Gouves, Crete Island - Insider Tips

Gouves is situated on the north coast of Crete Island and to the east of Heraklion. This municipality spreads a few kilometers inland from lovely beaches to fertile fields and picturesque villages that cling to the hillsides.

Kato Gouves is large beach resort with various hotels and apartments. The restaurants and bars are all centered around the main road of Gouves, which does not appear very Greek. This is a typical tourist resort.

Ano Gouves is a beautiful little village situated above Kato Gouves. Ano Gouves means “Higher Gouves” and Kato Gouves translates to “Lower Gouves”. This charming village  is really worth visiting, with a beautiful church surrounded by small Greek taverns that are open year-round. In Ano Gouves you will still find the traditional look and feel of Greece.

The Aphrodite Beach Hotel has clean but basic, reasonably priced rooms (ranging from $65 - $248 standard room), a good quality buffet-style restaurant, a bar and an all-inclusive option for both. There are outdoor saltwater and freshwater pools, a freshwater indoor heated pool, and two children's pools. The animation team can help you choose activities ranging from quiz games, darts and bingo to theme parties, evening shows and folklore nights. Aphrodite Beach Hotel is ideal for visitors who want rent a car or take a bus to see the sights of this historic island.

The beaches have seating and umbrellas for 5 Euro per day. In recent years, the tourist development has been markedly increasing in this area, due to both its wonderful beaches and its vicinity to Heraklion to the west and Chersonissos a few kilometres to the east.

Gouves Water Sports, near the Marina hotel, offers massive fun for reasonable prices, and customers say the rides last longer than anywhere else. The staff are friendly, helpful and fun-loving people. Rent banana boats, water tubes, inflatable sofas, jet skis, and more. Great fun!

Editor's note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about Gouves, Crete Island.