7 Nights
Adults: 2
Villas in Crete
An island that boasts exquisite natural landscapes, coastline and historical sights, you’re sure to create magical memories when you choose charming holiday villas in Crete. Enjoy strolls and sun-drenched afternoons on the beach, learn more about Crete’s rich heritage or sample seafood at the island’s plentiful restaurants – there are endless ways to spend your time!
The biggest Greek island, it’s also one of the most diverse, with everything from traditional villages and romantic harbours, to mountainous terrain and beaches with bright blue waters. Holidays in Chania resort ensure you can experience the best parts of the Greek lifestyle. Wander through the Venetian old town and vibrant new town, or venture outside the city to discover gorges and mountains. Self-catering holidays in Crete’s Rethymnon allow you to make the most of this scenic city, from the ancient architecture and historical harbour to an action-packed beach popular with water sports.
Why visit Crete?
- Largest of the Greek Islands
- Explore the towns & harbours
- Enjoy the sublime Greek cuisine!
- Layers of history to uncover
- Plenty of beaches
- Take a boat to Spinalonga
Why book a villa holiday in Crete?
Filled with extras as standard, each of our villas in Crete contain everything you need for an unforgettable break. Catering to every taste, you can enjoy cooking on the barbeque, relaxing in air-conditioned bedrooms and taking a dip in your heated private pool. Plus, with excellently located villas, Crete holidays offer the flexibility to unwind in your own way, from heading out on a hike and visiting ancient ruins, to lounging on the beach or dining at a taverna.
Chania, Crete’s second biggest town is on the North West Coast which is the greenest part of the island. The town is surrounded by a landscape of fertile plains, dramatic mountains, deep gorges and lovely beaches. It is a place of two halves: the buzzing modern town and the atmospheric Old Town, with well-preserved reminders of its Venetian and Turkish past. The ancient Venetian-style harbour with its lighthouse and fortress draws thousands of visitors to the town every day during the summer season. This is a great place to enjoy classic Cretan dishes and watch the sun go down over the water.
Rethymnon is an interesting town on the North Coast of Crete between Chania and Heraklion. It has all the right ingredients for your holiday – a rich history and culture, a romantic harbour and old town with great seafood restaurants and buzzing nightlife, a huge, central sandy beach with water sports galore, and impressive mountain scenery with charming villages to explore. Like most of the island, Rethymnon has a wonderful past, and this is clearly reflected in the architecture of the old town, where mosques and Christian churches are next to Renaissance buildings overlooked by a huge Venetian fortress. The Venetians also left their mark in in Arkadiou Street, where they built elegant mansions that reflected their wealth and culture. The town has many interesting shops and great places for a long lazy lunch.
Aghios Nikolaos, on the East Coast of Crete, has plenty to offer for an enjoyable villa holiday. The town has wonderful local beaches, a lake and quaint little harbour, with many good shops, as well as a large choice of cafes and restaurants, all with a friendly, easy-going attitude and great food.
Chania, Crete’s second biggest town is on the northwest coast which is the greenest part of the island. The town is surrounded by a landscape of fertile plains, dramatic mountains, deep gorges and lovely beaches. It is a place of two halves: the buzzing modern town and the atmospheric Old Town, with well-preserved reminders of its Venetian and Turkish past.
Elounda is a charming, upmarket resort located in the east of Crete, north of Agios Nikolaos and south of the resort of Plaka. The village of Elounda offers a wide choice of shops, bars, restaurants and a sandy beach.
Gouves is famous for its Blue Flag beaches overlooked by traditional hilltop village. The area is full of local charm and is great for those looking for a relaxing holiday but with all the resort amenities close by.
Old Hersonissos, set in the hillside is a small, well-preserved, picturesque and quiet village with a slow pace of life and a beautiful central square with a fountain in the middle and a church. For something a little livelier, the seaside town of Hersonissos has great beaches to soak up the rays until sundown when the bars open up.
The village of Istron is situated 10 miles to the East of Aghios Nikolaos and has 4 beautiful beaches. The village has a few shops for your everyday essentials and tavernas. These facilities fringe the main road which leads from Aghios Nikolaos to Sitia thus making it a great base to explore the Eastern part of the island.
Rethymnon is an interesting town on the north coast of Crete between Chania and Heraklion. It has all you need for a very special villa holiday – a rich history and culture, a romantic harbour and old town with great seafood restaurants and buzzing nightlife, a huge, central sandy beach with water sports galore, and impressive mountain scenery with charming villages to explore.
Crete is the birthplace of Zeus, the island that has been central to films, books and TV series and the place where civilisation was born when the Minoans built stunning palaces with running water and flushing toilets! Whether you’re a culture vulture, a twitcher, a rambler or a disco queen you will always find something to do in Crete which will make a good holiday into a great one!
Hike Samaria Gorge
The spectacular Samaria Gorge is quite the challenge! Beginning at the plateau of Omalos it is 11 miles long – the longest gorge in Europe. But despite the fact that this is a serious hike, over 170,000 people successfully trek through this mighty ravine every year. It should take about 6 hours if you are reasonably fit. You begin the trek in the White Mountains, above the Xyloskalo staircase, which zig-zags down 700 feet into the gorge. Then you just keep walking, admiring the goats, little chapels, wildflowers, amazing birds and shady pine and cypress forests along the way, and quenching your thirst with clear, cold spring water.
Visit Spinalonga
A trip to Spinalonga should not be missed. This is a very small island near to Elounda which was a Leper colony until the 1950s. It has more recently been brought to our attention as the setting for Victoria Hislops 'The Island'. Take a ferry from either Aghios Nikolaos, Elounda or Plaka and visit the island and charming village. Restoration projects have been gong on for some time and shops and houses can be seen in some semblance of their original state.
Markets
Crete has some brilliant markets. The most popular street market in Chania is the ‘Laiki’. Similar to a farmers’ market, growers come to sell their produce on trestle tables with maybe a tarpaulin for shade. You can buy fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables, eggs, cheese, herbs, fish, honey and raki. The Agora is an indoor market with proper shops selling all kinds of things from meat and cheese to herbs and spices. It is all under one roof in an enclosed building in the shape of a cross in Odos Minoos. The market was completed in 1913, inspired by the market of Marseilles.
Limnoupolis Waterpark
Limnoupolis Waterpark is set in landscaped gardens with a 1,500-square-metre swimming pool at the centre complete with pool bar, Jacuzzi and a little island that you can get to by swinging across a rope bridge. This waterpark is ideal for younger children, and there are also sunbathing terraces, cafes and bars. There is a playground too. They can play Tarzan on assault courses, have a go at riding mini-motorbikes or play football. The water part of the park includes rides such as Triple Twist, the Black Hole, the Giant Slide and the churning waters of the Crazy River. Limnoupolis Water Park is near Varipetro, 5 miles from Chania and is open from May to October.
Labyrinth Park
As the name suggests this is a maze where the objective is to find the centre and the Minotaur, then find the escape route! Its great fun for all the family and the route is changed regularly. It's a 3D maze with steps and bridges too. Along the way visitors will learn more about the myths and legends surrounding the famous Minotaur of Knossos. There is also mini golf and cafe too. Children can also have a go in the pottery workshop where Minoan items are reproduced. There's also a lovely eco-garden with aromatic Cretan herbs, fruit trees and vegetable garden.
Aquaplus
Aquaplus water park, just outside Malia, is split into two connected sections - one for adults including the extreme slides and the other for children. The slides are set amongst attractive gardens full of Cretan trees and exotic flowers. The park offers over 50 slides, games and catering facilities for a full day of entertainment. There's also space to relax on sunbeds if you tire of all the excitement!
What better way to spend your holiday than in the turquoise sea waters on the island of Crete. If that was not enough then you can take a stroll on the golden sand whilst breathing in the sea air.
There are many beaches in Crete for all the family and friends to enjoy from the North Coast stretching right across to the South Coast.
Balos Beach
This is arguably one of the most beautiful beaches on the whole of Crete. Boat trips are also an enjoyable way to get to this beach. When viewed from the hills above, it can be seen as a wide sweep of lagoon with soft white sand, sandy seabed and very shallow turquoise waters.
Falasarna Beach
Falasarna, near to the village of Platanos this fabulous beach has a few sun beds and umbrellas but is largely unspoilt. Due to the lack of public transport the only way to reach the beach is by excursion or private transport. The golden sandy beach and turquoise water make it an idyllic location.
Almyrida Beach
A very popular beach in the village which has one long sand and shingle beach as well as a smaller more sheltered cove. Both have sun beds and umbrellas for hire and water sports are also available on the main beach. Tavernas, shops, bars and cafeterias are all close at hand.
Almyros Beach
This beach is located just east of the town of Aghios Nikoloas and is reached by taking the Old National Road. It is also a Blue Flag beach and is shallow so popular with young children and people with mobility problems. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available for hire and a few cafeterias nearby are available for snacks and meals.
Platanias Beach
This busy resort has water sports, sun beds, umbrellas, lifeguards, bars, tavernas and so the list goes on so overall everything that you could expect from a lively beach. The beach is mainly sandy and the sea bed slopes gently so making it good for children.
Bali Beach
This beach is located just east of the town of Aghios Nikoloas and is reached by taking the Old National Road. It is also a Blue Flag beach and is shallow so popular with young children and people with mobility problems. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available for hire and a few cafeterias nearby are available for snacks and meals.
Chania Beach
From just west of Chania, the long beach continues pretty much uninterrupted except for a few rocky outcrops all the way to Kolymbari 14 miles to the west. Some are sandy, some are with shingle whilst others are pebble beaches. The one thing they all have in common is the wonderful clear waters with every shade of blue.
Istron Bay
Iston Bay is located on the north east coast of Crete, set in its own beautiful private bay it stretches for 600 meters and has clear blue sea and water activities.
Kavros Beach
Kavros has an amazing beach that has a long coastline that stretches from Georgioupolis beach and ending at the east to Episkopi. The sea is nice and blue and has golden sand - great for all the family to enjoy!
Petres Beach
This is just one part of a long beach which stretches from the area of Petres all the way to the village of Georgioupolis a distance of approximately 16 miles. A few tavernas are dotted along the beach and some offer sun beds and umbrellas for hire but it is generally there are few facilities available. However on calm days there are few other beaches which offer such perfect swimming conditions.
Aghia Marina
Aghia Marina Beach is located on the north west of the island. The beach has crystal waters and a long sandy beach for everyone to enjoy, there are also beach bars and tavernas.
Kalyves Beach
Although not a large beach, it is very attractive and well organised. The beach is sandy and tavernas, bars and cafeterias all jostle for business. Beach beds and umbrellas are available to hire. There is a car park next to the beach so you do not have to walk far which makes this beach very appealing to those who like to take airbeds and such like to the beach.
Adele Kambos Beach
This is a quiet beach but sun beds and umbrellas can he hired from the hotels and some hotel facilities can be used. Watersports are also available at one of the nearby hotels. This is also an area where the Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs so visitors are respectfully asked not to touch the cages covering the nests during the hatching period.
Kolymbari Beach
Kolymbari sits in the north west coast, there are cliffs to one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other. The beach (which is blue flag) is ideal for a relaxing sunbathe and a swim in the clear blue sea.
Loutraki Beach
The seaside resort of Loutraki is located 16km east of Chania, near to Souda. Loutraki is a small beach with crystal clear water and a beach bar.
Star Beach
Star Beach is at the eastern end of Hersonissos and is sand and pebble. This beach is where Star Beach Waterpark is.
There are several unnamed coves after Star Beach which has sunbeds and umbrellas. These tend to be more suited to families and are reached by a short rocky path.
Maleme Beach
This is a fairly small compact resort which attracts mainly families and this is reflected in the beach facilities. Here sun beds and umbrellas are available but water sports are not which makes the beach safe for small children to play as it is much quiter than some of the other resorts.
Rethymnon Beach
This is a very large beach offering something for everyone. It is mostly sandy with the side nearest to the harbour offering shallow water whilst the eastern side is shelving a little more but the beach is very popular with both locals and tourists. All facilities are available so a day out combining sightseeing and sunbathing is easy to acheive.
Gerani Beach
This is a quiet mainly shingle beach which has little in the way of sun beds and umbrellas and so attracts people who want to be able to relax in peace. A couple of tavernas can be found serving local dishes and drinks but otherwise it’s best to take your own refreshments. The water is clear.
Kiani Akti
This beach is 1km west of the village of Kalives. It is well organised and offers a sandy beach with gently sloping access to the sea. It is comparitively quiet and is popular with families as there are tavernas and ‘kantinas’ – usually caravan type vehicles which serve drinks and snacks – close by. The river Kiliaris bisects the beach as it allows the melting snow to flow into the sea.
Crete is a great destination for families of all ages but every parent dreads the statement ‘I’m bored!! In both Chania and Rethymnon there’s no need to worry about not finding a suitable diversion for both young kids and teenagers. You'll find go-karting tracks and mini golf, inflatable obstacle courses down at the beach and a few excellent waterparks on the island sure to keep little ones smiling.
Crete's warm, sunny climate keeps visitors coming back year after year. For those that like it hot, July and August see highs of around 30 degrees Celsius with virtually no rainfall. The island also benefits from a pleasant breeze to help keep cool. Spring and Autumn are also great times to visit Crete, with pleasant temperatures ranging from 15 to 22 degrees Celsius - perfect for sight-seeing!
If you just want to spend some quality time relaxing with your partner, you’ve come to the right place – the beaches of Crete are spectacular, and your own pool at the villa is quiet and private for soaking up the rays. Or you may prefer a really active holiday, trying some of the many water sports on offer, or exploring the island, perhaps walking through the spectacular Samaria Gorge - the longest gorge in Europe. In the evening you can head for the romantic harbour settings and eat luscious seafood or classic Cretan dishes such as prawn saganaki, lamb antichristo and boureki.
