Agia Varvara holidays are as quiet as a mouse, with one of Crete's snoozier beaches and a bevy of olives groves to keep you occupied.

Peace and quiet aplenty

If you looked for Agia Varvara on a map, you’d have to zoom in close to even spot this squirrelled-away settlement. It shares a name with another of Crete’s inland towns, plus a neighbourhood near Athens, but has its own sleepy persona. There’s no town centre to speak of, and most visitors are drawn in by the luxe Grecotel Meli Palace hotel. It’s got its toes dug into the edge of a sandy cove, which is a doozy for lazy sunbathing stints. If things start to feel too slow for your liking, it’s less than 10 minutes in a cab to neon-lit Malia.

At a Glance

  • Stroll between leafy olive groves
  • Visit an Instagram-worthy shorefront church
  • Top up your tan on the sandy shorefront