Gouves Holidays

As with many traditional Cretan villages, Gouves is divided by the landscape and the highway. There is an upper village, Pano Gouves, with little Greek Orthodox churches and winding streets built up the hillside. Traditional tavernas and coffee bars mingle here with old stone houses, new renovations and good sea views. By the sea is the lower village, Kato Gouves. Here, you’ll find hotels, bars and restaurants as well as the sandy Blue Flag beach.

You'll enjoy the gently shelving shore for swimming, but be careful of strong currents. You can also have fun with the various watersports on offer, including canoes and banana boats, scuba diving or snorkelling. For the more adventurous there's paragliding or a jeep safari to the nearby gorge, plus a local cave to explore at Skotini.

Just a 25-minute drive west will take you to Crete’s capital city, Heraklion, with its designer shops, restaurants and old Venetian architecture. You'll also be close to the archaeological site of Knossos, and you can see many Minoan relics in the museum. A 15-minute drive in the other direction takes you to the busy resort of Hersonissos, where you'll find active nightlife and many other attractions.