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Crete, the most beautiful and versatile Greek islandWelcome to my homepage about the largest and probably the most beautiful of all Greek islands: Crete. Long and mountainous, it marks the southern boundaries of the Aegean Sea, holding back the contents of the rain-clouds that might have otherwise attempted to venture further north, as well as acting as a giant break-water for the southern Aegean as a whole. Crete is also an island of great strategic importance, and as a result the island is littered with the remains of all the great powers from the region, and it appears to have been the power-base of the earliest of them all, the bronze age Minoan civillization. Roughly you can divide Crete into three parts: the east, the west and the middle. The east is more dry but with many flowers and lots of beautiful nature, the middle underneath Heraklion is like a patchwork blanket with vegetable fields and olive trees, and the west is the most green part with pinetrees and forrests. Most of the inhabitants and almost all the bigger cities and villages, with the exception of Ierapetra lay in the north of the island, making the south of the island the most quiet part. Crete has got everything that you could want from a holiday island. The lovers of peace and quiet, and beautiful, quiet beaches find their place in the southeast of the island, where there are also many naturist beaches. There are cozy villages like Mirtos, Kato Zakros and Makrigialos where you find restaurants, shops and nice beaches, or even more quiet spots like the villages of Ferma and Xerokampos where you can also dive into the sea without your bathing suit. The people that love nature, old Byzantine churches with fresco's, beautiful mountains and great walks find a place in the east of the island. For cozyness, the friendliest of people and a bit of life places like Agia Pelagia in the north of the island, not far from the capital Heraklion, are a good choice. From here it is also easy to make daytrips to other parts of Crete. The lovers of disco's, bars, booze and noise can head for the not so authentic concrete villages of Chersonissos or Malia. About places like these last two you will not find much information on my website. |
Irini Apartments in Agia Pelagia CreteAgia Pelagia is a cozy little village that has still got that feeling of authentic Greece, even though it is only 22 kilometers away from the capitol Heraklion. It's the perfect spot to have your holidays, away from all the noise and convieniently situated to make trips and excursions to the sights of Crete. Agia Pelagia has a couple of very nice beaches. Irini Apartments is situated in the center of the village, at about 50 meters from the beach. On walking distance you can find everything that you need (shops, bank, pharmacy, bars, restaurants). The complex is two stories high with 6 comfortable and large apartments, big enough for 4-6 persons. One of the apartments has a very large balcony (footballfield size) overlookig the sea. I have seen all of the apartments personally and they would all make me happy. Each apartment has a bedroom with a double bed, a bathroom with shower and toilet, a kitchen, a livingroom with 2 seperate beds and a private balcony. Each apartment has comfortable chairs and a couch, a dining table, a safety deposit box and airconditioning. The prices at Irini are low and I can truly recommend this place! Irini also has a restaurant downstairs with some of the best food in Crete! It's especially easy if you want to have breakfast and you don't feel like walking a long way before you can have your coffee, but all the food we tried was delicious. Manos is working in the kitchen and you can tell he loves to cook. The restaurant closes at 23.00 PM. At Irini it is possible to book including breakfast (7 euro per person per day), lunch or dinner (12 euro p.p.p.d.) or Half Board (18 euro p.p.p.d.). It is not a buffet, but everything is à la carte.
Tel. 0030 28108 11455 - Send an email to Irini Apartments.
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Zorbas Studios and Apartments in Agia Pelagia
A few meters from the main beach, the shops and the restaurants you can find Zorbas Studios and Apartments. All the rooms in this complex have satelite tv, airconditioning, a kitchen, a safe box and a balcony with table and chairs. Some of the rooms have a seaview and some of them look over a quiet little street. Zorbas has also got and internet corner exclusively for its visitors. Prices in 2006 start at 28 euro for a studio and 30 euro for an apartment in low season. If you book here my advice is to ask for a room / apartment on the front with a seaview. Large parts of the back of the building don't have much of a view because of a large grape-tree and other plants growing over the building.
Tel. +30 2810 811074 & +30 2810 811518 - Send an email to Zorbas Apartments.
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Go and tour the island and don't stay in one place! When you visit Crete you MUST rent a bike or a car, because if you don't you are missing out on a lot. The island is so beautiful and large that you just have to explore it. I always rent my car at the very reliable |
 Just Rental Center.
If you want you can also inquire if and what kind of car or bike they would have for you in a certain period.
Tel. (+30) 2810 240120Send an email aan Just Rental Center |
Crete Hotels: CretaSun Apartments in Makrigialos
Makrigialos is a cozy fishermens village in the south of Crete, with nice taverna's and beautiful beaches. Tourist industry is not over-developped here, allthough there is some life in the village. There are no ugly concrete buildings though like you will for instance encounter them in Malia or Chersonissos. In this way the village has maintained its authenticity. In Makrigialos you can find the CretaSun Apartments, which are each 70 m2 large, some with a beautiful view of the harbour, the beach and the mountains. The apartment complex is situated on top of a hill at the edge of the bay. A short walk and some stairs will bring you to the main beach and the taverna's. On the west side of the village is another more quiet beach and there are many more great beaches in the area. Tel. 0030 2843051233 - Send an email to CretaSun Apartments
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Special hotels in Crete: Villa Filitsa in the Apokoronas
Villa Filitsa consists of four apartments in a beautiful old historic stone house that is situated in Kefalas in the Apokoronas district, close to Georgioupolis and Vamos. The villa is open all year round! The oldest part of the house dates from the Venetian times and other parts have been added to the house through history. It has been carefully and beautifully restored by Canea Properties and the house is a historic monument. It was once used by the Turkish general commander of Crete. There is a common pool with the property. Each apartment has a complete kitchen, and each bathroom (with the exception of one) has a fullsize bathtub. One suite (the Venetian Suite I believe) has a shower, but not just an ordinairy one: it is super-beautiful. I have seen all the bathrooms and all the suites myself on a short tour and they are all special, tasteful and imaculate, with beautiful kitchens, luxury bathrooms and comfortable furniture (lots of them antiques). Every apartment is different and all of them have airconditioning. There is the "arches-room" with 3 Venetian bows that are 5 meters high, with a bed at mezanine level, a sitting corner and a dining area. This apartment is suitable for 4 people. Than there is the "harem-suite" that is 120 m2 divided over three floors. This space was once the place of the harem of the Turkish general. In the upper living space there are twelve windows with a view of the sea. This apartment is suitable for 6 people. The "bakery" is the former kitchen and this apartment is for three people. The last apartment is called the Venetian Suite and this used to be the village pub. This last apartment is suitable for two people. Everything and all the apartments are set up grand and large, and they are beautifully restored while keeping the original details. Villa Filitsa is situated a on the edge of the really old center of the village, a bit on a higher level than the rest of the houses, so the people had to walk "up" to the ruler if they wanted to ask him something. Once you enter the village and drive through it you will likely see the sign pointing to it (like we did), or you can ask people where it is. For us it wasn't very hard to find. I have seen a lot of hotels and apartments and houses during my visits to the Greek islands (there must be well over a 100) but this one, Villa Filitsa, is in my top three of most beautiful places that I have ver seen!! I also loved the whole area, because it was so peaceful, traditional and friendly: the real Greek life as it used to be. Highly recommended! Tel. 0030-2821094291, Mobile 0030-6947892432 - Send an email to Villa Filitsa |
Special hotels in Crete: Bungalows Apartments Tania in Ferma
Far away from mass tourism, in one of the prettiest bays in the southeast of Crete, with cristal clear seawater, surrounded by mountains you can find the small complex of Tania Apartments. The sandy beach and the sea are at less than a minute walk away from the complex, and you reach it after a walk through a wild garden. In this oases of peace, sun and sea it is easy to relax. You will stay at one of the, in total 10, comfortable luxurious bungalows, where you can enjoy the silence and the stars untill deep in the night. Freedom and privacy are important at Tania Apartments.
Tel. 0030 28420 61011 or 0030 6946 191 984 (Ferma) / 0031 653 811 079 (Netherlands) |
Special hotels in Crete: Maison Eriki Apartments, Epanochori in Crete
A place for the people that are looking for peace and quiet, Studios Eriki in the mountain village of Epanochori. The building is surrounded by beautiful wild nature. Epanochori is a village on the way from Chania to the southcoast, and it is not far from the beaches of Sougia and several beaches in and around Paleochora. The studios are 40m2 and they all have a sitting area, a kitchenette and a balcony with a stunning view over the green surroundings. We stayed in an apartment with personality and soul, with carefully chosen curtains, beautiful bath towels and fancy bedsheets. The plates and cups and saucers also told you that the friendly lady that runs the house (her name is Marie Noëlle and she speaks French, English and Dutch) has made an effort to make it a cozy place. There is a kitchen and there is enough equipment in case you want to make a meal in your apartment. We had a coffee machine too. Inside there were two large couches and a table and chairs. Outside there was a large terrace with the most amazing view over the mountains. In the distance on two places, between the mountains, you could see the Libian Sea. There were a nice marble table and 4 comfortable chairs outside on the terrace where you could also have dinner or a drink and look at the beautiful sunsets. On clear days we had the most amazing starlit skies because Epanochori is not a very large village and Maison Eriki is at the edge of it. You can reach these apartments if you drive down south from Chania to Sougia over the Chania - Prases - Epanochori - Sougia road. Maison Eriki can be reached if you turn left just before the Epanochori Village sign and drive to the small white church you see there. It is the creamy-yellowish building just in front of that small church. It is not so expensive and it's a good place to totally relax. You can make nice walks in the area, or you can make the short ride to one of the beaches in the area.
Tel. 0030 2823 051638 / 00306972537074 - Send an email to Studios Eriki
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VILLA MERTIZA in Mirtos
For the next trip, we decided to concentrate a bit more on the southeast of Crete, where it is the most quiet and where you are regularly bump into an empty beach, and yet with a number of pleasant coastal villages such as his Mirtos , Makrigialios and Analipsi. One of the places that we thought was a surprise in the southeast was Mirtos and our attention has been drawn to Villa Mertiza. It is a complex with 22 large apartments and studios and is run by people from Holland. In the photos it looks all very cared for, and I have mailed a bit with the person who runs this place and he (Dick) immediately mailed back and very proudly wrote that in the whole surrounding they were famous for their special breakfasts. A place we want to try on the next visit. VILLA LAMBROS in Tertsa |
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| On my website you will not find a lot of information about tourist packed villages like Malia or Chersonissos, neither about trafficjammed places like Chania, because I intend to avoid those places as much as I can. I always try to find quiet places and beautiful nature and I don't feel the need to share the scenery with hundreds of people. I prefer uncultivated beaches with no beach chairs, and I prefer nude beaches above "normal" ones. Having said this it doesn't mean I sit alone all the time everywhere, because I also enjoy the cosyness of places like Agia Pelagia and Sougia. |