georgioupoli. There are different kinds of breakfast, pancakes, omelettes, hamburgers, fresh orange juice and several kinds of snacks available. The Lavazza cappuccino comes without a glass of cold water. No other complaints here and like most of the taverns in Georgioupoli it is not really expensive. Our verdict: a 7,5 out of 10 |
| HOTELS, APARTEMENTS AND STUDIO'S IN GEORGIOUPOLI / GEORGIOUPOLIS ON CRETE |
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Georgioupoli is a real tourist village with a large choice in hotels and apartments in different price categories. Below are a few examples. For al hotels, apartments and studio's in and around Georgioupoli - click here. |
| Posidon Studios in Georgioupoli on Crete |
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Ideally situated on a pretty sandy beach, the Posidon Studios is a small pension offering just 11 simple, yet comfortable guest rooms. Guests at the Posidon can choose between the double and triple studio rooms. Each unit features an en-suite bathroom with shower, a balcony and a fridge. A number of the studios also feature a kitchenette. Guests can enjoy sea views from some of the balconies. The Posidon has its own beach tavern and bar where guests can enjoy a range of snacks, light meals and refreshments from morning time until late at night. The Posidon Studios is just a short walk from the village resort of Georgioupolis with its idyllic harbour and little fishing boats. Check availability and prices & book Posidon Studios - click here. |
| Villa Thea in Kournas / Georgioupoli op Kreta |
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A private pool, gardens and terraces with wonderful views of the sea and Lake Kournas can be found at this modern villa. The well-equipped kitchen includes a dishwasher, electric stove and coffee maker. Villa Thea is situated in the traditional village of Kournas, perched on a hill above the sea. Lake Kournas is a 5-minute drive away. The beach resort of Georgioupolis is 7 km away. Villa Theas ground floor includes a double bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. There is also a large dining room, and a sunny lounge with a sofa bed and TV. Upstairs there are 2 more bedrooms, each with a small balcony. The main bathroom has a washing machine and hair dryer. The villa offers free private parking. It is just 20 km from Rethymnon and 43 km from Chania. Check availability and prices & book Villa Thea - click here. |
| Orpheas Resort in Georgioupoli on Crete - rooms and suites on the beach |
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A pleasant surprise right on the beach of Georgioupolis between the towns of Rethymno (17km) and Chania (38km). A hotel full of romance decorated with the flair of an artist. Comfortable rooms with elegant furniture, colours beyond the ordinary, spacious grounds, green and quiet environment complete its picture. Two swimming pools for the grown ups and two for the children together with the playground and the family suites consisted of two rooms with intermediate door make it ideal for families. Check availability and prices & book Orpheas Resort - click here. |
| Alkion Hotel in Exopoli near Georgioupoli on Crete - cheap option |
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Situated just outside Georgioupolis in the village of Exopoli, these comfortable apartments offer a relaxing environment with an outdoor pool and beautiful views of the sea and the White Mountains. Alkion is a family-run business, offering a friendly and more personalised service. Each of the apartments is fully equipped with self-catering facilities to create a home from home. You can enjoy beautiful views to the sea or the mountains. Alkions outdoor pool and terrace is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a drink. Children have a separate area to splash around in. The terrace also offers magnificent views of the sea and Georgioupoli, which is just 2 km away. The convenient location of Alkion in Exopoli allows you to easily access Chania and Rethymno. Both are situated within a 30-minute drive from the apartments, making it an ideal base for exploring Crete. Check availability and prices & book the Alkion Hotel - click here. |
© Hans Huisman, http://www.angelfire.com/super2/greece/ 2014