Crete Island Travel Forum

Has anyone stayed in Georgioupolis in the Chania area, if so what is it like. Have you seen or heard of the Glaros studios, would be glad of any information you can provide. Thanks JANNCOX

4 or so years ago we stayed overnight in Georgioupolis, to be close to Imbros Gorge for next day ... It has some charms (the drive in has towering Eucalyptus trees overhanging the road for a kilometer or more), also some drawbacks. It seems a very very Brit package-type place -- shops sell Bovril, McVitty biscuits etc. No Greek feeling to it at all. We stayed in a cute "rooms" place, very cheap. First place with mosquito netting on all doors/windows, & found out why -- it's at the mouth of a river, and LOTs of mosquitos. Also, I was not at all impressed with the beach, sort of brownish sand, tho I hear the beach just to the east is much better. Do you want to spend a whole holiday, just with other UK folks? Then consider it.

Yeah, we were in Georgioupolis in August 2006 we also went to the beach just east of it in July 2007.
Georgioupolis is totally overtaken by all inclusive, pr package hotels. You sleep, eat and play at the hotel pool. If you go to the square that in 1998 was bustling with local life, now it is bustling only for a few hours after the sun gets down so all daddys can get their drink and all kids can get their souvenirs. After 10 pm the town is quiet as a church.
Beach disapperied few years ago from Georgioupolis, there is some left but not too nice. If you want a nice beach you must go east of the town, cross the river, and there are few nice beaches (see my tips)
Also Georgioupolis is full of mosquitos and other bugs. THEY ARE EVERWHERE!!! Make sure you prepare yourselve for that.
Most of the restaurants there are not greek.... they all for tourists.
If you already booked it...think about saving some pennys for a car. Maybe you will like it there (everybody is different) but if not, be prepared to make a day trips to nicer beaches and CHania or Rethymno just down the road for the night out.

We stayed there a few times in mid 80s and it was a lovely place, a really perfect base. I've gone back a few times since, though only on passing visits, and, whilest it got more and more built up and touristy, it still seemed to manage to retain a sense of itself outside tourism. Not sure whether or not that is still the case. I don't remember having a problem with mosquitos but then we were based in a place well away from the river: Certainly aroudn the river there would be a problem. If you want unspoilt Crete then it wouldn't be my choice ow, but it is very well situated for exploring Crete and has some good places to eat and drink.

Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Be aware that much of the accommodation is along the extremely busy main road running parallel with the coast, which can be a long way ut of the actual village.Huge hotel complexes swamp parts of the coast, along here. Go somewhere else unless this is your cup of tea. (Nothing like Paralio Astros!!!)

Hi! Visited Georgioupolis in 1999, it was a handy base for visiting Chania and Rethymnon, being roughly halfway between the two towns. We did a 2 centre break, staying at Paleohora in the south, then catching the bus over the mountains to Georgioupolis.I can't remember the appartments we stayed in, but they were nearer the beach and river than the main road, and they were fine - spacious, clean and quiet.
I remember the square being quite lively at night,but mainly with holidaying Greeks! there were a few authentic tavernas, and some good cocktail bars. I also remember the beach to the right, being of soft sands, with sun loungers set out under palm leaf parasols. We crossed a small stream to get to the beach, and there were a few beach shacks, which served drinks and freshly cooked pizza - they also gave a free shot of ouzzo!
I don't like touristy places, and don't remember this being too bad - but then again it was nearly 10 years ago.
Yes, there were mossies near the river, and we had a huge scarey bug in our room one day, which I sent into orbit, aided by the sweeping brush - my ex-miner partner was hiding in the bedroom!!!!!!!!!

Hope this is of help,
Best Wishes,
Sue

Funny!
We also had a huge bug in our room in Georgioupolis. It looked like that old VW beetle. With him in our room was getting really crowded.
I let it free outside of the window and wrapped myself tightly in the bed sheets.
You are right about the beaches on the other side of the creek. THey are nice but lately very crowded. I described few of them in my tips.

I've got a picture on my Introductory Crete page of Georgioupoli as it was in late 80s or very early 90s (click to enlarge). For anyone who knows it now, this Kafenion is at the top left hand corner of the central square if you are looking at the sqaure from the road that comes into town.

oh Spinkat!
That is how I remember Georgioupoli from 1998. We stoped there for some fruits that were sold straights from the farmers wagon.
I took my hubby there in 2006 and I could not recognize the street or the market. Only the trees looked familiar.
There is only no kafenion in Georgioupolis market, but all places now became those "drink lounges" with techno music and sparkly drinks. We were walking around the market and adjacent streets three times and finally setled for a Mythos in one of the lounges. We found there a nice restaurant with "outhentic" Cretan cooking between market and the bridge (where all the motorboats are). Food looked very nice but it was way overpriced. We have pretty good nose for inexpensive home style mom & pops places wherever we go, so we decided to go to a village in the mountains for some dinner.
TO be honest, the food on the cheaches behind the creek (east of Georgioupoli) have better food (I know the first one does for sure...ate there in 2006 and 2007).
Oh Spinkat! I have been dreaming about Crete from 1998 many times, and finally I found it in MExico this winter. THe music, the people, the lifestyle, the food....it is all there....and they even have crocodyles...and their ruins are quite amazing ;-)
hehehe
However we are planing to return to Crete many many times....now I have to remember to bring the Cretan music with me to Crete.
By the way last summer we were honored to visit a real Cretan family in the valley between Heraklio and Matala....far away from the tourists route. It just happened that my friend knew a girl whos parents are real Cretans. It was awsome.
ciao! and sorry about Georgioupoli ;-(