Malia Holidays

A town of two halves

Set on Crete’s north coast, Malia is a place with a split personality. The old town is all whitewashed houses and tiny churches. The neon-lit hub of bars and clubs in the newer part of town, meanwhile, sets the pace for the party crowd.

After-hours escapades

In fact, Malia is fast becoming one of the biggest party players on the Med. Its main strip is chock-a-block with clubs, bars and pubs that can hold their own against Ibiza and Ayia Napa’s nightlife titans. And here, the clubs won’t charge you to get in – so you can catch international acts like N-Dubz and Lisa Maffia for free.

Beach life

The town serves up no less than 6 beaches. From party-central Glozanie Beach to chillout Tropical Beach, each stretch has a different feel. Sun-lounging, volleyball and watersports are the order of the day while the sun shines. After dark, you can dance on the sands to tunes blaring from the bars along the promenade.

Close to Heraklion

Buses run every half an hour to Crete’s capital, Heraklion, and you’ll be there in around 45 minutes. There’s plenty of history to be found at the Venetian castle and nearby ruins of Knossos. For designer bargain hunting, scour the stores on Daedalou Street.