Stalis, Crete Holidays

Stalis is a cosmopolitan town development on the outskirts of Malia, just a 15-minute drive from Hersonissos. In the '80s it was just a small fishing village, but this airy seaside town now attracts visitors from all over the world. Its laidback atmosphere offers a sophisticated holiday retreat, with old Venetian-style streets and lots of restaurants offering Cretan, Greek, and international dishes. You'll find bars to please every taste, often with live music.

Stalis has one of the best sandy beaches on the north coast of Crete, stretching the three kilometres east to Malia and for over six kilometres beyond it. It's very popular because it's lined with bars, hotels and tavernas, and offers full beach and bathing facilities. The Stalis area of the beach has a gently sloping sandy shore and shallow, child-friendly water. Around Malia you'll find lots of watersports like jet-skiing and parasailing, and there's dancing on the beach after dark.

Malia offers a 24-hour party atmosphere and club strip, side by side with an old traditional town of winding streets and whitewashed Byzantine churches. You can walk it in 20 minutes from Stalis, but there are also mini road trains and several buses serving Malia daily. A little outside the centre lies the old Minoan palace, which you can reach in just 5 minutes by car. About 30 minutes’ drive further east is the seaside resort of Aghios Nikolaos.