Made (and Agia Pelagia & Lygaria) - Crete

The place - Made and close neighbours, Agia Pelagia & Ligaria

Made, pronounced "Mathvay" is a tiny village by the sea, twenty kilometres from the centre of Heraklion. A few notable people live here year round, most keep summer homes. Made occupies a delightful bay with a small sandy beach. It also serves as anchorage for smaller locally owned boats. On one side of the bay the grand Athina Palace Hotel clings with its pastel coloured cubes, to the cliff-side and its guests swamp the beach in the summer.. Below the hotel is an attractive beach bar, neatly sculpted on and around the rocks. Originally part of neighbouring Lygaria, few people know the name Made if you ask about it in Heraklion. It has a calm and less touristy nature than many similar places so close to the big city. Lygaria - just 5 minutes further also has the useful distinction of being one of the most protected bays in the area - the sea being calm and swimmable most of the year.
 

How to get there - Made

Buses:
No bus goes all the way down to the beach. There are buses from Heraklion to neighbouring Agia Pelagia in the summer, and some of them will go as far as the Athina Palace hotel. Then it's a 5-10 min walk down. Bus station tel. 2810- 245017/019/020. Bus can be taken from the bus stop in front of the Astoria Hotel in Eleftherias square.

By car:
Take the National Road from Heraklion towards Rethymno and after the Pantanassa Bridge and then the Palekastro Bridge look out for a right turn signed to "Made" and also "Paralia Lygarias - Lygaria Beach" - follow the steep winding road down toward the sea and turn right (there is a sign which you need to watch for - see photo right) for Made, the road changes from asphalt to cement. You are in Made - follow the road down to the taverna, market and the sea.
 

Where to stay - Made

Lygaria has some rooms and apartments available for rent - ask at the tavernas. Or, you can find numerous rooms and hotels in the next village - larger and with more restaurants, cafes and beach nightlife - Agia Pelagia.
In Made itself you can stay within, literally, a few paces of the shoreline at Vivi's, above the mini market, in decently finished apartments with plenty of hot water and kitchen facilities, wonderful balconies (there are just two apartments available, usually for a period of at least a week, which need to be booked in advance).
Opposite Amoudi Taverna and small supermarket there are apartments with two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and balcony - Amoudi Apartments.
Contact details:
Vivi's: Soula (at the mini market and car rental below ) Tel. 2810-811 747/8 . Price category: H4.
Amoudi Apartments: Tel. 2810-811 339 or 811 478. Price category: H4
Apartments next to Minoiko taverna: Roula Tel. 2810-259 951 all with balconies. Price category: H5/ H4.
Athina Palace hotel above and somewhat separate from the village, though with charging arrangements at the beach bar, in the supposedly "luxury" hotel category. Features private cubist room units climbing up the cliffside and including a couple of impressive swimming pools with dramatic views. Price category H1+.
(Phones: see Calling Crete)
 

What to see/do - Made

Swimming is good here - the bay is partly protected from the open sea. At the end of the beach bar scuba diving, jet-skis and other water sports are offered. Relax and sunbathe, paint, write and enjoy the beach bar! A souvenir shop selling alabaster opposite Amoudi taverna and mini market may be worth a look - if alabaster is your passion!
Lygaria offers further dining on the beach and continuing on the same coast-edge road you come to Agia Pelagia which presents more of the standard tourist offerings food and gift-wise. Agia Pelagia has one of the narrowest beaches that could still be called a beach, enjoyable cafes and restaurants and the first class/deluxe (H1 price category) Capsis hotel and conference centre.
Fodele, Achlada and the fascinating villages off the Old national road heading towards Rethymno are accessible; Bali is worth a visit for its harbour, cafes, restaurants and generally pleasing topography and waterside setting.
 

Where to eat & drink - Made

The beach bar serves food as well as drinks. Lygaria and Agia Pelagia's tavernas are not far and also offer water's edge dining.
In Agia Pelagia the restaurant Caldera (Price category B/A) offers a change - quite fine dining by the sea; its neighbour - the Caldera bar and cafe - plays mostly cuban, latin and beach-memorable music!
 

Special Comments - Made

Made is one of those hidden places, generally quieter than beach areas close to Heraklion, but with the facilities (if you include Lygaria and Agia Pelagia) that make spending days here a pleasure. You can rent a car (recommended) and explore from a pleasing base camp. The beach is kept clean and free of debris during the April-October season by the Athina Palace hotel.
 

Photo panorama - Made

Entering Made: View to the left - View to the right

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Simple map - Made

We have drawn  a simple map of Made, to give a better idea of where things are. See Made simple map.
 

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