Myrtos Pictures

Crete travel guide Explorecrete.com

Pictures of Myrtos

  • myrtos from above
    Myrtos seen from above
  • beach of myrtos
    The large beach of Myrtos starts in the village and stretches west.
  • myrtos beach
    The beach at Myrtos is a sandy beach with grey sand. There are only a few, unintrusive umbrellas.
  • myrtos beach
    Myrtos and its beach seen from the west.
  • tavernas at myrtos beach
    The beach right under the tavernas at Myrtos. The beach is not as wide here as it is further to the west, but it’s clean and not too crowded, just the place for a quick swim. The umbrellas are free for café and restaurant customers.
  • children playing at myrtos beach
    Children playing with the waves on the beach. Small children should not swim unsupervised, as the sea suddenly deepens.
  • west beach of myrtos
    Another picture of the large west beach with its grey sand. Myrtos has the great advantage of being unaffected by northerly winds in the summer, unlike other places.
  • windsurfing at myrtos
    On the west beach you can hire canoes or windsurfing boards.
  • myrtos beaches suitable for camping
    If you continue past Myrtos on the road to Tertsa, you will find small beaches suitable for camping.
  • true beauty of Myrtos
    You will discover the true beauty of Myrtos on your first walk through the narrow village streets.
  • myrtos village
    Myrtos is one of the most picturesque villages in Crete, with quiet, narrow streets full of flowers and trees.
  • apartments in myrtos
    These apartments in Myrtos are set in a sea of green.
  • elderly ladies enjoying a chat
    Two elderly ladies enjoying a chat in front of a house with pots full of flowers and aromatic herbs.
  • traditional café in the centre of Myrtos
    A pretty traditional café in the centre of Myrtos, where the dense foliage of a mulberry tree offers customers both shade and coolth.
  • owner of the Ermioni café in myrtos
    Mr Nikos, owner of the “Ermioni” café, with his granddaughter. He is also the owner of the only petrol station in Myrtos. Originally from Chania, he has fallen in love with Myrtos and lives here with his family.
  • traditional house in myrtos
    Another house with eye-catching plants and flowers.
  • pots and jars full of herbs
    Pots and jars full of herbs in the courtyard of a traditional Cretan house.
  • traditional houses in myrtos
    White and blue are common house colours in Myrtos, lending this pretty village an island touch.
  • myrtos coast road with cafeterias and tavernas
    All the village streets lead to the coast road with its cafeterias and tavernas.
  • coast road of myrtos
    The coast road is pedestrianised and you can stroll around morning and night without having to step aside for cars.
  • taverna in myrtos
    A seafront taverna whose owner has thought up an imaginative way to advertise his seafood dishes. χαρακτήρα της κουζίνας του.
  • café-bar in myrtos
    A café-bar offering a pleasant atmosphere in which modern and traditional elements are combined. The inhabitants of Myrtos are known for their good taste, unfortunately not a widespread feature in Crete.
  • the blue sea of Myrtos
    Deep in a good book next to the blue sea of Myrtos.
  • locals relax in myrtos
    It’s not only tourists who enjoy the view of the blue sea and beachfront shops; the locals also take to opportunity to relax.
  • sunset from a beachfront taverna in Myrtos
    Admiring the sunset from a beachfront taverna in Myrtos.
  • mini-market in the village centre
    In Myrtos you’ll find the basic requirements for your holidays, including a mini-market in the village centre.
  • grocer’s shop in myrtos
    There’s also a grocer’s shop with fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • shops in myrtos
    A shop selling natural Cretan products.
  • apartments for rent in myrtos
    Climbing the steps up to the church of Agios Antonios and the neighbouring small museum, we are struck once more by the flowers and greenery decorating the houses of Myrtos. The building on the right is the apartments for rent owned by Mrs Eleni, who has created a green oasis in the heart of the village.
  • church of Agios Antonios
    The church of Agios Antonios in the centre of the village. Building work began in 1853, was interrupted for unknown reasons and continued in 1890. In 1952 a small extension was added and the church was restored, as it was again in 1991.
  • Myrtos Archaeological and Folk Museum
    Next to Agios Antonios is the Myrtos Archaeological and Folk Museum. Here you can admire objects of everyday Cretan life in centuries past.
  • Minoan settlements of Fournou Korifi and Pirgos
    In the small museum of Myrtos you can also admire pottery found in the Minoan settlements of Fournou Korifi and Pirgos.
  • small square with a war memorial
    A small square with a war memorial dedicated to the inhabitants of Myrtos executed by the German army of occupation on 15 September 1943.
  • walking through the streets of Myrtos
    Walking through the streets of Myrtos you notice that most of the inhabitants are of an advanced age, as many young people have left the village for the towns. However, Myrtos is by no means a village in decline.
  • mulberry tree
    In every alleyway you’ll see at least one mulberry tree, the Cretans’ favourite tree, offering rich shade in summer and letting the sun through to warm their houses in winter. Who said bioclimatics is something new?
  • tomatoes are preserved by being hung from the trees
    A picture you will see nowhere else in Crete: tomatoes are preserved by being hung from the trees, without being sundried.
  •  typical image of Myrtos
    An elderly man enjoying the dense shade of a mulberry tree whose trunk is garlanded with bunches of bright red tomatoes, in front of a house with blue shutters. A typical image of Myrtos which you are unlikely to find anywhere else in Crete.
  • Blue is used in many houses in Myrtos
    Blue chairs and table. Blue is used in many houses in Myrtos.
  • ruined house in Myrtos
    An old house choked in greenery. There are few ruined houses in Myrtos, showing that the village is growing. The main sources of income are farming and tourism, although the latter is not favoured by the distance from the ports and airports of Crete. But this helps the village preserve its beauty, rather than being turned into yet another faceless tourist resort like those of northern Crete.
  • myrtos cultural events
    Posters advertising Cretan music and summer cultural events. Many events and concerts are also held in Ierapetra, just 15 kilometres from Myrtos.
  • taverna in Myrtos
    A taverna in Myrtos shaded by a vine. Note the gourds, or “tsouki” as they are known in Crete, and see the next photograph.
  • painted gourd
    This gourd has been painted by a German artist living in Myrtos, depicting the famous Minoan bull-vaulting.
  • the main church of Myrtos
    Agiοi Anargyri, the main church of Myrtos.
  • harbour at Myrtos
    The tiny harbour at Myrtos offers limited shelter for local fishing boats.
  • Rooms for rent on myrtos
    Rooms for rent on a hilltop above Myrtos. Another oasis of greenery to enchant visitors.
  • the River Kryos east of Myrtos
    From here we have an uninterrupted view of the fertile valley of the River Kryos, which runs into the sea east of Myrtos, next to the tiny harbour.
  • greenhouses of myrtos
    Leaving Myrtos and driving to Ierapetra we see lots of greenhouses with early greens, the basic source of local income.
  • greenhouses  in the Ierapetra area
    Thousands of hectares of land are covered by the white plastic of greenhouses. The sight may not be magical, but let’s not forget that these form the income of thousands of families in the Ierapetra area, the town where the first greenhouses were introduced to Crete.
  • small church in the village of Neos Myrtos
    A small church among the greenhouses in the village of Neos Myrtos is visible from afar thanks to its deep red dome, contrasting beautifully with the green tamarisks and deep blue sea. Here you can see part of the pebble beach east of Myrtos.
  • scenery east of Myrtos
    The scenery east of Myrtos is the typical southern Cretan landscape, where only shrubs and bushes can survive the long, dry summers.
  • enchanting Cretan landscape
    A blue sky with cotton-wool clouds, ash-grey mountains, golden dried grasses, dark-green olive trees and a white house nestling on a hillside make up the enchanting Cretan landscape.
  • Pirgos archaeological site
    At the east end of Myrtos is the Pirgos archaeological site, set on a low hill with a panoramic view.
  • Minoan settlement of Pirgos
    An easy path leads to the Minoan settlement of Pirgos. It’s best to climb here late in the afternoon, when the sun’s rays are no longer hot and the gentle light casts long shadows, bringing the landscape to life.
  • Minoan villa at  the Minoan settlement of Pirgos
    A Minoan villa, the most important building of the Minoan settlement of Pirgos. You can make out the south facade, behind a paved courtyard with a cistern below it. The hilltop building surveys all the surrounding area, the sea and the shore.
  • walls of this building
    The walls of this building are faced with alabaster, with visible traces of fire.
  • Minoan settlement, Fournou Korifi
    The second Minoan settlement in the area is known as “Fournou Korifi”, 3.5 km east of Myrtos. This settlement dates from the Early Minoan period, and the finds from here provide valuable evidence of life in Early Bronze Age Crete. Unfortunately the site is fenced off and entry is prohibited.
  • night in myrtos
    Night has almost fallen in Myrtos and the sky is painted in the rosy colours of sunset.
  • beach in myrtos at night
    Night needs good company and good wine. You provide the company, and Myrtos will provide a never-ending flow of wine for you to enjoy in the seafront tavernas, listening to the sough of the waves on the shore.
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