Beaches
Koutalas (3 km): isolated rocky bay close to the edge of Cape Drapano, with a crystaly clear water, wild stony beach and interesting cave formations. A perfect place for snorkeling and diving. No facilities available, only a shed giving some shadow. Going 500 m right from the beach you will reach the Koutalas cave.
Almyrida beach (4.6 km): two sandy beaches separated by a rocky peninsula. Lot of facilities available: sun beds, sea sport activities, fish restaurants, cafes etc. Shallow, transparent water, ideal for families and those seeking entertainment.
Kera (8 km): sandy, narrow beach between Almyrida and Kalyves, at the end of a green hill. No facilities available. Shallow, good for children and visitors looking for less crowded sites.
Kalyves beach (9 km): long, sandy beach, not exposed to the wind. Lot of facilities available: sun beds, restaurants, beach volley. It is possible to hire a boat there.
Kiani Akti (Blue Beach) (10 km): long and wide, quiet beach with the mouth of river Kiliaris, transferring water from the top of the White Mountains. You can cross the river by a nice wooden bridge or through freezingly cold water (free cryotherapy), which will make you enjoying warm Cretan Sea water even more. sun beds, small canteens for drinks and snacks.
Ombrogialos (10 km): small rocky bay between Paleloni and Kefalas, with a dock, used for diving and sunbathing. Ideal for snorkeling and windsurfing. Above the dock is a fish tavern.
Kokkino Chorio (Red Village)
according to legend, the village got its name after the massacre, which took place here in 1821, during Turkish occupation. 150 Greeks, who had found a shelter in a cave on the north of the village, lost their lives. In 1964 the village was used as the set of the “Zorba the Greek” movie, with Anthony Quinn starring. A memorable scene of stoning the widow was recorded in a village square, in front of St Haralambos church. There is a Byzantine church of St George (Agios Georgios), believed to help women bear children, at the entrance of the Katalimata cave. There was a glassworks on the edge of the village – outside, piles of bottles still await recycling. The factory has been closed since 2022, but the shop still sells glass art. The coastline northwest of the village is an extremely interesting place for a stroll due to the ground formation and the caves, such as the cave of Petsi (or Karavotopos) and Elephant cave, with an entrance 8 m under water. There are two tavernas in Kokkino Chorio, both run by local families, offering traditional Cretan food: Zorbas taverna, run by Ioannis right at the village square and mpyri-mpiri in the heart of the village.
Useful information
Most of the shops opening hours are: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday: 9.00-14.00 Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9.00 (10.00)–14.00, 18.00-21.00 SYNKA supermarket in Kalyves operates Monday-Friday 9.00-21.00 and Saturday 9.00-20.00. In the Summer most of mini-markets & grocery stores are open all-day round and on Sundays. The nearest shop, minimarket Voreinos (The British Market), is in Kokkino Chorio (1.8 km).
We are Europeans and love Crete with its open and welcoming culture. You, as our guests are the center of attention and your relaxing stay in our villa is most important to us
Each apartment has a fully equipped kitchen, and we also offer the possibility of using a washing machine.
We would like to reduce our CO2 footprint as much as possible. Therefore, we kindly ask you to: - Keep the doors and windows closed, when you use air-condition - Turn off air-condition when you leave the apartment - Turn off the light and water, when you do not use it. We clean apartments and change the towels & linens once a week. This helps to reduce water/energy consumption. However, if you need fresh ones more often, please contact us. We support reduction of plastic consumption and offer our guests some fabric bags, to use them for shopping.
Keeping the environment clean, is our goal and our dream. Please, join us in making this dream come true.
