Almyrida Villa & Cottage  -  northwest  CRETE

…… tranquillity …. views ….. charm

Almyrida Villa  (3-bedroom, sleeps 6) with Cottage (1-bedroom, sleeps 2)  (Using full-size sofa-beds in living rooms, can sleep a further 6 if required)

Amazing panoramic views of sea and mountains, this spacious secluded and air-conditioned villa, with self-contained cottage, has private pool, gardens, games-room and 5 terraces.  The local taverna and ‘mini-market’ are 5 minutes walk and the beautiful sandy beach of Almirida  just 6 minutes drive.  You have use of both the 3-bedroom Villa and the self-contained Cottage together.  We do not let them separately, so the whole site, including the pool, is available for you and your family or friends to use privately. 

.... fantastic views across Souda Bay towards Chania .....     

The Villa, Cottage and pool were built by ourselves, Stephen and Lyn Hoyles, in 2004 after we visited Crete and fell in love with the Apokronas area around Almirida.  We chose this location because of the stunning views and easy access to the Almirida resort and beach.  Being in Kokkino Horio means that you can easily walk 5 minutes to the taverna and mini-market, and soak up the lovely Greek atmosphere of this ancient village, with its white-washed houses, bright red geraniums in terracotta pots, and narrow alleys.  This village was the site of the filming of ‘Zorba the Greek’ in 1964.

Almirida beach is a small and charming Greek resort, with three stylish hotels as well as a dozen or so tavernas, some bars and several shops.  About 6 minutes drive, it is the sort of place where you can park your car by the beach and wander by the waterfront tavernas.  You can rent surf-boards or dinghies, go snorkelling, take a moped into the lanes, or just sit on the beach.

The town of Chania (pronounced ‘Harnia’) is about 30 minutes drive.  It has a beautiful Venetian waterfront and harbour, with many very stylish, and some traditional restaurants, coffee houses, bars and art galleries.  The narrow roads and alleys behind the waterfront are a maze of smart shops and yet more restaurants and cafes.  Boat trips are available and horse-drawn carriages can take you around the town. 

If you want a longer trip, then a visit to Samaria Gorge will take 1 to 1½ hours by car.  You pass through orange and lemon groves as you climb the White Mountains, passing classic Greek mountain villages and enjoying amazing views of landscape and sea.  In the height of summer, the air will be pleasantly cooler than on the coast.  Alternatively, you can visit the beautiful and inspiring monasteries of Agia Triadia and Moni Gouvernetou on the Akrotiri pensinsula, or the ancient Minoan remains of Knossos near Heraklion.  A different sort of inspiration might come from a visit to one of the Waterparks around the island.