Things To Do in Maleme

When it comes to Albatross, you won’t have to worry about food miles – all the ingredients on the menu come from the owners’ next-door farm. Theodora sorts out the food here and serves up Greek specialities like moussaka and mixed grill. She’s not one to hold back on portions, so arrive with a good appetite – and leave room for the free sweets at the end.

In Maleme, the nightlife is about settling down with a glass of wine in one of the tavernas or hotel bars. You’ve got one livelier option, though – at the western end of the resort there’s a dot of a disco that’s popular with locals. And if you’re up for going further afield, a 10-minute drive gets you to the revved-up bars and clubs of Platanias.

Maleme has its own duo of beaches, but a trip to Tavronitis, less than 10 minutes’ drive away, makes a nice change. On this secluded, pebbly beach you can relax on a sunlounger and take in the view of the mountains of the Kissamos peninsula before having a dip in the shallow water. A couple of beachfront taverns provide leisurely lunches.

From neighbouring Platanias you can walk about 4 kilometres up the hill to the picturesque village of Ano Platanias. It’s a different world up here with narrow streets, little tavernas and old houses where their elderly occupants sun themselves outside. And you also get a fantastic view of Platanias, Agia Marina and Chania Bay. If you’re driving up, you can park just outside the church.

Rather surprisingly, Maleme has a little disco, which the locals seem to enjoy. Otherwise, the nightlife is centred on the hotel bars or leisurely taverna dinners. Picking up much more of a pace is Platanias, less than 10 minutes’ drive away. This busy place comes with lots of bars – doing a good trade in everything from karaoke to chilled-out lounge music – and a thriving club scene.

Apparently, the terrace at this waterfront bar is the best place in town to take in the sunset. So aim to get here around 6pm to order up your drinks before it all starts. If you’ve got kids in tow, bar manager Dimitris will whip up one of his special milkshakes – the pineapple and strawberry combo has proven a bit of a hit.

Maleme may be small but it’s all about big Greek flavours. Spinach pies, meatballs, moussaka and the lovely beef stew called stifado can all be enjoyed at the restaurants on the main street that runs onto the seafront. And they’re friendly places, so you’re very likely to get a little dessert treat or a glass of raki on the house.

Crete’s mountains and hills make it a real hit with hikers. An hour’s ramble out of Maleme gets you to the hilltop village of Deres, with a whitewashed church and a taverna. If you’re up for a real trek, though, catch a bus to the Samaria National Park, which has one of the biggest gorges in Europe.

Maleme is famous for being the place where German paratroopers attacked Crete in 1941, and each year the locals gather for this memorial. Along with the laying of wreaths, there’s usually an air show and a battle re-enactment on the beach. Posters around town will give you the full programme.

Maleme doesn’t make too much of a song and dance about shopping. A duo of supermarkets will sort you out for picnic bits – the smaller one has a well-stocked deli counter, too. And the newsagents here do a sideline of souvenirs if you’re looking for fridge magnets and T-shirts.

Maleme doesn’t need row upon row of restaurants – on the road that runs from the centre to the seafront it’s all about quality, not quantity. Here, the mostly family-run tavernas serve up stuffed peppers, simply grilled fish and stifado – that’s beef stew, Cretan-style.

If you fancy some real desert-island style seclusion, head over to the west end of the sand. There’s not a sunlounger, beach bar or café in sight here, and it’s all backdropped by sweet-smelling pines. Remember to stock up on foodie bits before you get here, then spread yourself out for a picnic.