Pitsidia

Pitsidia is a small village close to Matala on the south coast of Crete. As Matala grew more and more touristy in the 70s and 80s, many of the hippies and long-term holidaymakers emigrated to Pitsidia. The rent rooms and tavernas sprung up with them. Today, Pitsidia is popular with tourists, particularly Germans, seeking a village with a traditional feel to it. In Pitsidia you will find a traditional Cretan village with all the typical order that one might expect of a rural farming community. Because visitors to Pitsidia are not rich, Pitsidia is one of the cheapest places on Crete. The accommodation and restaurants are of good quality, and the people are very friendly.

Most things in Pitsidia happen around the Plateia (main square). There you will find some cafés and tavernas. Tourists flock to the traditional kafenions around the square. Pensions and tavernas line the narrow and picturesque streets around the plateia.

Eating in Pitsidia: My favourite taverna in Pitsidia is the Bodikos. The restaurant is on the main road going to Matala. Portions are big and prices are low, and I think they have the best pizza in the whole of Crete. For €4.50-5.50 you can get a real Italian pizza cooked in a wood oven. Also recommended is the chicken with okra, cheap swordfish (c. €7). In Mike’s Gyros Restaurant – located in a narrow alley close to the Plateia –you can try delicious Cretan dishes, many of which are vegetarian. In the Fabrika (100m from the Plateia), there are also great meals – the owners are German.

Accommodation in Pitsidia: There is no package tourism in Pitsidia, so no massive hotel complex. I hope this will continue to be the case in the future. Rooms here are cheap, and most people start looking for a room as soon as they get off the bus. Out of season prices plummet to €10. In the high season of 2008 they were €15. Those who like a bit of luxury should try pension Izabella. For €30 you get a room with a bath, air conditioning and other extras. They also have apartments with kitchens.

Buses Pitsidia: All buses to and from Matala go through Pitsidia, so connections are good. In the summer there are six buses a day to Matala, Iraklio, Phaistos and Agia Galini.

Around Pitsidia: You can reach Komos beach on foot in 30 minutes. To Kalamaki it’s a short trek of 4-5km, walking along the main road and Komos beach. Matala is 5km away.

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