Kokkino Chorio or the "red village" on the Drapano Cape, overlooking the Souda Bay, derives its name from the blood that fled here in 1821, when the Turkish army murdered 150 women and children in a cave downwards from the village. Kokkino Chorio is a very authentic traditional Cretan village without many accommodations. Alltough there are three churches in Kokkino Chorio, the village is not very big and there are only a couple of shops and kafenions and one mini market. Only at the edge of the village are some concrete buildings (update 2009: these have now been transformed into beautiful holiday homes). In front of the church a scene from "Zorba the Greek" was filmed: the stoning of the widow.

Above the village near the Agios Georgios church there is an underground bunker complex. Three corridors lead to the underground quarters, which supposedly were covered with wood. According to the old inhabitants there was even a movie theater. From the point of Cape Drapano there was a cableway to the entrance of the bunker.

On the edge of the village Kokkino Chorio there is a glass blowing factory. You can see the piles of bottles outside that are waiting to be recycled. The factory is pretty new and dates from 1986. If you like it is possible to see the glass blowers at work (opening times 0.800 - 12.00 & 13.00 - 15.00). Lately a number of attractive holiday homes have been built, mainly on the outskirts of the village, overlooking the sea. The center of Kokkino Chorio remains pretty much the same with the usual jumble of houses that have been restored and houses that are falling apart (some with overgrown Venetian arches). On the main square oposite the church and in one of the village streets you will find a taverna where you can have something to eat. Below Kokkino Chorio there are some small coves with sandy beaches.

This tavern is situated on a square next to the church of the village of Kokkino Chorio. They serve simple traditional Greek dishes. The menu is small but varied. We order a boureki (potatoes, eggplant and goat cheese), taztziki, soutzoukakie (meatballs in tomato sauce with fresh herbs) and zucchini balls. The white wine could have been slightly colder and for the tzatziki we had hoped on a bit more garlic. The zucchini balls with cheese taste very delicious.

Our verdict: an 8 out of 10

This "budget" villa is situated on a hill in the village of Kokkino Chorio in the Apokoronas in Crete. It is not far from the village center and within walking distance of a good taverna (400 meters). The views from the villa are wonderful: you look out over the sea, the villages on the coast and the Akrotiri peninsula. Outside there is a nice terrace with a table and chairs to enjoy the view or to have something to eat. There is also a very nice swimming pool with sunbeds, umbrellas and chairs around it. The villa offers a lot of privacy and is not directly over looked.

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Villa Athina is situated on a hilltop in Kokkino Chorio, a village just east of the city of Chania, in the area called the Apokoronas. In October 2012 we were one of the first visitors in this new house which is built in traditional style, with stone and round arches between the rooms and the terraces. The villa has a private pool and is set in a very private location (not overlooked). The view from the grounds of the villa and the various verandas is phenomenal. You look out over the sea, three peninsulas (Apokoronas, Akrotiri and Rodopos) and three islands, including Souda Island with its fortress and the island of Karga, that lies in front of the village of Almyrida. There are views over the bay of Souda,the naval base, the fort Izzedine and you see the cruise boats and ferries sailing in on their way to the harbour of Souda. On the west side you look out over the village of Kokkino Chorio with its church and behind it you can see the White Mountains. In the distance you can distinguish some other villages.

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St. George's Retreat Village is a complex of 9 stone built villas surrounded by fruit gardens. It is situated on a mountain slope overlooking Souda Bay and the Aegean Sea. The villas offer spacious accomodation equipped with kitchenettes, refrigerators and washing machines. Seating areas feature lounging sofas and some have a traditional fireplace. WiFi is available free of charge in all villas. St George's Retreat Village is surrounded by gardens, trees and a vinyard. It has its own private wine press on site. Other facilities include two swimming-pools 40m2 each featuring patios with sun loungers. A BBQ area complete with a traditional baking oven can be used by the guests. The hotel also offers an equipped playground for children and free parking. Almyrida Beach is just a 10 minutes drive from the hotel and Chania 25 km away.

Check availabilities & prices and book St. George's Retreat Village - click here.