Agios Ioannis

Agios Ioannis, on the sunny south coast of Crete, lends itself for excursions to the mountains and along the coast.

The whole area is unique as far as culture and scenery are concerned and offers countless recreational activities ranging from relaxing on fantastic beaches, hiking on trails to the surrounding little villages to exploring ancient excavation sites and cloisters.

In the neighbouring village of Kamilari (2 Km away) there is a supermarket with a butcher’s shop.
The village of Agios Ioannis, is built next to Phaistos, the second biggest center of the Minoan civilization in Crete, after Knossos. The houses of the community are built on the ruins of the ancient city.

In the village there is the church of Agios Ioannis built on the 16th century, and the tower of Agriolidis. At the south part of the village there is an old distillery of raki.
Outside the village, on the road Phaistos-Matala there is a small chapel of Agios Pavlos, with excellent frescoes of the 14th century. On the same road, 200 m from the village an intact tomb of the Geometrical period has been discovered, and beside it two Roman tombs.
The village celebrates the feast-day of Agios Ioannis on the 26th of September when a fair is organized.