Stepping Back in Time: Exploring the Small Village of Gavalochori, Crete
The word sleepy is a bit of an understatement when describing the vibe of the small village of Gavalochori, located up in the mountains of Crete. I honestly am not sure how we found this place. We had been staying in the charming town of Chania for three weeks when we decided to rent a car and explore the island. Since we were starting on the water in Chania and ending at a beach resort in Heraklion, we figured a few days up in the mountains would be a nice change of pace. We rented a lovely Airbnb with a pool, but being May, it was a bit too chilly for us to swim.
What to do In and Near Gavalochori, Crete
If you’re looking for a wide variety of tourist attractions, Gavalochori is probably not the place for you. If you are looking for access to some beautiful ancient ruins and unique culture, you are in luck. If you are looking for a small town where old Greek men sit outside and gossip all day long, you are in heaven.
Crete Sightseeing
Archaeological Site of Aptera
Aptera was an extremely important city-state in Crete dating back to the Minoan Period in 3500 BC. Due to its prime location high up in the mountains near Chania and Rethymno, Aptera became very prosperous and even began printing their own coins. You can visit the vast ruins today and it’s another great place for a toddler to run around. There is a beautiful amphitheatre, as well as some cool caves that spooked Maeve a bit (particularly when a bunch of bats came flying out).
Ancient Aptera Crete
Aptera Ruins Crete
Crete with Kids
St. George Monastery
This may be my favorite place that we visited near Gavalochori. Going deeper inland, you drive through rustic farmlands to reach this ancient monastery. For a small entrance fee, you can tour around the grounds and enter the small monastic church. The best part? As you are leaving there is a table set up with a jug of raki and shot glasses, along with a plate of olives for you to enjoy.
St. George Monastery Crete
The Village of Vamos
After visiting the monastery, we took a stroll through this other tiny village. Again, not much going on here, but we did have a delicious lunch of Cretan snails and vegetables.
Where to Eat on Crete
Folk Museum of Gavalochori
An interesting way to spend a half hour, this museum showcases various Cretan artifacts as well as having those popular (at least in folk museums) bedroom/kitchen replicas that show how the ancestors lived. Spoiler alert: it’s not shabby-chic, it’s cave-chic.
Folk Museum Crete
Venetian Wells
Right on the outskirts of town there are some interesting Venetian wells that are a quick stop on your way in or out of Gavalochori.
Where to Eat in Gavalochori, Crete
Before heading to the village, we Googled how many restaurants there are in town. Trip Advisor showed three, which we figured was fine for the few nights we would be there. Turns out three is actually one, but, boy oh boy, was it heavenly.
Gavalianos Kafenes - Monica's Taverna
The only menu is a large chalkboard that is updated daily with whatever they can get from the local meat and vegetable providers. It’s as fresh as it gets and we ate there three of our six nights, trying out different dishes on each occasion.
Gavalochori Restaurants
Tavern Sterna Tou Bloumosifi
As I mentioned above, this restaurant specializes in Cretan food, such as snails and fresh fish.
Psaros Restaurant
Technically, this is down the mountain in the nearby town of Almyrida. There are several trendier restaurants down on this strip of beach, and we chose this one as it specialized in seafood. Much like at most restaurants we visited in Crete, we were treated to a free dessert and raki at the end of the meal.
