Koutouloufari is a village of aproximatelly 500 inhabitants on the slope of Mt Pyrgias at an altitude of 100 metres. It is 29 kilometres east of Heraklion and less than 1 kilometer from the Hersonissos port.
Koutouloufari is part of the Hersonissos Municipality which stretches from just outside Heraklion till the end of Malia and its the biggest tourist Municipality in Greece with aproximatelly 200.000 tourist beds. Koutouloufari village has narrow paved streets and old Cretan stone houses, attracts quality tourism who want to spend their holidays in the busiest area of Crete without all the hassle and bustle of Hersonissos port. The surrounding area offers many beaches, attractions, sights and activities and is near the most significant archaeological sites of Knossos and Malia. Koutouloufari village is a quiet environment with a traditional flavor and a lovely view of the Cretan Archipelago. In Koutouloufari, most old stone houses are built with arches, arched doorways and inner courtyards roofed with vines offering shade and grapes in summer. You can stroll through the paved streets or take the road down to Hersonissos through the hills covered with olive trees. You can even see Cretans in traditional costume on the Cretan Nights held in the nearby village of Ano Hersonissos every Monday or in Mochos every Wednesday.
How to get to Koutouloufari
There is a number of ways to reach the village of Koutouloufari. Best way to do so if you are intended to rent a car is by contacting Orion Rent A Car, as the staff of Orion will meet you and greet you at the Heraklion Airport or Port and drive you directly to your accommodation. Car delivery and collection is free of charge for rentals of 5 days and up. Other ways are taking a taxi from Heraklion Airport or the port and you will be at your hotel in 20 minutes. The taxi ride will cost you between 30 to 40 euros depending on the date and time of your arrival. The cheapest way is to take the bus from Heraklion to Hersonissos for 3.30 euros, and a taxi from there to Koutouloufari wchich will cost you between 5 and 7 euros.
What you will find in Koutouloufari
Accomodation in Koutouloufari is mainly pretty little boutique hotels, rooms/apartments for rent and studio apartments. Some of these are in restored old buildings, while most of the new hotels are tasteful and blend in with the tone of the village. There are many restaurants in Koutouloufari offering Greek and international cooking. There is a wide variety of choice in restaurants and tavernas in Koutouloufari and it will take you some time to try them all. You are also in the heart of a wide area offering inexhaustible opportunities, so get in your car and discover them. There are a few places for coffee or breakfast in the morning and a drink at night, most of them cafés and bars located in the two squares of Koutouloufari village. There is also a mini golf at one of the cafeterias, shop for artworks and souvenirs, or buy supplies and newspapers from the mini markets. For anything else you might need, such as banks, pharmacies, supermarkets or clothes, Hersonissos is right next door.
There is even a Chinese restaurant for those with exotic tastes. Stroll through the narrow streets and eat at a different taverna with its traditional vine and lovely decoration each night. If there are bunches of grapes hanging from the vine, or krevvatina as it is known in Crete, ask the owner to cut you some and serve them with an ice-cold raki at the end of your meal.
For seaside cafés, many more bars and nightclubs for dancing and fun, Hersonissos awaits you. You can also walk round Stalis or, if you’re looking for a wilder time, try the bars and clubs of Malia.
History of the Koutouloufari village
The precise origins of the village of Koutouloufari are unknown. It was probably first established in the Middle Ages, when people left the coast and moved to higher ground in an attempt to avoid pirate raids.
Koutouloufari is first mentioned in Venetian archives, as Catafari metochi in 1577 and Cutrufari in 1630. In censuses from 1888 to 1940 its population varied from 263 to 350, dropping to 159 inhabitants by 1981. In the 2001 census, however, there was a great increase in the population to 586.
The same pattern is seen in neighboring villages. The explanation is that, after the war, people sought a better life in the cities. Twenty years later, the development of tourism on the coast began to bring work to the area and the population grew once more. Many former inhabitants of Hersonissos and Heraklion have bought houses in Koutouloufari, restored them and now live here permanently.
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