Gouves is a great place to relax and enjoy all the activities and attractions that it offers. The best part is that is at the center of Creta island so you can visit some of the best attractions on the island because we are sure that you can not have the time to visit all that Crete is offering unless you stay for over two months.
You can enjoy the sea and sun at the beaches in and around Gouves. As we have mentioned above Gouves is close to many other villages and resorts such as Ano Gouves, Anissaras, Kokkini Hani, Karteros, Hersonissos, Gournes, Analipsis, Malia and Stalida and also some hidden beaches to choose from that only locals can show you.
Things to do in Gouves Creta
If you are more of a sports guy you can try sea sports canoeing, waterskiing, pedalo, Kayaking, kiteboating, paragliding, windsurfing, banana boat, yachting and many more.
Your kids will love to visit one of the largest aquariums in Europe which is located in Gournes, the spectacular Crete Aquarium. The village of Gournes is just within walking distance from Kato Gouves. You can just walk by the seaside it is only 20 minutes away on foot.
In Gouves, you can find many of beautiful churches such as the church of Saints Constantine and Helen, which stands by the sea and the Profitis Ilias church which is open in the winter to serve the local community. If you visit Kato Gouves on Sunday morning you can attend the Orthodox Mass, and if you are lucky there may be a wedding or baptism, as the church is a place where people from around the world visit for their weddings. Another place that makes your kids very happy, is a visit to Hersonissos Water Parks or at the Anopolis Water Park where you can spend all day playing on water slides, coaster slides, artificial waves, and pools for all ages.
In Gouves, you can find a great selection of restaurants and cocktail bars along the seaside. You can also enjoy the Cretan cuisine on many of the traditional taverns with live Greek and international music, fuelled by local ouzo and raki. Children’s entertainment is sorted out at the Gouves hotels, with Cretan nights, quizzes, barbecues and karaoke. Around the centre of Gouves, you can find many grocery stores, supermarkets, tattoo studios, hotels, gift and jewellery shops for buying local products and gifts for your family back home. And if you want to feel the excitement of nightlife you can go for wild clubbing in Hersonissos, which is just 10 kilometers away.
Where to swim in Kato Gouves
Gouves coastline is over four kilometres long offering a huge selection of beaches and some great spots with spectacular views. There are five popular beaches which can cover all the preferences of the visitors. You can enjoy a quiet beach or you can choose one of the most crowded beaches. There are some rocky spots or long sandy beaches. On most of the beaches, you can rent umbrellas and sunbeds, offer a lifeguard and some sea sports activities at attractive prices.
There are also two ports in the village where you can join some daily cruises or you can rent your own boat to go for a cruise or fishing to Dia island which is just across Gouves. Gouves is also the starting point for many daily tours around Crete and also to the beautiful Santorini volcanic island.
Other Things to do in Gouves Creta is a must-visit attraction just 20 kilometres from Gouves is Knossos, the great Minoan Palace, and there are frequent KTEL buses during the day from early morning to midnight. After Knossos you can also go for a walk around Heraklion and the old port, another place you must visit is the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, the Natural History Museum and the Historical Museum of Crete.
Just four kilometers from Gouves, and after Ano Gouves, is the Skotino cave, which many believe was the Minotaur’s labyrinth. It’s the largest and most impressive cave in Creta, with four levels that go down 160 meters beneath surface. In ancient times, this historic area was used to worship the goddess Diana. You can walk inside and explore, you can find a cave room called the Altar – there’s evidence that sacrifices took place here.
