Editor's pickTa Kochylia
The institution. Grilled fish, octopus, Cretan classics on the harbour.
Mochlos doesn't ask much of you. A pair of swimming shoes, an empty afternoon, an appetite for grilled fish at sunset. The rest, the village teaches you. Here is what we'd whisper to a friend before they arrive.
Tavernas & tables
Where the village eats.
A handful of waterfront tavernas, a few hidden tables outside the village. We send you to the ones we eat at ourselves.
History & culture
Three thousand years of mornings.
A 30-second swim takes you to one of Europe's oldest known settlements. Half-day drives unlock museums, monasteries, and forgotten chapels.
Beaches
A beach for every mood.
Within walking distance, the village beach. A short drive away, the secret coves and the Caribbean-blue ones.
Walks & nature
Slow steps, big views.
From a 20-minute waterfront stroll to a half-day hike through Richtis Gorge with its hidden waterfall.
Sea & boats
The Aegean, your way.
Ask at the harbor in the morning. The man with the blue boat usually has space, and he knows where the fish are.
Recommendations coming soon.
Wine, oil & raki
A monk, a vineyard, an olive grove.
Cretan raki is not a digestif — it is a punctuation mark. The comma between your meal and your conversation.
Day trips
Half a day, a different Crete.
Spinalonga, Vai, the Lasithi plateau. Each one a small expedition. None of them more than 90 minutes away.
Slow living rituals
Doing nothing, properly.
The small habits the village teaches you. Sunrise swim, ellinikó on the harbour, siesta under olive trees.
The little black book
Numbers worth having.
The numbers we actually use. Tap to call, tap the map to find it. Tavernas answer best in the late afternoon.
Mochlos · where the village eats 8
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Ta KochyliaGrilled fish on the harbour. Also runs the boat to the island.
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To Bogazi
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Sochoro
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GialosAsk for Popi.
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Sofia
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Karpouzi
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Kavouria
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Taverna Natural
Mochlos · coffee, drinks, the sea 5
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The Rocks
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Oktana
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BarrakiOn the road to the port, open late.
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Water sports — Alex
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Boat tours — Georgos, Ta Kochylia
Useful people 3
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Frini — massage at the house
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Adonis — massage at the house
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Safari Fun — jeep tours, Ierapetra
Going east · Sitia, Vai, the gorge 11
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Kath'Odon, MirsiniBest view late in the afternoon.
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Ceramics — Nikos, Mirsini
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Richtis GorgeWith two cars, leave one at the beach and start walking from the bridge.
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Sitia beach
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Toplou Monastery
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Erimoupolis beach
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Vai beachThe palm forest, straight on the sand.
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Maridati beach
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Gone Surfing Crete, KouremenosWindsurf and foil centre.
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Fotis Seaside Taverna
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Hiona TavernaBest seafood risotto and shrimps in ouzo. Say hi from Annali.
South · towards Ierapetra and Myrtos 14
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Tholos beach — souvlaki kantina and taverna
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Taverna Panorama
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Agriomantra beachGo when it is not windy.
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Evotry bakery, Kavousi
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Kapilion Tavern, Ierapetra
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Taverna Vira Potzi
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Casablanca Cafe Taverna
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Ierapetra street marketSaturday morning.
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Archangelos cruises, Ierapetra
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MyrtosVery photogenic, worth the drive.
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Sarakinas GorgeWith two cars, leave one at the top and walk up from the main parking.
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Althaea — handcrafted goods, Anatoli
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Taverna Lambros, Tertsa
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Kaliotzina TavernaSouth east of Ierapetra.
West · Agios Nikolaos and Plaka 11
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Cretan cooking class with Maria, Kritsa
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Macrame by Voulisma
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Kimzu Sea Lounge
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To Votsalo
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Gioma
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Portes
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Ofou to Lo
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Taverna SemeleiNext to the old church, Panagia Vrefotrofos.
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Zygos Urban Garden
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Agios Nikolaos street marketWednesday morning.
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PlakaTaverna Giovanni and Taverna Salasa.
On the way back to Heraklion 8
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Karteros beach
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Thigaterra
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Tavernaki Dimitris
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Peskesi
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Ligo Krasi Ligo Thalassa
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I Treis Mouries
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Theseus parkingIn the centre.
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Central parkingIn the centre.
Through the year
Mochlos, season by season.
April – May
Wildflower hikes in Thripti. Easter celebrations in the village. Sea is cool but swimmable; beaches are empty.
June – August
Snorkeling at its peak. Open-air evening dinners. Sunset boat rides. Book the tavernas ahead.
September – October
The locals' favourite. Warm sea, mellow light, fewer crowds. Olive harvest experiences in October.
November – March
Quiet luxury. Long lunches by the fireplace. Hot baths after coastal walks. Apartment & Studio open year-round.
Stay where the locals send their friends
Five homes, one village.
As featured in
The Guardian
Crete treats: a chef's tour of her favourite Greek island
Read the article
Want help choosing your week? Annali knows what is open, what is in season, and what nobody else is doing.
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