Crete, A Greek Island With Soul - II

GOING WEST

We wanted to take in as much of the island as possible and see as many Cretan Villa rentals as possible so we continued our travels West to the town of Rethymno.
Nestled in the Bay of ALmyros, almost half way between the towns of Chania and Heraklion, Rethymno is the third largest town on Crete and the third largest port.
Rethymno offers visitors a look into the past with Venetian and Ottoman architecture making it a very charming and interesting town to visit. We have several holiday villas in this area and were happy to discover all of them and meet with the warm and inviting owners who took the time to tell us the history of their homes. Each property was like a little jewel as each had its own charm. We visited the villages of Maroulas where we saw VILLA MAROULAS GETAWAY, Achlades where we saw Villa Zeus I and II and Tsesmes where we saw Villa Tsesmes. Each of these properties has its own charm and each has an owner or owners who are ready to welcome guests with open arms. This part of Crete is very nice because it is possible to be on a hilltop and have beautiful sea views and only be 10-15 minutes drive from the sea. Because of its very central location, it is easy to make day trips either West, East or South and discover all that the island has to offer.

Maroulas Getaway

CRETAN COUNTRYSIDE

From Rethymno we drove only 45 minutes west to our next destination in the town of Agios Pavlos, Gavalochori. Our drive took us through a lush countryside with mountains in the distance. We felt so far from the coast but actually, we were only minutes away from the coastline we had just left. Villa Olive was easy to find and Dimitris was waiting for us with open arms, literally! Villa Olive is of years old and was once an olive press for the area. Dimitiris gave us a detailed visit of the property and pointed out all of its charming features as he could, the others we slowly discovered for ourselves! Villa Olive has wonderful accommodations for all with the added benefit of privacy so this is a perfect option for several couples or families traveling together. The garden area with pool is a little Cretan Paradise!
Lay pool side, sit under the gazebo, stroll around the garden, sit on your private terrace or go to the large living room/ dining room and read a book. There is something for everyone at this wonderful villa rental in Crete.

Villa Olive

A TRUE CRETAN EVENING

Of course Dimitris was quick to give us suggestions for our dinner in the town of Agios Pavlos. He gave us the name of the most local dining experience possible. We took our car and drove less than 5 minutes to the town center. We parked and began walking toward the area recommended. We soon heard lively music coming from the end of the road. A huge olive tree shaded over several tables full of people enjoying the traditional Cretan music playing inside the restaurant. Dimitris had reserved us a table just next to the band where we enjoyed one of our best meals in Crete with fresh roasted lamb. As I looked around me I couldn’t help but smile and think about how special this moment was surrounded by other travelers and local families enjoying the moment with wonderful music, delicious food and positive energy. Needless to say, we went back more than once during our stay. I could see how you could soon start to feel like a local and never want to leave!
This is why renting a villa for a week or more is so advantageous to the traveler.
You really can feel like a local!

LAST STOP CHANIA PRONOUNCED RANIA

Yes, the towns can keep getting charming! As we started exploring the port town of Chania, we quickly understood why being close to this little gem is so desirable. This Venitian/Ottoman town looks out onto the sea and offers its visitors
charming, winding streets where its very easy to get distracted and end up sitting at an outdoor table sipping something refreshing for hours while chatting with the locals. We were anxious to see the beautiful vacation villas we offer later in the afternoon.
We were soon on the road and seeing some of our most luxurious villas that are waiting to welcome you. Villa Thalassa, Villa Kostas and Villa Cretan View are all within easy reach of Chania and have the most amazing views. This is the perfect way to take advantage of slow living and the charm of Chania.

Villa Kostas

What we will certainly take away from our stay in Crete goes deeper than beautiful countryside, charming villages and delicious food. What really made our stay was our time spent with the local villa owners. Each one had something special to show and all were more than willing to take their time and share a part of their lives with us. The island of Crete is a true gem waiting to be explored so don’t keep waiting! We would be more than happy to help you discover this magical Mediterranean island!