History of stalis or Stalida
The biggest part of Stalis starting west, somewhere between Nana beach and
Horizon hotel and ending east to Cactus Royale, (former Sunny beach)
belonged to Mochos village which is located 9kms up the mountains to the south.
This part of empty land, no houses, no hotels just fields and beaches was called
Stalida Mochou which means Stalida of Mochos.
The part of Stalis eastern from where is now Aggelo hotel (former Sofocles hotel)
to about Kernos hotel was part of Malia village and was called stalida Malion
which means Stalida of Malia and there was nothing there but fields and beaches.
In the late 60’s the beach road Stalis to Malia constructed and the first historical hotels
of Crete were built and open for business, like Anthoussa hotel (now Aktia), Blue Sea hotel,
Alexander beach, Kernos beach, and later Cactus beach, Ikaros Village, Nana beach,
Horizon beach, Ariadne beach and many more smaller or bigger hotels, and Appartments
that could easily be over 100 today.
This fantastic area from Nana beach hotel to Kernos beach hotel with 4,5kms of
beautiful beaches we call it Stalis Tourist Resort, and it is one of the best
holiday areas in Crete and Mediterranean.
MORE…. History of Stalis or Stalida
Stalis, also known as Stalida, has a rich history that dates back to a time when local residents from the neighboring village of Mohos owned most of the land. These residents were primarily herders who brought their animals to water stalls located throughout Stalis, which gave the town its name.
Apart from herding, the land with good soil quality was highly sought after for farming purposes. Land close to the water was considered valuable, not just for its proximity to the beach but also due to the quality of the soil and its flat surface.
The first large hotel in Stalis was built in the late 1960s, but there was little infrastructure in the area, and most of the land was still used for farming. However, this began to change in the early 1980s, as more tourists became aware of the town’s natural beauty and central location. As a result, demand for accommodation increased significantly, and many small hotels began to emerge to capitalize on the new economic opportunity.
Despite this development, Stalis has managed to maintain its relaxed and respectful atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy a variety of restaurants, shops, and cocktail bars by the water, and if they are looking for a more lively nightlife, they can always visit the nearby party resorts of Hersonissos and Malia, which are just a few miles away.
