Arvi is a coastal settlement of the Viannos municipality, 80 kilometers from Heraklion and 35 kilometers from Ierapetra. The settlement is in front of a valley in the exit of the Arvi gorge. The Agios Antonios monastery is in the east of that gorge.
The temperature of the area is high, even during winter, and that is why the garden produces and the banana production are possible. The bananas produced in Arvi are very famous for their smell and taste. There are also many hot houses in the area.
500 people live in Arvi and their main occupation is tourism. There are many taverns, cafeterias and rooms to let in the settlement. A small port is also in Arvi for the fishermen of the settlement.
BEACH
The main beach is in front of the settlement, in the west of the small port of the coastal village and goes along the Arvi-Amira road. The beach is sandy and pebbly, organized and many water sports can be done there.
A very narrow but very long beach is in the east of the port of Arvi. The beach has many rocks in some places.
HISTORY
The findings prove that the area was inhabited from the Pre-Historical era.
Byzantine graves were found in Apigania while a marble sarcophagus with an embossed procession of Dionysus was found near the coast. Dionysus is represented with the vineyard as a carriage and Vakches, Silinous, elephants, panthers and others are also on that sarcophagus. Today it is exhibited in the Fitzwilliam Museum, in Cambridge.
CHURCHES
The cathedral of Arvi is dedicated to Agios Panteleimon. The Agios Antonios monastery is near the settlement, in the east of the Arvi gorge.
PLACE NAME
The name of the village comes from the temple of Arvios Dias (i.e. Zeus) that was in the place where Agios Antonios monastery is now.