Mires is the biggest town in the Messara Valley with a population of approximately 5000 people
The town is located 53 km. from Iraklion , right on the north-south axis and is the administrative center of the Messara Valley. It has a police station, magistrate's court,post office, public PTT office, health center, and offices of most Greek major banks. Mires is located approximately 20 Kms from the seaside resorts of Matala and Kalamaki, 15 kms from the archaeological site of Phaistos and 1 km from the Panagia Kaliviani monastery.
According to most historians Mires is a new city probably established in the middle of the 19th century. The word "mires" in Greek means lots of land. The most probable speculation is that in 1543 when the Venetians moved residents from Peloponnese, which was occupied by the Turks at that time, to Crete they gave them lots of land to cultivate.

As time went by, the location of these lots made them a convenient place where residents from the surrounding villages met to trade and sell animals and foodstuffs.Mires is still the trading center of the whole area. Since the town is fairly new, there is a very small number of relics of the past , the most notable being the venetian fountains and the only surviving old house of the city.

The cultural association of the town organizes various events (dances, feasts etc) during the months of July and August in the yard of the association's building and in the main square of the town. Another event that attracts visitors is the bazaar that takes place every Saturday in the town, in which locals form all the surrounding area, sell and trade foddstuffs, animals and various handmade artifacts (clay and bronze pots and pans , etc..).

Matala and Kommo Beach

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Tris Ekklisies Beach and Village in South Crete, Heraklion

White Beach Asterousia, South Crete, Heraklion

Tertsa Beach and Village by south Crete

Gialopotamos beach Rethimno, South Central Crete

Triopetra in Agios Pavlos South Central Crete

Dermatos Beach by South Crete

Vatos Beach by Mirtos, Ierapetra area

Amoudi beach in Plakias Rethimno

Chrisostomos Beach, Kali Limenes, South Central Crete

Vathi Beach, South Crete - Mesara. Beaches on Crete

Kommos or Commos Beach, South Crete - Mesara. Beaches on Crete

Kokkinos Pirgos Beach, South Crete - Mesara. Beaches on Crete

Damnoni beach in Plakias Rethimno, South Central Crete

Dasaki Beach, Kalamaki, South Crete

Tripiti in Lentas, South Central Crete

Heraklion City, Crete

Archanes in Heraklion, Central Crete

Panormo Village and Beach, Rethimno, Central Crete

Bali Village and Beach, Rethimno, Central Crete

Analipsi village in Heraklion, Central Crete

Kokini Hani village in Heraklion, Central Crete

Gournes Village in Heraklion, Central Crete

Arkalochori in Heraklion, Central Crete

Kalamaki coastal village by South Crete - Mesara

Iraklio: Crete’s beating heart

Kasteli in Heraklion, Central Crete

Keratokambos village by South Crete, Heraklion

Adele village, Rethimno, Central Crete

Timbaki, Messara South Central Crete

Tsoutsouros in Heraklion, South Central Crete

Rouvas Gorge or Agios Nikolaos Gorge, Zaros

Keratokambos or Portela Gorge in south Crete Heraklion

Ambelos and Rosa Gorge in Gonies

Kavoussi Gorge in Keratokambos

Agiofarago in south Crete Matala - Lendas area

Agios Fanourios gorge in Venerato

Kounaviano gorge in Heraklion Crete

Kourtaliotiko Gorge in Plakias, south Crete

Preveli Gorge in Rethimno, South Crete

Agios Vasilios gorge in Rethimno

Martsalo Gorge, Matala

Skaloti Gorge in Fragokastelo, South Crete

The gorge of Vorizia

Mintris gorge in Tsoutsouros Crete

Astritsi gorge or Agios Ioannis in Heraklion Crete

Agios Antonios chapel in Agiofarago gorge, South Crete

Vrysinas sanctuary peak, Rethimno

The venetian castle - fortress Paliokastro

Cemetery in Fourni, Archanes

Knossos archaeological site on Crete, Heraklion

The Fortress Fortezza, Rethimno

Lappa archaeological site in Argiroupolis, Rethimno

STEGA: The Archaeology of Houses and Households in Ancient Crete

Apodoulou minoan settlement archaeological site in south Crete

Vathipetro archaeological site in Archanes on Crete, Heraklion

Labyrinth: Knossos and History

Underwater archaeology in Crete: Hunt for the ancient mariner

Mansion of Niros in Gouves, archaeological site

Smari Acropolis in Kastelli Heraklion

Phestos or Phaistos-Festos archaeological site in Crete

The Gavalochori Folklore Museum

Historical and Folk Art Museum of Rethymnon, West Crete

Toplou Museum in Palekastro

Palekastro in Sitia, Folklore museum - East Crete

RETHYMNO : Museums in Rethimno, West Crete

Byzantine and Postbyzantine Collection of Chania

Asomatos Museum in Asomatos, Plakias, Rethimno

The Michael Argirakio Museum, Episkopi

Heraklion: Museum in Heraklion prefecture

Nikos Kazantzakis Museum in Heraklion Crete

Olive Tree Museum of Vouves, Kissamos

Water museum in Zakros - East Crete

Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete

Paleontological Museum of Rethymno

Folklore Museum in Istron, Agios Nikolaos, East Crete Lasithi