Makry Gialos is 38 km south of Sitia and 25 km east of Ierapetra, in the southeast of Lassithi Prefecture. It merges into Koutsouras and Analipsi, the seaside villages to west and east of it. The road from Ierapetra to Makry Gialos is very good and mostly straight, offering a marvellous view of the various beaches and villages on the way to Makry Gialos. The road from Sitia to Makry Gialos, on the other hand, winds through the villages of the interior of Lassithi Prefecture, offering a lovely drive through a verdant landscape.
A piece of advice: open your window as you drive from Sitia to Makry Gialos - the area is full of thyme and oleander, the characteristic plant of Lassithi Prefecture. You will be enchanted by the wonderful smell, the scent of Crete itself. To get to Makry Gialos from Heraklion Airport or port, you need to head towards Agios Nikolaos, then to Ierapetra and on to Makry Gialos. It is 125 km distant, about 2 hours’ drive.
Makry Gialos is 265 km from Chania and 205 km from Rethymno.
The houses are build with the white regional stone which matches perfectly with the surrounding landscape. The combination of the stone walls with the wooden furniture and the timber ceilings constitute an elegant decoration of the interiors which can provide at the same time coolness during the summer and warmth during winter.