Agia Galini

Agia Galini is a small but charming village located on the south coast of Crete. It originally was a fishmongers’ village but in the mid 60ies a new era started, with steadily more tourists founding themselves attracted to Agia Galini’s ability to combine all the amenities a holiday destination offers with the traditional local spirit.  Today almost 650 locals live permanently in the beautiful village of Agia Galini.

Agia Galini is surrounded by a unique mixture of all natural landscapes. Green mountains, among them Psiloritis which is the highest mountain of Crete, the prosperous bay of Messara with a huge agricultural production, and the Libyan Sea create an amazing experience for nature lovers.

The beach of Agia Galini is only 100 meters away from the Irini Mare Hotel entrance. It is mainly pebbly with sandy parts as well. It has been awarded several times with the “Blue Flag” award for its clean water. So take a relaxing swim between wild hills and cliffs on your left and Agia Galini on your right. Take a small walk along the beach and make a stop on the bridge, to admire the small river of Platis that connects to the sea at this point. In about ten minutes from Irini Mare Hotel you will reach the picturesque village of Agia Galini with many taverns, cafes and small alleys to stroll around.

Do not miss out on the amphitheatrically built theatre on the top of the rock with statue of the famous Daedalus and Icarus. It is believed that they flew away from King Minoa of Knossos using waxed wings, starting from this rock of Agia Galini. 

Agia Galini means in Greek “Holy Peace”. It is believed that the ancient city of Soulia, was renamed by a Byzantine Queen, whose ship faced a big storm nearby Agia Galini. The ship was finally not wrecked and the Queen wanting to thank God for this serenity that allowed her ship to sail further, renamed Soulia to Agia Galini. Agia Galini justifies its name, since the naturally sheltered beach is almost always protected from the southern winds.