Agia Pelagia is a coastal tourist resort, built amphitheatrically, in the west side of a large and beautiful peninsula, in which wonderful bays are shaped. It is about 20 kilometers in the west of Heraclion.

The west side of the settlement is very green and harmonically combined with the blue of the sea, creating a magnificent landscape. That side is owned by the Capsis Beach hotel, that is the biggest and the oldest hotel in the area. That part is called Souda cape and ruins of the ancient Apollonia city are there.

Apart from the numerous hotels and rooms to let, there are also many cafeterias, restaurants, bars, ATM, mini markets, etc in Agia Pelagia.

Another advantage of the area is that it is not affected by the winds and that is why the beaches of the area are very crowded in the summer.

AGIA PELAGIA BEACHES

There are many choices in Agia Pelagia as there are many small and magnificent beaches along the peninsula. The main beach and the Filakes beach are in the settlement while there are also the beaches of Kladissos, Psaromoura and Mononaftis in the west of Agia Pelagia or, in the east, the Ligaria beach.

THE MAIN BEACH

The main beach is in front of the settlement and is sandy with blue and green sea water. It is a narrow beach that is organized and the cafeterias, bars and restaurants of the area are above it. If you are an adventurous person, you can do water sports in that beach. A cave with an iconostasis, to remind finding the Agia Pelagia icon, is in the north part of the beach, where the green part of the peninsula starts.

FILAKES

Passing by the iconostasis of Agia Pelagia and walking in the north of the main beach, you can visit Filakes, the magnificent sandy beach with the turquoise sea water. In order to reach it, you have to go down a small cliff. The beach is narrow and not organized.

HISTORY

Agia Pelagia was a small village and the resort of the residents of Achlada. A few decades before, some businessmen believed in the area and created a large and luxurious hotel. After that the place started to change.

ANCIENT APOLLONIA CITY

Excavations show that the area was inhabited from 2000 B.C. According to archaeologists, the ancient city of Apollonia was in Agia Pelagia, had one of the best ports of the Minoan Era and its residents had trading transactions with the residents of Festos, Knosos and Cyclades.

The importance of Apollonia was shown in the excavations of 1979 as it had a university, a prytaneum with a parliament, towers, fortresses etc. Many of the findings are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Heraclion.

An aqueduct and carved tombs with aisles were in the area, from the Roman Years.

Parts of the ancient city of Apollonia are in the bottom of the sea.