FINALLY! We have been traveling around Crete for 2 months, staying in various regions and airbnbs. Fotini’s mountain house is by far the best! And so was the location. It is truly a magical place. Let me tell you why:
Location- you feel like you’re in a private retreat surrounded by breath taking views of the valley, olive groves and vineyards yet you are only 20 minutes to some pretty magnificent secluded beaches in the north and only 25 minutes to Heraklion (if you want to experience the city life…which we did not!). And if you want to explore the south it’s less than an hour away (and so worth it). 10 minute drive to Konossos and there are many archeological sites in the area.
Quick 7 minute drive (or you could even walk) to Archanes which is a quintessential picturesque small Greek town, complete with delicious restaurants (I highly recommend Bakaliko in the town square).
The House- very spacious and clean. Fast WiFi inside and out. Amazing outside large bbq/grill and pizza oven. We loved grilling fresh fish and steaks on the grill and eating on the terrace and watching the sunset. The house also has screens in every window which was so nice for us- feeling the fresh breeze during the day (and no other place we stayed at in Greece had screens!). Purified water filter so you can drink fresh water as much as you want from the faucet- another huge bonus. Large washing machine.
Terraces- wrap around terraces from each bedroom and outside the kitchen. I cannot tell you how relaxing it was sitting on the terrace, eating breakfast or doing some work while overlooking the rolling hills, smelling the fresh air and hearing the birds. It’s just magical. You can also see Heraklion in the distance and the sea- it’s all there for you!
Garden- fruit and nut trees, vegetables, chicken coop to gather your fresh eggs each day (being from NYC this was a real highlight for me!). And herbs! Oh my! The glorious amount of herbs growing all around the house and in the area of the house. Fotini and her husband are extremely kind and generous and allowed us to pick and eat whatever we wanted from the garden.
Hiking- I love to walk and literally right outside of the driveway you can walk on the paved road (you might see one car but it’s very quiet in this area) until you reach the hiking trails (in 10 minutes). All the while experiencing heavenly views and smelling the wild flowers (and picking from thyme along and way or even wild asparagus as Fotini showed me!). The hiking trails are through a pine forest and also unmarked goat’s trails- you’ll even pass an ancient Minoan cemetery. Great views and perfect hiking.
This is a long review but I just had to list everything. Like I said - we stayed all over Crete and in several other rentals. When we drove up to the house and I saw the serene setting with magical views and beautiful house…I looked at my husband and said…finally.