Things To Do in Stalis Crete

Stalis’s long beachfront means that many of the best restaurants and tavernas in town are right on the sand. Most places cater to international tastes, so you can order everything from burger and fries to traditional Greek specialities like souvlaki – marinated kebabs, and pastitsio – a sort of Greek lasagne. The fare in the tavernas is mostly home-cooked and hearty, while the luxury hotels offer more cosmopolitan dishes like steak frites.

Stalis is surrounded by olive-covered mountains which offer glorious views out to sea. One of the best ways to explore them is on horseback, and there’s an excellent riding school in town. Expert trekkers lead riders of all levels and ages along the country roads, stopping off in the quaint village of Mohos for coffee and a potter around its flower-filled squares and alleys, or to peek inside tiny hillside chapels.

You can pick up any holiday essentials you might need in the various mini-markets and beach shops dotted around town. There’s also a smattering of crafts boutiques selling stylish, locally-made clothes, jewellery and other souvenirs. Handmade leather goods, olive-wood ornaments and embroidered linen are all particular specialities of the island. For a wider selection, head down the road to the market in Malia.

Whether you’re after cocktails or cold beer, the seafront is the place to head after dark in Stalis. There’s no shortage of beach bars to choose, and many of them stay open until sunrise playing everything from pop classics to current floorfillers. For a taste of traditional Greece, head to the tavernas, where you can often find live music nights, complete with plate smashing. And, of course, you’re just a 20-minute stroll along the sand from the hard-partying clubs of Malia.

Like many Cretan villages, Stalis has its own annual feast day, which it shares with Malia. The streets and squares of the town get taken over by local and visiting revellers, with live Greek bands and dancers in traditional costume. It’s also a great chance to taste some typical Cretan food. Pop-up stalls sell – and in some cases give away – speciality dishes like chortopitakia – those are small spinach pies – and rabbit served with yoghurt.

Vasilis and his team run this friendly little tavern, which rustles up some of the best Greek cooking in the area. Locally-produced bread, fish, meat, fruit and vegetables are delivered each morning to make up the day’s menu, which includes grilled fish of the day, succulent steaks, and a mouth-watering kleftiko – lamb and potatoes cooked with garlic and lemon. The portions are plentiful and the prices very reasonable.