Georgioupolis
Georgioupolis lies at the northern coast of Crete, about 35km away from Chania and 20 km from Rethimnon. It is a coastal village situated at the bay of Almiros and belongs to the county of Apokoronas of the prefecture of Chania.
It is the seat of the municipality of Georgioupolis comprising of the village itself and the surrounding communities of Dimitrouliana, Asprouliani, Mathes,Mouri and Xyladiana. Georgioupolis is built on the delta of the river Almiros. In fact it was called Almiros or Almiroupolis (city of Almiros) up to the beginning of the century when Crete united with Greece and the city took the name of the then king of Greece King George.
Georgioupolis was first settled in modern times in the late 19th century (1880) , by Miltiades Papadogiannakis. Up to then the whole area was abandoned due to the swamps that surrounded the river delta. The fear of malaria kept every one away. With the passing of time however, and the efforts of the first settlers the swamps are dried, eucalyptus are planted and the city starts to grow. Its location halfway through the towns of Rethimnon and Chania, helps to establish it as a port for boats following the north coast of Crete.
The river delta enhanced with a small breakwater extending in the sea serves even today as a port for fishing and small tourist boats.
Although tourist facilities are expanding Georgioupolis is still a small tightly knit community of locals involved primarily with the traditional activities of stock breeding, farming and fishing? In the entrance to the village is a traditional bakery where you can taste some of the best tasting bread you have ever tried.
The village has adequate facilities for visitors but keeps its own character.
The long stretches of golden sandy beaches in front of the village, the lake of Kournas close by and the proximity of the cities of Chania and Rethimnon, make it a good starting place for visitors. There are excursions by small boats to the surrounding beaches. There is also a small road-going train that can take you to an excursion to the surrounding areas including the springs and waterfalls at the nearby village of Argiroupolis.